Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1922-11-15
Miss Florence Minis Writes.
From Northampton, Mass
Dear Advertiser:

from northampton, WaSS.S
Dear Advertiser: ;ss:5
Since my last letter havefleft
Boston and come TO Northampton
with the Henry Jewett Players who
are being royalty received here dur
ing their months stay. This is COLI
lege town, home of Smith college. It
has country air, this city, withsit
"leafy lanes" and lawns, and its big
homes which are joy to see, after
long blocks of apartment houses IN
a straight row. / said yesterday that
if I should suddenly find myself inl
this town, not knowing even Whsas.
part of the country was in, 1 would
Immediately recognize it as New
England. sss
The first evidence in the case
would be the square porchless front
to the houses, or if not that, a small
box-like entrance, an extra little
square passage through which one
passes before going through the main
front door. This is really to makesthe
entrance of wind and snow more in
convenient, though the guests feel
as if they might be entering bar
ricaded castle. Or, perhaps it would
be the tell tale white birch which
would be another evidence of New
England. That and a certain we'll
ordered look about the country.
have sometimes thought that the
characteristics of nature in different
parts of the country somewhat re
semble those of the people who live
amongst them or vice versa.
As I rode along on the train@the
other day from Boston westSto.
Northampton, l observed that there
was set, stereotyped appearance to,
the autumn landscape, as thoughsthe
Pilgrim Fathers had made it grow
that way, and in the after years il
had not departed from the command.
New England is precise and exact
rejecting little of the form ofsoldS
England itself. In Southern land4
scapes there is a certain sweet ahss;;
donment, riotous growth Of vine
and bloom. 1t suggests the unstinted
soft warm Southern temperament,
never severe, never niggardly in its
hospitality.
The wildness of Western crags
and the broadness Of the rolling
plains, suggests the broadness and
freedom of the Western mind.
LAS a people live in a place they
adapt it to their needs and thus leave
their mark upon it. The West used to
be great stretches of unbroken prai-
rie, and still is to a great extent. But
by the term prairie is meant the
smoth soil unbroken by the plow,
and though it is still virtually prai-
rie, in many places, man has made it
the home of waving grain and taken
it from the rowing buffalo. 1t is nces-
sary to have forest preserves to keep
the trees in tact for generations.
Man, the destroyer, would level all
with his axe.
Perhaps the farther south one
goes, the warmer is the nature, and
the farthe: north one goes the cold
er. New Englanders stiffen up during
the winter and the rather short sum-
mer is not quite time enough for
them to relax thoroughly again. So
the climate effects not only the ma
ture, but the architecture, and where
the New Englander has two en-
frances from the street, and storm
windows, the Southerner has an open
front door, g hall way and a freight
aglow on the hearth. / have expa-
tiated before on the joys of hearth,
and sparkling fire. There is nothing
better If radiators were glowing in
flaming colors, 1 might tolerate them.
have written in circle, and have
come back at last to my starting
point-Northampton. The town is
by the Berkshire Hills,
which are clearly visible. am long
ing for hike to them, and since
most of the Jewett Company are
English people, and should therefore
be great walkers, may have my