A: m \^. H^ ^ Rambles About Amherst EMl'.IlAClNii AN IllsruKICAI, AND DKSC'RII'TIVE SKKTCH OF I'lIK lOWN, Wnil l.X 1' KACl'S FROM AHE WRITINGS OF JAMF.S I'ARTON, I'OINI'S OF INTKKF.ST IN AND ABOUT AMHERST ; ALSO nESC'RU'l'IONS oK SOME OF I"HE MANY IN'IERKST- INC. DRIVES. By Willia:\[ 1>. Uotch. ir/r// .v.-i/' OF THE inainvAYs. AMHERST, \. ir. farmers' CABINET PRESS. 1S90. LroRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNL^ SANTA BARBARA NOTE. Ill pul)lisliiiig this little sketch I have not aimed at re- cording history, only to group together some (»t' the inter- esting facts which pertain to Amherst and vicinity, that they may ])e more readily accessihle to the stranger and those desirous of gaining a hetter accjuaintance with the historic tow^i. The preparation and printing of this little volume has occupied only such time as I could sjtare from my regular work, which will, in part, peihaps. account for its fragmentary appearance. The greatest compensation wiiich I expect to recei\e for the labor and expense involved, has heen already attained, in the satisfatttion of a better ac(]uaiMtance ^\ ith my iiati\e town and an increased lo\c t'oi- lier •■dells and hills, her rooks and rills." Hoping that those who could have done this work so much better will be kind in their critiiisms. I am Respectfully Youi-s, W. I J. K()T( iL Rambles About Amherst : (^HAPTER I. HISTORICAL Amherst (SouhegiUi West ) wa^s early the home of the Narragansett tribe of Indians. The original grant fiom the Massachusetts General Court to the early settlers in- cluded the townships of Milford and Mont Vernan, and a portion of Merrimack. It was incorpoiated as a town on the 18th of January, 1760, and one of the early mcorporated towns in New Hampshire. It receiA^ed its name from Gen- eral Jaffrey Amherst, Connnander of the British forces in North America. Early written history records the many hardships under- gone hy these settlers in sulnluing the elements, laying low the giants of the forest and making the land liahital>U\ 6 KAMBLEH ABOUT AMHERST. In 1794, tlie inhabitants of that part of Amherst known SIS the "South West Parish," having increased to such prf> portions as wouki seem to w.irrant it, petitioned to the (xeneral Court to be (hsconnected from the township of Amhei-st, and incorporated as the town of Milford, whicli request was granted, inchiding a tract of land from the township of Hollis. In 1803, the "Second Parish," located upon the elevation northwesterly of Amherst, petitioned to the General Court to be set ott" as a separate townsliip, which request, as in the previous instance was granted, and the town of Mont Vernon was incoi-porated. For fifty years following the disconnection of these two towns Amherst was in the hey-day of its prosperity, and by far the most important place in this section of the State. It was the shire town and all of the courts were held here, and many public gatherings of much importance. The largest population Amherst ever had was before the town was divided. The census of 1790 shew a population of 2,396. In 1820 the inhabitants numbered 1,622. The village contained about 60 dwellings, a meeting - house, school 1 louse, two taverns, court house, jail, printing-office, card factory and five stores ; also two law offices. In those "good old times" often i-eferred to by the gi"ey whLskered residents, Amherst did not have its present quiet, sleepy appearance of a "deserted village." lire frequent ses- sions of the court, the annual m\ister and trainings, the great amount of travel to and fro over the turnpike, and its being the mailing point to all the surrounding country, served to TvAMIU.KS AHOl'T AMHKKST. I make Amliei.st almsinesvS ceutie iuul busy [dace, liiit these iliiys are past. The rapid y;io\vth of surroiiiKliiio- towns with •available water privileges and better railroad facilities have drawn upon its vitality and greatly detracted from its busi- ness importance. The courts are no huiger held here, and the county otfiees are now at Nashua. Aside from the gen- eral aspect of neatness every where noticeal)le, we have little evidence of tiie thiift whicjj once abounded hei-e. MAP OF HIGHWAYS IN AMHERST AND VICIMTV. CHAPTER II. DESCRIPTIVE. Amherst, in the County of Hillsl)()i(>iigh, is 48 miles northwest of Boston, 11 miles northwest of Niushua and 12 miles southwest of Manchester. It is located on the Boston and LoAvell division of the Boston and Maine Railroad, and one hour and forty-eight minutes' ride from Boston. Pas- sengers taking the cars at the old Boston and Lowell pas- senger station on Causeway street, find the ride to Amherst a most delightful one and the time passes altogether too (juickly. From Lowell to Nashua the train skirts along the banks of the Meriimack river, of which most delightful views can be had, and now and then glimpses of mountains and hills in the distance. Arriving at Amherst-statif)n ac- commodations are found to convey passengers in either direc- tion — to Hotel Ponemah, located one mile south, or to the village, three miles to the north. Reaching the village, stables will be found Avell equi])ped with conveniences for canying passengers or parties to houses located at a distance 10 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. or to points of interest, in and about the town. Amherst village, which is one of the most beautiful in the state, is located upon a plain of about one half mile in extent, sur- rounded by hills, and is thought by many to have once been the bed of a Like, whose waters found an outlet through Beaver Brook, now familiarly known as "Quoquin- napassakessananagnog," the name given by the Indians to the lands about the mouth of that brook, three miles below the village. The village is at once noticeable for its clean, whole- .some and well kept appearance ; is comprised of about 130 dwellings, each one of which shows evidence of local pride in its owner in making its outward appearance pleasant to the eye. The streets are broad with sidewalks, lined with shade trees, whose over-reaching branches and thick foliage form almost a canopy, and under whose cool shade in the hot summer days it is a delight to stroll. The soil of the "•plain" is a sandy loam, of not such strength as to insure large returns from the efforts of gardening, but of sufficient firmness to support a thick mat of grass which everywhere softens the landscape and rests the eye. In the village a large tract of land has been neatly fenced in for a public common, and thickly set with maple and elm trees, which promise in the near future to make this locality a very pop- ular lesort. Rising from the centre of this common is a flag staff of very graceful proportions. In addition, the village has three churches, handsome brick school house, ample and commodious town hall, which furnishes accommodations for the different orders and the KAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. 11 public library, chapel, engine house, kit factory, saw and grist mill and one planincr mill, printing offiice, besides five stores and a harness-shop. There is no pul>lic house in the village at present, tire (lestrf»ying in 187() the coni- niodious hotel ]>uilt by the citizens and which during its brief existence was the pride of the town. The way-farei" has no trouble, however, in finding desirable accommodations under the hospitable roofs of the several piivate houses whose proprietors open their doors to unobjectionable persons. A soldiers' monument graces a central jjoint in tlie village, and attests to the sjicredness with which the citizens hold in memory the deeds of the soldiers in the late war. There are other points of interest in the village, not the least among which is the old burying ground near the town house, the old jail, long out of use, of which we shall sjiy more later. From the hills which surround the village charming and extensive views of the surrounding country can l)e had. "Chestnut Hills" to the north is the highest i»rominence ; "Christian Hill" in the west, so named from the number of active church members and officei-s it has furnished in past •lays ; "David's Hill" in tlie south, up which winds an en- chanting lane, is well worthy a climli, in repay for wliich a beautiful view of the village may be had, nestling down in its quiet repose among the trees below, the church spires only rising above their tops, and the white houses hardly visible through the dense foliage. "Walnut Hill" in the east is noticeable from all points for its symmetrii;al i)roiM»r- tions. From either of these elevations named, high moun- 12 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. tains in the distance appear to one's gaze, which, with the intervening valleys, furnish a panoramic scene of rare e xte nt, bea uty and granduer. Before contmuing this sketch and describing the character of the country adjacent to the village, with its attractive drives and many points of interest and note, 1 will give place to the graphic dis- cription of James Parton, Horace Greeley's biographer, who, in the interest of his friend and patron, once visited this town and the early home of Greeley. With a little change his words would be as applicable to-daj" as at the time they were written, many years ago : — "The village of Amherst is a pleasant place. Seen from the summit of a distant hill, it is a white dot in the middle of a level plain, encircled by cultivated and gently sloping hills. On a near approach the traveller perceiv ^,s that it is a cluster of white houses, looking as if they had alighted among the trees and might take wing again. On enter- ing it he finds himself in a veiy pretty village, built round an ample green, and shaded by lofty trees. It contains three churches, a printing office, a court house, a jail, a half dozen stores, an exceedingly minute watch maker's shop and a hundred private houses. There is not a human Ijeing to be seen, not a sound to be heard, except the twittering of the })irds overhead, and the distant whistle of a locomotive, which in those remote regions serves to make the silence audible. The utter silence and deserted aspect of the older villages in New England are remarkable. In the morning and evening there is some appearance of life in Amherst ; biit in the hours of the day, when the men are at work, the i:ami',m:s .vr.oiT amuekst. 18 women ])usy witli tlu'ir lioiisehold affairs, and tlu' cliildieii at sL-liool, tlie visitor ma}' sit at the window of the village tavern for an hour at a time and not see a living- creitture. Occasionally a pedler, with sleigh Ijellsiound liis horse, goes B1RTHPLA(^E OF HORACE (illEELEY. Founder of the X. V. Trilninc. jingling hy. Occasionally a farmer's wagon drive's up to one of the stores. Occasionally a stage, rocking in its leather suspenders, stops at the post office for a inoment. and tlien 14 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. rocks away again. -Occasionally a doctor passes in a very antiqnated gig. Occasionally a cock crows, as though it was tired of the dead silence. A New York village, a quar- ter the size and wealth of Amherst, makes twice its n(jise and bustle. Forty years ago, however, when Horace Gree- ley iLsed to cimie to the stores there, it wa> a })!ace of some- what more importance and more business than it is now, for Manchester and Nashua have absorbed many of the lit- tle streams of traffic which used to flow toward the county town. It is a curious evidence of the stationary character of the place, that the village paper which had fifteen hundred sidxscribers when Hoiuce Greeley was three years old, and learned to read fr(mi it, has fifteen hundred subscribers and no more at this moment. It bears the same name it did tlien, is publislied by the same person, and adheres to the same party." The towjishi[) of Amherst contains about eight sc^uare miles of better land than the average land of New England. Wheat cannot l)e grown on it to advantage, but it yields fair returns of rye, oats, potatoes, Indian corn, and young men ; the last named of which commodities forms the chief article of export. The farmers have to contend with hills, rocks, stones imiumerable, sand, marsh and long winters; but a hundred years of tillage have subdued these obstacles in part, and the peo])le generally enjoy a. safe and moderate prosperity. Yet, severe is their toil. To see them plough- ing along the sides of those steep rocky hills, the plough creaking, the oxen groaning, the little boy driver lea[)ing ItAMULES AI'.OIT AMHEUST. 1 fioin sod to sod, as an Alpine boy is supposed to leap froiu crag to crag, the plouglinian wrenching the plough round the rocks, hoy and man every riinute or two uniting in a ])rolonged*a;id agonizing yell for the panting beasts to stop, when the [)lougli is caught l)y a hidden rock too large for it to overturn, and the solenni slowness with which the })i-o- cession winds, creaks and "Toans alono-, o-ives the lano-uid citizen, who chances to pass by, a new idea of hard work, and a new sense of the happiness of his lot. " If Mr. Parton sliould revisit Amherst to-day, he would see little change in the general appearance of the place. Time has worked great changes in the people. Thirty years have wrought changes in nearly every household. They have also brought about changes in the mode of operating the farms. In })laee of the slow moving ox teams he would tind a pair of hoi'ses drawing a sulky plow, and other inipi'oved machinery lessening the hardships of the farmer's life. ( )ur farmers have not been slow in adopt- ing improved metliods of tilling the soil, and we believe that the [jecuniary returns from their labor is more satisfac- tory than formerly. The raising of cereals and potatoes for the market, in large quantities, has been superseded by butter making and milk producing, and the large intervale farms are now nearly entirely given to the latter industry, a ready market being found for milk at the R. K. station, \\liere it is daily collected and thence transported to Boston. Lakes and Streams. — Babboosic lake, so named by the Indians once dwelling upon its shores, is located about 1(5 KAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. three miles north easterly of the village ; it abounds in lish. l^ittle Babhoosic pond is connected with the lake of larger size by a small brook. Jo English pond is located partly in Amherst, Mt. Vernon, and New Boston. Damon's pond. S( )LDI EK S yU )N r.M ENT. ERF-CTED IN 1 87 1. a small sheet of watei', is located in the north east part of the town and Stearns's pond or more faniiharly known as ''Honey Pot [)on(r' is situated in the south part of the town. All of th('>(' ponds contain Hslito gTeater or les> extent, but GAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. 17 none of them, with the exception of Bahboosic, have ever been stocked with fry. Souhegan river crosses the southerly portion of tlie town. and is spanned by two carriage bridges. Into it flows Beaver Brook, which traverses the whole length of the town, starting on its course in Mont Vernon. Babboosic brook start-^ from Jo English pond, rvnis through the northerly part of Andierst, through Bedford, and empties into the ScnUiegan river at Merrimack. In the trout season these brooks furnish good fishing ground. (xranite abounds^ and (juarries are operated, which yield a very fine quality of stone. Limestone has been found in some parts of the town, and iron ore exists in small quantities. Some rare minerals and crystals have been found near the Bedford line, but are not so plenty as to attract many searchers. White pine is the principal timber growth. Chestnut trees abound and when loaded with nuts, a sharp rivalry oc- curs between the small boy and the squirrel to see who shall gather the most. Oak, somewhat rare in other sec- tions, grows a])undantly here, (xame is iiot as plenty as in former times, yet the skilful hunter will not lack for sport in hunting the grey squirrel, and partridge in their season. Coons are also found in the swamps and on the mountains. A mineral spring in the east part of the town, about two miles from the village, has some renown for its medicinal I)roperties. Also a spring located near the highway from Amherst to Mont Vernon, is noticeable for the large amount of soda the water contains. There are many other points 18 RAMBL?:.S ABOUT AMHEItST. which will a[)i)eil to the visitor with equal interest as those- already named. "'%te*^<^^ Wfi. -^^,^«vv%^. ^vrX^'lffc, COXGEEG ATIONAL CH UBCH. Amherst is emphatically a field for artists, abounding in those little 'd)its" of natural beauty, of wooded drives, shady nooks and cool retreats, which relieve the monotony i>f a less l)roken country. Whoever brings a camera here RAMBLES AHOUT A.MIIKKST. 19 has IK) difficulty in tindino' the desired opportunity t'oi' the exercise of his art. Almost everything desired by the artist can be found. The hay-maker in the field, the l)oat upon the lake, the cows grazing upon the liills, winding road-ways, lights and shadows through the trees, deep glens, rustic scenes and expansive views, can all l)e ol)tain- ed with but comparatively little effort. Again, the intense quiet of the place and the unobtrusive- ness of its inhabitants make it a spot most desirable for those seeking complete rest from business cares and anx- iety ; while its mail and telephone connections with the out- side world help the business man to feel that he has "• an eye on his business, " while recnuting his bodily strength upon its pure atmosphere, and dieting upon fresh butter, milk and cream. It is a noticeable fact that those who once visit Amherst return again. Each recurring season finds among the new faces here, familiar ones, and the periodical return of some of our summer visitors is as regular as the the movements of the birds who return each spring to the nests they deserted in the fall. The well kept road-beds, make driving a })leasure. The opportunities for boating and fishing, et(;., liave given the town an increasing prominence among the sunnner resorts of the Granite State. The well kept boarding houses have accomodations for a large number of guests, but each season finds their capacity tested to the fullest extent. Common P'l()Wp:i{.s. — Flora has been lavish in her gifts here. From earliest Spring to latest Fall, woodland beau- 20 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. ties abound. First after the soft mouse - tinted and pollen- tipped pussy willows prophesy the coming of the "merrie month of Male," we tuid the delicate hued hepaticas, pur- ple violets and white Cornell. Almost simultaneously with these, that universal favorite of New England, the pale, pink and white arbutus, sweet scented and shy, hiding it- self under gray rock and In'OAvn leaves, creeping and nest- ling lovingly into beds of moss and twining evergreen, — a "Avee, modest, crimson-tippit flower." Side->addle or pitch- er plant then reddens in the held, twin flowers and inno- cence, that associate themselves with designs on the fine, soft lawns our grandmothers AA'ore, peep up. (Tradually over the laown earth and l)are branches a green mist ap- jjears. then, with a rush, the world about us is a maze of bloom and the air is full of Easter incense. Wild cherry, dogwood, l)lackberry fields, peach and apple orchards dress themselves in liridal garments of l)lushing pink and purest white. The sweet breath of the passing breeze dallies among the branches, sending bewildering whirls of drifting snow out into tlie warm June days. It is the romance and dream of the year— enchanting, fair and sweet. Then follows the joy of graduates, when in great picnic carts they go in merry groups to gather tlie mountain lau- rel, great mounds of rosy bloom, whose warm blushes re- calls the classical legend concerning it. Sturdy, unap- preciated clover, red, white and yellow : oxeyed daisies, l)lack-eyed-Susans, Avild roses, yellow butter - cups and plume - like ferns star tlie grasses and lieautify field and roadside. Then the chestnuts drop their bunches of strung KAMr.LKS AI'.olT AMHKUST. 21 pearls and we feel that the spring hh)()ming is over. The trees grow darker, the foliage more dense and the shadows in the wood deepen. August brings the clematis, fairy meadow rue and swinging blue bell, the feathery golden rod, swa_ying pink bean, giradias and quantities of heavy cluster- ing buck bean. September ushers in whole families of starworts. The corn, that through the summer time tilted its shining green lances at us, ripens now to yellow, and the arnicas try to cheat us into l)elief of returning spring by their imitation of d-indeli(^ns. The air is fragrant with the winey odor of ripening gi'a})es. October, with magic wand, turns the bunch - berries, alders and wax-work scarlet and orange. The forests are rich in red, russet, green, yellow and brown. Down in the meadow l)lue gentians are found. November comes and the woods are alight with the ghostly witchery of the pale hazel bloom. There is a bursting of pods and rattling of seeds on the dead leaves, and December steps in and throws his fleecy blanket over them and shows with it, for background, the delicate vases tliat held tlie seeds with their own peculiar beauty. CHAPTER in. PEKSONAL New Htini[).shire i-s renowned for the sturdy character of the men it rears. The boys of the Granite Hills inhal)it every State in the Union, lending their bone and mnscle to the development of new territories, as well as filling [)Ositions of honor and prominence in the older States. Amherst has furnished its full quota of young men to this great regiment, and there is projjably not a city in the States l)ut what has drawn u})on its life and partaken of its vitality. Perhaps no other one of Amherst's sons ever gained such fame in the world as Horace Greeley ; perhaps none otlier was entitled to such eminence ; certainly none other ever was Ijefore the. country as candidate for President. But others have gone out from Amherst wdiose influence lias lieen felt throusrhout the length and breadth of the land. 'I'o name all those, who, though perhaps not born within our territorial lines, yet, spent the years here which shaped their course through life, would be a task of too great niagnitude for us at this time, yet we cannot pass over this uTound without recallino- a few familiar names. ra:mbles ap.out a^fherst. 28 There are none left who remember William IJigelow. who was the first editor of the Village Messengek, and afterward had charg^e of the Boston Latin School. Amonjr the pupils of this distinguished teacher was Edward Ever- ett. Eor many years tlie name of Atlierton was synonymous with Amherst. Joshua Atherton was the first of that name to settle here. He was an able lawyer and for several years the State's Attorney General. His son, the Hon. Chas. H. Atherton, was also a lawyer of much note, once a Rep- presentative in Congress, and his son Chas. G. Atherton another lawyer of prominence and U. S. Senator. Captain Eli Brown, in early life a resident of Andierst, afterw^ards was in charge of the fleet of gunboats on the coast of New England. Joseph Cushing started the })ublieation of the Eailmeks" Cabinet in 1802, built the large brick building afterwards known as ''Cashing's Folly." Sold Cabinet in 1809 to Hicliard Boylston, and removed to Baltimore. Dr. John Farmer, a histoi'ian of note, spent the eai'ly years of his life here. Prof. James Freeman Dana was a ])rofessor of chemist rv at Dartmouth College. Dr. Samuel L. Dana, his brothei' was also noted as a scientist. Gen. Jose[)h Low was noted far and wide as a niiliiaiv character. He was once Mayor of Concord. Col. Robert Means, was treasurer of the Countvfor years :24 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHEKST. and was a meinl)er of the Senate and Council. David Mc(t. Means was a very successful l)usiness man. Isaac Spalding and Robert Read were prominent mer- chants here, and the former afterwards at Nashua. By his will he bequeathed a legacy of ten thousand dollars to tlie town, for school purposes, to l)e paid on the decease of his widow. Among the early pastors of the parisli church here, wa> Rev. Nathau Lord, D. D., L. L. D. ; he resided in the house now owned and occupied by Mr. John G. Peacock, on the turnpike leading from Amherst to Mt. Vernon. He was called from his ministry to the Presidency of Dartmouth College, which position he aeceptal)ly filled for over thirty years. The pastor to succeed Rev. Mr. Lord, was Rev. Silas Aiken. He was called from his work here to the pulpit of Park St. church, Boston, which position he held for twelve years and then removed to Vermont. The foregoing is but a fragmentary list of the names of some of our most honored citizens, all of whom have now passed to their reward. Those which a younger generation will more quickly as- sociate with Amherst, perhaps, are Campbell, Dodge, Hap- good, Lawrence, Eaton, Davis, David, Abbott, Hartshorn, Melendy. lioylston, Secomlje, Clark, and many others, whf)se names will occur as readil}' to the reader as to the wi'iter. But enough have here been recalled to make the sons of Amherst feel proud of their ancestry. CHAPTER IV. POINTS OF IXTEIJKST Lake BabboOSic. This beautiful sheet o\' water i> situated two and one-half miles easteii}' of the villag-e of Audierst. Is accessible from all directions })y carriage roads. The Pond covers an area of about three luindred and eighty acres, and the water varies in depth to about thirty feet. Its greatest length is two miles and its greatest breadth one mile. It has long been a favorite resort for l)oatingand fishing, and is nnich visited by pleasure parties and its worthy fame is every year extending. About ten years ago it was stocked with black bass by the State Board <»f Fish Commissioners, and tine specimens are now captur- ed every season. The waters being fresh and not a slug- gish pond, the bass are full of game, varying in size from one to five and six pounds. Other fish sucli as perch, abound. Poats for fishing or rowing can be had at different points along the shore. At the east side of the lake is a fine grove of pines, underneath whose shade, seats, 2B [;AMP,LKS AHOl'T AMHEi:ST. swinnfs, a IkukI stand and i)lattoi'ni for dancino' have been hnilt ))y ^Ii'. Colston, tlie present proprietor of the Bab- boosie House, wliich is located a short walk l)ack from the shore, upon a prominence overlooking- the lake. New Hamp.^hire has many jewels in her crown of natural l)eauty, but few are brighter, fairer or more beautiful, thin Lake liabboosic. ?w; Present Town House, ( Foumkk coniT House.) 'I'liis l)uihlin'> was originally erected for the use of the RAMIU.KS AI'.OIT AMUKKST. Z ( county ^Courts, which at the time were all here. Ahiiiy exeitiug scenes have transpired ^-ithin its historic A\alls, and many distinguished jurists have here made [ileas which have helped them on the road t. B. David. Soldiers' Monument. 'l^lie monument which graces a central spot in our village, was completed in 1871. Tlie granite base was cut fi'om a howlder. found on the farm of --pSiSkiSaUti- UKSIDKXCK OF THK LATE CECMMiE KENT. I^evi .1. Seconilx', Ks<|. A figure of a soldier, in laon/.et holihng a musket, stands u})on tlie granite pedestal, in RAMBLES AROl'T AMFTKRST. 20 which is inserted a tablet, bearing the names of tlioses en- listing from Amherst in the late war, who lost their lives defending the old flag. The cost of this memorial was •t 4000. A gift for this pnrpose l)y the late Aaron Tvawrence, was supplemented by an appropriation from the town. .4^£^tt3^a2^^s^f:f;5^ - mmm?mi'''m!ax,^mi.^ RESIDKNCE OF THE LATE HOX. H. EATOX. The Brick Block, familiarly known as the -old brick" was eivcted about 1809, by Mr. Joseph Cushing. at 30 I{AMBLE8 ABOUT AMHKKST. that time pul)lisherof the Farmers' Cabinet, wlio pin-pos- ed to enter extensively into the printing and puhlishino- of books, and with this end in view he erected this bnihling, htng afterwards known as "Cnshing's Folly." He never occupied it, for before its completion he hastily removed to Baltimore. It has had numerous owners and more numer- ous occupants. The lower story has usually been occupied as stores, though originally the west side as a tenement. The upper ones have been used for school-rooms, tenements. l>ook bindery, pattern - makers shop, and at one time the entire building as an iron foundry. It is owned by the heirs of the late Hon. Harrison P^aton, and at present oc- cupied as a store, in which is the post-office ; a millinery store and a barl^er shop. It is one of the land marks of Andierst. Long may it be spared from tempest or fire, a link between the })resent and the past. Greeley's Birthplace. The spot where Horace (ireeley first saw the light of day, is about five miles nortli- easterly from Amherst village, on the first highway leading to Bedford. The house stands as it was originally built, and is owned and occupied as a farm house l)y Joseph F. Hanson. James Parton, in writing of this spot twenty years ago said : "The farm owned l)y Zaccheus Greeley when his son Horace was born, was four or five miles from the village of Amherst. It consisted of eighty acres of land — heavy land to till— rocky, moist, and uneven, worth then eight i;A>ri?LKs Ar.oiT a.mhi:i;st. 81 liuiidfed (lolhii's, now two thousand. The house, a small, uii[)ainted, hut suhstaiitial and well-l)uilt fann-house, stood and still stands, upon a ledge or platform, halt" way u[) a hiuh, steep, and rocky hill, commandhio- aii extensive and almost i)anoraniic view of the surrounding country. In whatever direction the hoy may have looked, he saw rock. Jvock is the feature of the landscape. There is rock in the old orchards behind the old house ; rocks peep out from the gravs in the pastures : rock along the road ; rock on the sides of the hills ; rock on their summits : rock in the vallevs : rock in the woods ; rock, rock, everywhere rock. And yet the country has not a barren look. I should call it a serious looking covuitry ; one that would be congenial to grim cov- enanters and exiled round-heads. The })re vailing colors are (hxrk, even in the brightest months of the year. The })ine woods, the rock, the shade of the hill, the color of the soil, are all dark and serious. It is a still unfrequented region. One may ride along the road upon which the house stands, for many a mile, without passing a single vehicle. The turtles hobble across the road fearless of the crushing wheel. If any one wished to know the full mean- ing of the word country, as (listinguishex. Tliis Ijuilcbng was erected by tlie Hillsborough Bank and dnriiiL!" its slioi't life was used as its bankino- house, and KAMMLKS AH«>1 r AMHKIJST. 88 residence of its cashier. It was also used as a hanking- house hy the Fanners' Bank tVoni 1825 to 1848, The vault or safe remains at present, as originally built. 'I'he luick foi- this Hue dwelling was made upon the Lord place, then newly built by Capt. Kli l>rown. MinGra^l SprinSli Located one and one half miles east of the village in a beautiful pine grove, near what was once a trotting park, is a spring widely noted for its medi- cinal properties. The water is sought for by those affected by scrofulous diseases, and is used as a wash as well as taken internally, with beneficial results. It is so heavy with iron as to discohu- the banks of the Inook into which it Hows, for a long distance, giving them a redish shade, like iroii rust. The water is not objectionable to the taste. In the geological survey of the State made seveial years ago, this spring was the only mineral spring to which at- tention was es})ecially called as possessing any very re- markable medicinal properties. Dr. Jackson and several other distinguished chemists have also since analyzed its waters, all witli the same general results and tending to confirm well known facts in relation to its value. A very careful and exhaustive analysis has been made by Prof. r)abcock, and from it will be seen, that the water of this spring exhibits a combination of rare curative agents seldom found in it sj)]-ing in such rich pro})ortions. ANALYSIS AND IIESIJLT. The water contains in an Impeiial gallon l').o2 giains of 34 KAMP.LES AIKH'T A:MHEHST. mineral and orofaiiic matter. Tliis (consists of the follow- ino-: — Carbonate of Lime .... o.()(> o-raius. Carbonate of Iron .... 1.80 •• Carbonate of Mao-nesinm . . 1.47 Carl)onate of Sodinm ... 2'S Ci-enic Acid ;-J.S7 Sulphate of Lime !.(>•} " Snl[)liate of I^otassium .... 85 "' (Idoride of Sodinm 87 Selicia and Ahimnia .... 09 'l^'»tal 51.52 " Free Carl)onate Acid nndeteiininecL .(AMES F. HABCOCK. Analytical a)ui Coti.udtin^i; C/u-iiiist. Picnic Ground. ^*" ^''^* ^'""^ owned by tlie towji in I'onnection with the farm at Amlierst Station, is a l)eantifnl grove of pines. This grove has been cleared of all under- brush, seats, platform, cook honses and other conveniences arranged for picnicing parties. It is es[)ecially well ada})ted for large gatherings, the grounds sloi)ing toward the centre, forming a natural ami)hitheatre. Its proximity to tlie lail- roiid station enhances its othei- conveniences. Congregational Church. '^ '^i^ '^ tJie most i)romi- jient edifice that appears to the eye as one passes through tin- village. The building was originally owned by the town, and was purchased by the Congregational Society in 1882 wlien it was thoroughly repaired and alterations 1;Am'i?LKS AP.OIT AMHKPvST. 85 made. The t(»\vii still ow lis the hell and steeple, and luive riohts in the lower story. It was for luiiny years the only [)laee for puhlic meeting's in town. 'I'he tirst pastor was Kev. Daniel W'ilkins, installed in 1741. He died in 17(S8. The second pastor was Kev. Jeremiah Ivirnard. he died in lH'->.'). The third })astor, Kev. Xathan Lord, 1). D., was settled as colleagne with Mr. r.arnard, Ahiy 'io. ISKI. He was ealled to the Presidency of Dartmouth College in 182S. The fourth pastor Rev. Silas Aiken, D. D. was settled March 4. 1821). He was ealled to the pastorial care t)f Park St. church, IJoston, in 1887. The fifth pastor Rev. Frederick A. Adams. Ph. D., was settled Nov. 15, 1887, and dismissed Sept. 24, 1840. The sixth pastor was Kev. Wm. T. Savage, 1). I)., settled Feb. 24, 1840, and dismissed April, 4, 1848. The seventh pastor Kev. .Josiah (nirdner Davis, 1). 1)., was settled May 22, 1844, and dismissed Jan. 22, 1880. The eighth jjastor Kev. Willis D. Leland, was settled June 22, 1880, and dismissed May l(i, 1888. The [ues- ent pastor, Kev. Alfied J. McCiown, was settled Dec. 1, 1885. Baptist Church. This house was built about the beginning of the century by the Unitarians, and passed in- to the hands of the Baptist Society in 1844. The interior was recently remodelled and modernized and is nt)w quite attractive. This church has had no less than seventeen pastoi-s within the half century of its existence, and is at present without a permanent su[)[)ly. 36 RAMBLES ABOI'T AMHIRST. The Melhodift Chapel was dedicated al,out 1828. Since then nntil the present the church has l)een chised about one half of the time. It ha-; had several })astors of ability, and is at present supplied ])y Kev. Win. Merrill of iMilford. Purgatory Falls, ^>i^ Hutchixson's Guove, in Mt. Vernon, is a place of some note and interest, and is visited yearly by thousands. It is about two miles south-west of the village. It is a deep ravene, through which flows a small stream. The chief attractions are, the canal and its outlet, the "Devil's Bean Pot," in the ledge, and the im})rint of a human foot imbedded in the rock, the wash boiler and tub, a stocking, eu])S and saucers, etc. It is a fine sight when the canal is nearly filled with water, to see it rushing and foaming to tlie gulf, and then falling forty feet to the rocks below. The grove contains a doul)le bowling ally, l)and stand and dancing floor. The annual basket picnic liere has become an institution. PrOSlDeCt Hill ^^^ Mont Verufui, is a pf)int much vis- ited by guests at the summer boarding houses, and by many others, every season, A carriage road to the summit makes the highest point easil}' accessible. It is best des- cribed by Prof. Bancroft, of Phillips Academy : "To the south is seen Mt. Wachusett in Princeton, Mass. ; Watatic in Ashby and Ashburnham ; Barrett, Kidder and Flat Mts. in New Ipswich ; the Temple, Peterboro' and Lyndeboro' ranges throughout their whole ex- tent, of which Piscataquog lies almost exactly south-west ; Crotchet Mt. rises l)eyond the village of Francestown, with the symmetrical cone of Lovell's n.vMiu.Ks Ai;(»rT a.mhkiist. -IT ^!t. still further to the north. Kearsaige is seen on tiie distant lioiizon ti^warils the north, flanked right and left hy the IJlack Mts., Mission Kidge, the Mink Hills and Stewart I'eak. A little east of north, only a few miles distant, the rounded summit of Joe Knglish beetles towards the south. Turning to the right, Koby Mill, the lesser Oncanoonuc and the greater < )ncanoonuc are seen, and, far beyond, the chimneys and spires of Manches- ter, Mt. I'awtuckawa, Saddle Hack, and McCoy's in Nottingham and Aliens- town. 'I'he view to the east and south-east is of a wide expanse of rolling country, dotted with villages and farms, with church .spires and the buildings of the great manufactories of Nashua and Lowell. At your feet nestles the village of Amherst, and the turret of Hotel Ponemah appears above the forest beyond. In the Autumn mornings, the lines of fog mark the valleys of the Merrimack, the Nashua and the Souhegan. Thus in three quadrants of the horizon are noble mountains, near and far, solitary peaks and massive langes, while the fcurth quadiant pitstrts a plain, stretching as far as the eye can reach, diveisified by dwellings, faims, forests and streams. Hotel Ponemah. 'J'lii^ house is the U^adino- suniiiier rejsoit in this vicinity. It is h)cated at the celebiated Mil- hnd Springs, about one and one halt" miles from Miliord village, and reached from Amherst Station, by eoaches from the hotel, running- to meet each tiain. in a pleasant drive of about one mile. The health giving pro[)erties of its waters are widely known, and the hotel, with its large rooms and cheerful fire places, and broad piazzas extending entirely around the house, is fast becoming equally famous. Kiom the tower which sTirmounts the house an extensive view of the surrounding country is obtained, and by ascend- ing "Mount Pisgah," near the house, a still greater exi)anso of country is seen. A correspondent of the Iloston I'osT writes as follows of Hotel Ponemah and its snrroiindinos: — o8 RAMBLES AHfU'T AMF^F.I;ST. "The charms of this most deliiihtfully sittrdted hotel are aheady well known, its first three seasons Ijeing vnider the excellent care of Mr. Cileason of the Victoria, and conducted last summer very successfully and with well nlled house by Mr. 1). S. Plummer, its present proprietor. The great height ()f land, the superb width of view, the variety of mineral springs directly on the place, and the number of interesting drives makej it a most desirable summer resort. Beautiful woods lie behind the hou.se, where mountain laurel blooms abundantly in June, and the pLire. delicious air cai.not fail to improve health and strength. The spacious rooms, wide piazzas and open lire-places are attractive features, and when the access of simply two hour> from Boston is mentioned there seems little to be added. A list of mountahis to be seen from Hotel Ponemah was recently handed me, from which [ quote verbatim : "To the north are seen Mt. Vernon, Joe English in New Boston, the Cioffstown mountain. Crotchet mountain in P'rancestown, and on a clear day Mooselauk, Kearsarge, Sunapee and other mountains farther north. ( )n the east may be seen the Blue Hills, running through Rochester, Barrington and Nottingham, including C"hocorua, (Kssipee, -Saddleback, Ten- criffe, t'awtuckaway, and others, also Agamenticus on the borders of Maine. From the elevated lands to the west of the house, the I.yndeborough, Tem- ple and Cireenfield mountains are visible, with lofty Monadnock and the range e.xtending through central Massachusetts." The following interesting account of the discovery of Milford Mineral S[»rings, we take from the Farmers' Cab- inet, of the date of Decenil)er oth, 1818. The story is corroborated by several similar at-eounts published in other papers of about that date : — Mr. B ovist oil : My son, Willie Sargent, was taken sick in February last of a consump tion.and continued in a gradual decline till the 19th of August, when lie dieil. C>n Mrindiiy the loth of July, he fell alseep in the forenoon, and had a dream or vision, in which he saw a man standing by a rock in a piece of woodland near my house, who told him there was a spring where he stood, under ground, the water of which by drinking, would cure a consumption On the next night he again dreamed of seeing the man in the same place, who told him as before of the spring. And again on the night of the 8th of August he the third time had the same vision, and the man repeated the assurance of there being a spring where he stood; and of its being a cure for the consump- tion. He also said his name was Gabriel. He did not tell my son the water would cuiebini in particular, nor did Vv'illie expect it would, but said it would help others, aud was very anxious to have it found. .Some persons dug at RAMI'.LKS AI'.olT AMHKKST. 89 some (I'lstaiii-e from the rock, and found a spring of water of clayey appear- ance, which would not settle clear, ete , and which has been represented as the spring described by ihi i/i.iii\ but my !•: Devh/s pulimt.) tius most woiidtM'tul natural ciu'io.-iitv, which attracts maiiy visitors t'acli smiiiuer, is situated in l>e(lford, and can be reached from Amherst by a drive of about 5 miles, which takes one by the Greeley house, oi-, by a moie circutious route, by wav of "Chestnut Hills." It is oidy within a few years that this strange freak of nature lias been accessible without a fatiguino- walk of a mile or more. But since the road-way was completed by Mr. French, upon whose land this wonder- ful chasm is situated, tliis place has gained a much wider i-eiiown. It is doubtless unparclled in this section of New Kngland. A pen i)ictu]'e would utterly fail to describe the wildness of this spot. It has the ai)])earaMce of an 40 KAMBLES AP.OT'T A:MHEKST. "■untiuisherl coniei"" of the world. The time to visit it is in the Spri:lL,^ or after a great storm, when the brook th j.t course^ tlnouo-h it is tilled with water, and goe-; dHliiiig a'i!l foaming over the rocks and falling a great RF.SFDKNCK OF Till'. I.ATK 1'.. I!. DAVID. distiiiicf to (lie gulf helow. 'iiic "freaks" which lla^■c hecn named, and the imaginative visitor can discover many more to which he can ai)jilv tlw name that most readily suggests RAMI'.LKS AP.OIT AMHKItST. 41 itself, and probably with e([ual a|)[)i'(»})iiatenes.s, are these : 'I'he "churn, '" "bed-rooni, witli ehaniber above," "elepluint's liead." "Indian staii'way," "•bottomless })it," "fallen rocks,'' "arch," "oven," "boilint>- pot," "devil's foot })rints," and the "well." This is a very interesting place and no one visit- ing in its vicinitv should return without seeing it. Barnes' Falls. I'^'i^ ^'iH i^ situated in a secluded spot about two miles above Wilton, nine miles from Am- herst. It is reached by a rough })athway Iminching from the main road, leading over little steej) hills until one sud- denly finds himself on the })lateau of the greater lull of whicli these form the stairs. 'J'eams are left here and the field to the left traversed and the roar of the trembling water comes to the ear. Here we find the fall, a stream which has a descent of about tifty feet, width of perluips twenty l)etween its l)anks, upon which ferns cluster and shrubs bend and dip. It is wild, beautiful and comparatively little known. The First Jail. Tlmt King (ieorge tlie Third had a jail in Andierst is satisfactorily established, and tliat it was within tlie present dwelling of William Rhodes, one-half mile below the village, then the residence of Col. Robert Reed. (See Hilsborough County Congress p. 46.) That it was not very secure is ecpially evident, as the Court of (Jeneral Sessions, C)ctol)er, 1772, authorized the Sheriff tu emjdoy a guard of four men to prevent escape of prisoners. In 177-) the place was purcliased by Joslnia Atherton. Es(p 42 RAMBLKS ABOUT AMHEKST. wliicli limy accDiiiit for tlie fact that lie, and otlier })()liti(-al prisoners from tliis c-ountv, were inearcei'ated at p]xeter until the coni})leti()n of the new jail. RKSIDKXCK OF RKV. DR. DAVIS. This ]ihi;'e is of more than j»assinn- interest, not onl\" hi'cansc of its |)re-;eiit apitearaiice. located as it is under- neath the shadowino- hraiiehes of st'\t'ral majestie elms, tonvther ^\■ith the fact of its Ikmii!'- for so many years the l^AMT.LKS Ar.-s of lienevolent F^odge F. and A. M. (Ugani/.ed liere in 17U7, and removed to Milford in 182<). Saiiuiel Dana was the lirst Worshipful Master of this hxlge. Organizations. SorHKcjAX (Jeange, No. lO Patrons of Hus])andiy. Organized here December 5, LST^J, with sixteen charter members, and is now one of the largest and most nourishing (Jranges in the State. It holds its regular meetings f(»r (irange work, the discussion (»f toi)ics of iu- terest tofarmers, and literary exercises, on the Thui-sday on or preceeding- the full of the moon, and the second Thurs- day following, Chas. H. Phelps Post, G. A. R. Was instituted here July 10th, 1879, Jose})h R. Fay was its first Commander. Meetings are held montldy, tm Saturday evening. Tnited Okdei; (tf the C^oldex Cuoss. Instituted July 1, 1881, with twenty-seven charter mend)ers. A co-opera- tive life insurance order, paying a weekly sick benefit and pledging mutual protection in health and sickness to its mendiei-s. Otticers elected semi-annually. Mendjers now number seventy-five. Meets semi-monthly, on Wednesday evenino-s. Anchor I>oik;e, Okdeii of ^.gis. Instituted Aup-. 20, 188'J with twenty-two charter members, by Chas. II. Robin- 44 l: AMBLES ABOUT AMHKi;8T. >oii, of Lynn, Mii.s.s. A cooperative insiu-ance order. Meet^ semi-monthly, on Tuesday evening. ('has. II. Phelps Woman's Relief Corps, was oi- uanized soon after the Post- For a time the charter \\as given up. It was re-organized Dee. o, 188lt, and is now in a flourishing condition with a large memhership. Its meetings are hekl semi-monthly, on Saturday evening. Town Library. Mks. E. M. RuK^HA.^[. Lllaarian. Whatever Andierst may lack in social and educational ad- N antages is in a measure compensated hy a well selected, and liberally patronized libiaiy. Under the caieful and ju- dicious supervision of Rev. Di-. Davis, who has served for ten years as chairman of the Board of Trustees, the library as a public institution has yearly grown in popular favor and patronage. It now comprises two thousand volumes, embracing works of history, poetry, biography, fiction, and some valuable books of reference. The library is located in the town house, in a room used in conjunction with the Selectmen for their business meetings. The present quar- teis are poorly adapted for its use, and it is sincerely hoped that in the near future some plan may be devised, either by the town, or suggested by some philanthropic disposed [)erson, by which the library can have separate apartments, or, better still, a building entirely devoted to its use. The library rooms are open to the public twice each week, on Saturday afternoon and Thursday evening. KAMr.LES AI'.OIT AMHKllST. 45 The followiuo- extract. sliowiiiLj tlie iiice])ti<>ii ;ir.(l o-]ti\vlh i»f this institution, is taken from a late rep(nt of the lil)rary 'I'l'ustees : '•March !>, lSa9, at a little o-athering at th.e residence of William Wetherhee. Ks(]., it was })ropose(l that there he a society formed for tlie purpose of meeting together fiom time to time and purchasing hooks to he circulated among the memhers of the society."' Such is the modest record of the movement out of Avhicli grew the organization of the Amherst Ijihrary Association. Among tlie most active of the early members of this Socie- ty, we find the names of Mrs. P. W. Jones and sister Mrs. M. M. I'easlee, Dea. B. B. David, David Ste^valt. I.ucy W. Blunt, J. B. Fay, C. B. I'uttle, Cathraine Boylston, Eliza- beth Wilkins, Dr. F. P. Fitch, Jonathan Knight, all of whom have deceased, Messrs. Hapgood and Abl)ott, E. S. Cutter, Esq., Wm. A. Mack, John F. Whiting, Maiy D. Mooie, now Mrs. French, who have removed from to^^•n and a few others who are still living to witness the fruits of this praise- worthy undertaking. The plan ripened into fruitfulness by the adoption of a constitution, and by-laws, for "the establishing of a miscel- laneous Library of useful books." The initiation fee w'as twenty -five cents at first, with a monthl}- payment of ten cents. The payment for membership was subsequently ad- vanced to fifty cents, and some literary entertainments Avere provided by which to enlarge the funds of the Association. I'he money so raised wa.s expended in the purchase of 4() RAMBLES ATiorT AMHKKST. books and tlie collectoii was placed in i'liar<»-e of some ine- ehanic or shopkeeper in the vilhi^-e whose place of business Avas easy of access. We notice the names of Stevens. ]{ussell. ]\Ierrill, Few and Walker as librarians, the office involved continued care and the compensation was small. The })osition was not coveted and the Tvil)rarv had a peri- ])atetic life. The oro-anization was fluctuating in its meni- bei'lii]) bv reason of the inevitable changes in the commiiu- itv and at times the Society was near dissolution. Hut the T^ibrarv had alieadv demonstrated its beneficent uses and and its friends were roused to prevent its waste or dispei- sion. In 1ership fee was raised to one (h)llar and regular meetino-s successfully instituted. A catalogue was pre[)ared and printed containing 427 titles. The year following the Selectmen granted the use of the ])etit jury looni as a de})Ository for the Library and the Executive Connuittee employed Mrs. E. ^I. Burnham as Libiarian. The room was opened every Saturday P. M. foi- theacconnnodation of its patrons. New books were purchas- ed, an additional book case, presented by Aliss Sarah Law- rence, made the collection more attractive. The circnlatioii was very much eidarged: many volumes were loaned to ])ersons not cniolled with the organization. Generous con- tributions in books were made by Mrs. ("onant. Miss L. F. Jioylston and other friends of the Institution. ItAMULKS A HI XT AMHEKST. 4( . Ill ^H~^^, provision was made for iiicor|). .atiiig tlie Assd- fiation under the General Statutes. To meet the increasing; expenses the members submitted to successive annual as- sessments. Meanwhile the Library was becoming more widely known, and its advantages as an auxilliarj to the system of public instruction were generally recognized. A sentiment gradually gained currency that the books shovdd be accessible to all classes of our citizens and that th.- t;».vn might rightfully bjar the expense of maintaining the Institution. .Vccordingly in Febuary 1879, the Associ- ation appointed a committee '"to see if the town of Am- herst will accept and maintain the Lil)rary now held by this Association and fix on the conditions on wlii(;h this arrange- ment shall be carried into effect." An article was inserted in the warranr for the Town Meeting, viz : — ^"To see if the town will vote to accept the Library now held by the Amherst Librar}' Association, ami establish and maintain the same hy suitable appropriations as a Public Library for the use of the citizens of Amherst, aggreeably to the provisions of Chapthr 4H of the (xeneral Statutes of New Hampshire. The motion to accept the Library prevailed and the Select- men in conjunction with the Superintending School Com- mittee, were instructed to make all necessary rules for the use and maintenance of the Lil)raiy The next year, 1880, the appropriation was iiK^reased and the Library was placed in charge of a Board of Trustees, an arrangement which continues in force to tliis day. In the ten years now clos- 48 t:ami;les about A]Mhki;st. iiio-, the number of hooks has increased from 6M() volumes to 1755 volumes, 4 books being discarded. Of this large addition 719 volumes have been acquired l>y purchase and o71 volumes, more than one third of the enlargement, have been the gift of friends. In placing this sketch of the origin and progress of the Library in their Annual Report, the trustees are animated by a desire to keep alive the memory of those who project- ed this scheme, and to lecognize gratefully the persistent zeal with which their successors have cherished and ])er- fected the enterprise. The usefulness of the Lil)rarv is ac- knowledged by all, and the frequent generous donations of f>ooks, by M'hich its shelves have been enriched, illustiate the esteem in which it is held by those who love the town.'' niAPTKU V. SOME INTERESTING t)lMVES. AMHEKST MINEIIAE SPUING AND AKOrSX) THE rONt). The drives about Amherst are many and beautiful, each "with its own peculiar feature, -which renders it delightful. The first, which the stranger is usually taken, thougli not the most beautiful, is perhaps as full of interest as any. is to the Spring and aivinid the Pond. This road to the 8j)ring is level and shaded, lying through woods until the s])ot is nearly reached. This Spring lies in a mead- ow, behind a small grove of large pines, and is approached by a i)ath crossing a field, in which runs the nearly effaced 50 HAMHLES ABOrr AMHEKST. track of the old raee course. This Spriuo- is rit-h in iron solution, and is reconic'nded ([uite extensively l)y local phv sieians, for irrititioii-! of all sort^, exc3pt t^n^^ar. From this point the drive to the pond is not so prettv, th i-.i-^h a. ])leasant glimpse of the mountains is obtained. The Lake itself is a pretty sheet of water about two miles long and one wide. .\s we sit in a boat in the middle of the Pond and watcli the water gleaming and dimpling in the cool l)reeze and note the long reflections of the pur[)ling hilh. and the glowing sky, we Avonder if Elliot gathered his duskv audience about him on these shore-5 We wonder as we listen to the mocking echo fling back the bugle call into the bugler's lips, if in those times Dame Echo sent back a less musical note, responding to the fierce war cries and savage yells, or if it gave a tender re{)ly to the song of some swarthv lover. From the Pond, directly to the village, the drive is short. and of no especial interest, except in tlie memory of those who, on some summer's day have replenished their rose jars with the spicy odor of old fashoned damask i-oses — the wa v- side legacy l)equeathed the passer-by, from some old time garden. Another route, leading us around the Pond, is both beau- tiful and full of interest. The first j)oint, Cirater hill, we take i)leasure in foi' two I'easons, its lovelv view of the lake and mountains beyond, and l)ecause here is the reputed home for a time, of one of the most gifted women of modern time. Marijarct Fuller Ossoli. It is an old fashioned house, with IIAMIJLKS AIKH'T AMHKIIST. 51 a monstrous chimney. One of those wide mouthed chim- neys that tells of the cheery crackling- of the open tire, be- fore wliich merry youngsters and happy oldsters sat and crack nuts and roast apples and tell stories. Why, one can almost smell the odor of the juicy fruit as it sputters and sizzles and l)ro\vns l)efore the heat. The liouse is fast fall- ing to decay and before very long another old hmdmark will liave disappeared. Skirting aL)ng the sliore of the lake tlie road winds pleasantly, the sparkling water glancing, now liere, now there, through the heavy umbrage of the trees. We pass a little low house, set far in from the road. Here Dr. Pay- son, an eminent divine and the father of Mrs Prentiss is said to have lived for a short time — a man so beloved and saintly, as to make it almost hallowed ground. We also l)ass the old Merrimack poor farm, now used as a private dwelling. In this vicinity there are two or three good board- irig houses which are filled during the sunnner months with a good class of patronage. We come now out on tlie Man- chester road, follo\\ing which we an-ive shoi'tly at tlie vil- lage. OVER DUNCKLEE HILL. We use always the village as our centre, and the roads leading away from it as the radii reaching to our desiivd points of interest, 'i'his time the spoke of our wlieel chosen, is that highway leading directly to Amherst Station. Arri\- ing at this point, and going a little further, we come to a fork 'rl T!A:NntLKs about amhekst. ill the road. We elioose the one leading to the right and keej) to the right. At the next division we find a tiny bridge and hmgli at the ambitious performance of a minature Ni- agra and find ourselves at the foot of the hill. It is a hard climl) of about a half mile in length. When nearly at the to[) there is another disagreement in the highway. The road parts company with itself, one side leading to the larare summer hotel — -Hotel Ponemah, and the Milford Springs. The turn of the othei' leading to the sunnnit of Duncklee Hill. In the various se.isons this hill abound-; with the most beautiful specimens of arbutus, laurel, golden lod and clematis. Arbutus and laurel especially are of finer quality and more abundant here than in any other l)lace we can recall. As we come out upon the o[)en hill top, far ahead of us and around us are the hills and the mountains. The dark pine forest deepening the valley, seems to [)lace the moun- tains farther away- Away up here where the air blows flesh and sweet, the sight of the encircling mountains, the clear sunshine and peace make the mind involuntarily turn to that other hill country we have been told about in far off Judea, and we think of that encircling Love, and the strength of it. Oh, those hills, with the dappling shadows of the clouds lifting — shifting — drifting — over them I The world IS beautiful — (iod made it so, and pronounced it '•'good" — why not go out int(^ the hills and country sides and look u[)on it and let it grow into us more? The whole extent of Temple, Peterborough and L^-nde- IJAMllLKS AI!«UT ^A.MHi:i;sT. .)•> lioriT i!\iioes lie directly before us ; lotlie left, Mt. A\'acluis- ett, in Princeton Mass. \\'attati(', in Aslihy, and many others. Down at our feet is husy Milford. ( )ver l)eyon(l the village we can tiace the outline of the Souhe^an, hut we get no ujcaui of tlie water. Descending the hill, we <-onie directly into the heart of the lively little town. Here we fiiul all trades and nuiny of the piofessiojis fairly well re()resented. We ])ass through the village leaving the connnon to ■our left, and cross the stone biidge keeping to the right. AlK>ut a half mile out of Milftjid, we come to a point where we may make a choice of Mays back to Amherst. Oue the direct loute and the new liighway, the other more en- ticing and somewhat longer, leading through a shady by- way, once the travelled road between jNlilfoid and Andierst. 'J'o follow this la-st, we turn to the light, and. after crossing ■one road, keep watch idong the left for a break iu the wall where a path, slightly worn is seen. 'J'uruing iu liere we \md ourselves in some one's broad ten acre lot. Here in J tnie the ground blackberry is so closely mattted and thick- ly l)lossomed, it looks as if a scurrying flight of snowflakes had fallen there, a little later, and we find thick patches of luscious wild strawberries. Later, the grasses grown tall. sway in the breezes, their gleaming stems making" silvery billows of light across to the shade of the sweet apple tree by the wall : wild flowers bloom in the track of the old ditch and here and there black-eyed-Susans and meadow ferns mingle with the grasses. Golden-rod — tiny golden elms. 54 i; A MULES ABOUT AMHERST. it seeijis — towers above tlie others. Looking- far enovig-li the l)h:).ssoiiiing g-rasses take a pui'ple tiuge ; yonder they are riper aiul yeUowish : still a hit farther, a strip of woods, and l>evoiid, the niouiitains. Out of the tield, into the door- yard of an old de>erted h :)u-;e. We pass that and enter a hjiutiful woodsy road, ne irly over-grown with grass and low birches. The tree-> on either side touch the wheels and the horse's hoof^ strike with a soft "pud — -pud.'' It is very stil'. the sunlight glints through the thick f(jliag'e, falling with soft flecks of light on the dead leaves and pine needles. We find here that ghostly little flower — • the Indian pipe. A little further and we strike the other "old road" and a-; we descend the hill we get one of the Huest views of Amherst yillage, nestled into the greenery of the noble elms. A step or two more and we are beneath the sha.de of these bending ([ueens of the forest, bacdv ;ig';iin into the village. THHOUcm THE '•r)l(i\yAV"" AND OVER CHESTNUT HILLS. Stai'ting From the village, wc follow the Manchester road as far as the bridge, at the foot of the hill, where the road branches to light and left. Kee})ing to the left and straight ahead, we [)ass one or two [)oints of interest i. e. the Isaac TJrooks Dodge homestead and the Jones [)lace. The foini- er is a [lerfect store house of ancient relics, valuable on account of age and the fui'ore for such things, and as articles of real historic worth. The Jones house, among other i;ami:lks aijoit ammkiist. oo tliiiin'-; (juii'.itly siivoriiio" of "ve oldcii ti;n,'."* coiitiiiiis an iiin (iiiit of the Governor Wiiitlirop furnilinv. After leav- ing- this la:i(l'.nirk baliiii I m. tlie roid leuls tlirougli shaded ways to the foot of M ick's Hill, where there is one of the prettiest curves, serving as diplouiatie introduction to a tedious clinil) n[) tlie steej) hill. At the top is the old Ma;;k house. The forniar occupants are prominent citizens of Imvell. From here there is a pleasant view of the village a;id over furthe." ri-;es the smoke from Nashua founderies. A few step? further is the Secomb farm, from which wide awake men have gone to do their share of the world's work. Leaving the little district school to our left, we enter more wooded road, and commence a gentle ascent, and come shortly upon a level hill top. Over the crest of the hill and we enter what is called the '"dugway," the wildest, prettiest drive in this vicinity, except that portion of the Mt. Vernon road, leading into Purgatory. It is a long- slope, broken continually by little water sheds. Here stands the forest primeval, the young growth, tender vine and fern, all, in the fresh green of spring, the subdued ver- dure of summer time, the lieavier coloring of autumn, mingled with the delicac}* of gray mosses and green cover- ed stones. Even in the barren winter season it is lovely, for the evergreen hemlocks and pines give life and color sufficient. On one side we look down into a narrow vallev and the tops of large trees ai-e on a level with the eye. A sharp turn to the right l)rings us on the valley road, along- one side of which runs the In-ook, or, keeping straight on ^C) It AMBLES AHOUT AMHEKST. \vi' may take another scramble ()^'er Cliestniit Hills. Tlie (hive over the hill is long and hard but the air and view re[)ay one foi- the effort. The vie\\ is wide and varied — village, citv, lake, wood, field and monntai i — even into tlie State of Maine the sight can reach — the air of Ijracing and exliilaiating qiiality, is taken in long, deep l)reaths, and treasured in memory and lung, storehouses of mind and matter. The descent of the hill is necessarily so slowly made that the pleasure of its height is lost gradually, and the level home drive has its delight in meadow lily and field beauties, no less refreshing in a less amlntious A\ay. WALNUT HILL. Walnut Hill in the north-east part of the towji is wortli a visit. The drive to it is pleasant, though in nc^ way re- markal)le. But once up on the lower part of the hill, or on its sunnnit one is surprised to find a view so wide and beau- tiful. There is a carriage road lunning through the fields belonging to Messrs. Whiting and Odell, where the cloud effects over the valley of the Souhegan and the moun- tains beyond are very fine. The near view is particularly pleasing. The proximity of the orchards and the corn fields and the partial height give one a sense of home pro- tection and coziness, while the eye travels abroad and takes in the pleasure of the distance and Avanders back again to the farm houses, and the laden apple trees. There is some- IIAMIJLKS AUOIT AMHKKST. iU tiling- truly liuiiuui about an apple tree. It was so even in our lirst knowledge of it in the Garden of Kden. Always clustering in families, or standing with individual ])erson- ality near the home — with low wide spreading hianches as if for lovinof embrace. In what other tVuit do we feel the same sense of pleasure or disa}>pointment so keenly as in testing an apple? It is akin to our fancy toward new friends. How 1 but we digress. From the right of the road one may leave his horse and make a hard climb up t, three years, and was tlie oiilv lawyer who praetised here for any length of time. Among those who left a record honoring the place of tlieir birth may be mentioned the late Dr. William Trevitt of C'olaml)ns, Ohio. Born in Mont Vernon in 1800. He pi'epared for his profession in New England and emigrated to Ohio at 21, was returned to the General Asseml)ly of ( )ljio at 2(3, serving three terms, was some five years phy- sician to the Ohio Penitentiary ; during the entire Mexi- can war was a distinguished surgeon of the army, after- wards for four years Secretary of State of Ohio, U. S. Con- sul . to Valparaiso, So. Chili, and U. S. Minister to Peru. ^ He died in 1881, esteemed by all parties, and after a very active and eventful life. George Wilkins Kendall, born in Mont Vernon in 1809 and dying in Texas in 1867. He was a ''poet, journahst and farmer," and eminent in all. Oliver Carleton, Esq., of Salem, Mass., born at Mont 'Vernon, in 1801, died in 1882. Educated at Dartmouth, where he was a tutor, was 25 years Master of the Salem Latin School and afterwards of a celeljrated private school. .Vs a chemical scholar and tutor he w'as liardly equalled in New England. Hon. Samuel L. Sawyer of Independence, Mo., oldest son of Aaron P., was educated at Dartmouth, studied law with his father, went west, and many years since located in Missouri, where he has been a judge of the Supreme Court and Representative in Congress. His younger brother, Hon. Aaron W. Sawyer of Nashua, was born in 1818 and died in 1881 ; was frequently a member of the Legislature, was Mayor of Nashua and a Judge of the Su- preme Jvulicial Court. He attained a high reputation as f>7 RAMBLES ABOUT AMHERST. a lawyer and jiirLst. Late in life he became interested in religion and preached the Gospel with zealous ability. Hon. George A. Marden of Lowell, Mass., over twenty years editor of the Lowell Courier, and widely known in journalism and politics, was 9 }ears clerk of the Massachu- setts House of Representatives, two years its Speaker, one year a Senator and now holds the position of Treasurer and Receiver General of Massachusetts. Hon. George A. Bruce of Somerville, Mass.. is a Boston lawyer of assured reputation and lucrative })ractice l)otli as counsellor and advocate. He was three years Mayor of Somerville, two years in the Massachusetts Senate and one year its president, and did he seek them could easily attain liigher honors. But space forbids mention of the hosts of other sons and daughters of the little town who have gone forth to careers of active usefulness and now are shedding by life and character lustre upon the place of their birth and early training. Is located in the pleasant village of Mont A'enion, N. H., liftv niih's from Boston, on an elevation a thonsand feet iilidve tilt' level of the sea, commanding an extended and varied })rospeet. Its easy commiuiieation with Boston, its })leasant walks and drives, and healthy location, render it one of the most desirable places in New England in whicii to S])eiid the snmmer months. CoNANT Hall, Mont Vernon. [Open June to Nov.] Ample grounds with shade trees around house. Good stable and laun- dry . Visitors take the cars at the Boston & Lowell depot for Milford, N. H. thence by stage to Mont Vernon, four miles from the station. Four daily traini to and from Boston. If desired, shall be happy to furnish reference from among our numerous patr ons in Boston and vicinity. For further information call on Bragg, Conant &. Co., i6 Washington St., .V.Conant & Co., 73 Union St., Boston. Bellevue House. MONT VERNON, N. H. Accoraodates from 50 to 60, with large airy rooms. (iOOl) TAHLE HOAKU. Fur E Air; ExtEndEd Vieaa/s, G-DDd Rnadsj Shady LJrivESj Hunting and Fishing- Our piiiicii)al means of advertisiiio- is tln'ouo'Ii onr pat- jous. and reiVreiu-es of tliis kind are clieerfidly fnriiislied. Tkiims : Keuuliii' V)oai(l •'^I.OO per day ; ti'ansieut I'ates. ••i'^.OO prr day. W. p. WOODS, - Provnetor: NEW BOSTON, N. H. Open for Boarders from June IStli to Oct. 1st. \'erv pleasantly situated on high ground, eoniniaiiding a lovely view : ten minutes walk t'loni post-ofHee, stoves and Whipple Free Library, to which all visitors have ac- cess, (lood liouse, pia/.zas, bath room, shade trees, ham- mocks, croquet, lawn-tennis, etc. ; piano and oigan ; sitting and dining room apart from family. Near Uncanoonuc Mountains, Devil's Pulpit, Purgatory, etc. All country luxuries. Terms reasonable. For circulars address, Mrs. S. I). Atwood, New Boston, Hillslioro" County, New FIami)sliire. "The GreeriAvood." NEW BOSTON N. II. One of the most desirable places for sunnner boarding. Cliarmingly located in New Boston, upper village, on higli grouiul, within few minutes walk of post office, stores, churches, \Vhij)})le Free Library, etc. Scenery unsurpass- ed, abundance of shade trees, piazzas, lawn-temiis and ci-o- (|uet grounds. Pleasant walks and drives in all directions. Reached by way of Manchester to Parker's Station, where coach (connects twice a day with tiains from Boston. Miis. Geoiige Geeenwooi). N'ew Boston, N. H. 4^•Hotel Ponemah.^- I). S. !»Lr.MMKl{. Pi:o]'rjKTOK. The house is handsomely furnished, with latest modern improvements. Its san- itarian is perfect. To those who would add to the tonic of mountain air and the freedom of country living the comforts and lu.xuries of a first-class hotel, the Po- n -mah offers unrivalled inducements for summer residence. A large boarding and livery stable is connected with the hotel. The grounds include about forty acres of superb groves of oak, pine, maple and chestnut trees, and contain the celebrated I'onemah and Milford Springs. Ponemah water Ijoltlecl at the spring is unequalled as a pure, healthful, sparkhng table water, ar.d is furnished to guests free. I'lans of hotel may be seen and rooms secured on application to Parnes & Duncklee, proprietors of Hotels Brunswick and Victoria, Boston, or to C. A. Glea- >on. Hotel Victoria. Prices according to location of room. Special rates by the season or week. Address after June ist, I). S. PLUMMKR, Proprietor, Amherst Station, N. H. THE LIBRARY UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA Santa Barbara THIS BOOK IS DUE ON THE LAST DATE STAMPED BELOW. 3 1205 02528 4983 UC SOUTHERN REGIONAL LIBRARY FACILITY AA 000 874 556 i^K 1 pi m i i