USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > North Bridgewater > History of North Bridgewater, Plymouth County, Massachusetts, from its first settlement to the present time, with family registers > Part 29
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1864, November 6. House owned by William Perry partially burned. Loss, $200.
1864, December 1. Car-load of straw took fire at the railroad station and burned. Also, freight-house partially burned.
1865, March 29. Shoe manufactory owned by George Stevens, at Cam- pello, partially burned at three o'clock A. M.
1865, April 3. House on Pleasant Street slightly damaged.
1865, April 18. Shoe manufactory belonging to Peleg S. Leach, on Pine Street, entirely consumed by fire, at eleven o'clock.
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1865, August 5. Barn belonging to Reuben Drake struck by lightning, and destroyed by fire, with from five to six tons of hay.
1865, August 24. Barn and slaughter-house belonging to Mr. Sanford Winter destroyed by fire.
CASUALTIES AND MISCELLANEOUS EVENTS.
In or about the year 1725, Henry Kingman came from the West Parish (now West Bridgewater) and settled on the spot where the late Seth King- man lived and died. He was about twenty-one years of age, and unmarried. Soon after his arrival at hisnew home, he proceeded to the woods for the pur- pose of cutting fencing, about ten or eleven o'clock A. M. While in the act of splitting a large oak log, it split prematurely, and the axe entered the calf of his leg, nearly severing it, only a small portion of flesh remaining on each side to connect the parts ; the bone was cut off entirely. It was a bitter cold day, and all he had to bandage with was his small handkerchief, in which was his luncheon. This he used as best he could ; tied up the wound, and dragged himself to a small bridge, where he remained till even- ing, when, by the merest accident, some one heard him cry out for help, and even then passers-by supposed it was only the wild animals in the woods, which in that day were quite common. At last some person found him ; a litter was made on which to carry him home; and when he reached his boarding-place, a messenger was despatched four miles or more to West Bridgewater for a physician. A long time must have elapsed before one could reach him, as the snow was deep and very bad travelling. But, strange as it may appear to the reader, the parts grew together, and he afterwards became an efficient officer in the army.
1727, October 29. The shock of a violent earthquake was severely felt throughout New England, which lasted for several days.
1739, February 5. The first meeting of the North Parish was held to-day. Timothy Keith, Moderator ; Robert Howard, Clerk, who continued to hold that office thirty-two years in succession.
1748. Indian corn sold for thirty-two shillings per bushel ; rye, forty- six shillings per bushel ; wheat, three pounds per bushel ; flour, ten pounds per hundred.
1749. This summer the most severe drought ever experienced by the oldest person then living. In the last of May the grass was all burnt by the sun ; the ground looked white ; the earth was dried to a powder at a great depth, and many wells, springs, brooks, and rivers were dried, so that fish lay dead on the bottom. The pastures were so scorched that cattle grew poor. llay had to be brought from England to supply their wants, which sold for three pounds ten shillings per cwt. Barley and oats were so much injured they scarcely saved enough for seed. Flax was a total failure. Corn rolled and wilted. Herbs of all sorts were destroyed. During all these troubles Government ordered a day of fasting and prayer ; and on the 6th of July, copious showers of rain fell to refresh them, and things looked brighter ; and what was fortunate for the people, the next winter was very mild. After the plentiful rains, a day of public thanksgiving was ordered
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
1751. June 17. Severe hail-storm. Ilailstones large as English wal- nuts were in abundance, breaking glass and doing other damage to a large amount.
1755. Summer very hot and dry. Hay scarce and high.
1755, November 18. Shock of an earthquake, shaking down chimneys. In Boston and vicinity buildings were prostrated by the shock.
1762-3. Very cold winter. Snow of great depth.
1762, September 10. Wild pigeons flew in abundance.
1763, June 8. Wild pigeons flew in abundance.
" In the year 1769, when the disputes between England and America had begun, and the importation of foreign goods was stopped, it became custom- ary for people to manufacture their own clothing; and, in many places, the young ladies had spinning matches at their ministers, for the benefit of their families. On the 15th of August, 1769, at two o'clock, P. M., ninety-seven young ladies met at the house of their pastor, the Rev. John Porter, and generously gave his lady, for the use of her family, 3,322 knots of linen, tow, cotton, and woollen yarn, which they had spun for that purpose. At three o'clock something, of American produce only, was set before them for their refreshment, which was more agreeable to them than any foreign dainties, considering the situation of the country at that time. At four o'clock the ladies walked in procession to the meeting-house, where a dis- course was delivered by their pastor, from Acts ix. 36: ' This woman was full of good works,' in which piety, industry, frugality, and benevolence were recommended and encouraged. The closing prayer being made, the following lines, composed by their pastor, were sung : -
' Ye rubies bright, ye orient pearls, How coveted by men ! And yet the virtuous woman's price Excels the precious gem.
' How kind and generous her heart ! How diligent her hand ! How frugal in economy, To save her sinking land !
' Foreign productions she rejects, With nobleness of mind, For home commodities; to which She's prudently inclined.
' She works, she lends, she gives away, The labors of her hand ; The priest, the poor, the people all, Do find in her their friend.
" She clothes herself and family, And all the sons of need. Were all thus virtuous, soon we'd find Our land from slavery freed.'
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After which, anthems were sung ; and, the assembly being dismissed, they retired to their respective homes."
David, son of Rev. John Porter, was riding in a chaise when about ten years of age ; the horse took fright, ran, and threw him out, breaking one of his legs, which was soon after amputated. lle survived but a short time. Died May, 1767.
1769, October 20. Violent storm, doing great damage.
1771. Very mild winter; not over four inches of snow fell during the season.
1772, March 9, 11, 13, and 20. Very severe snow-storm.
1772, April 3. Snow six to ten feet deep. People were obliged to dig themselves out of their houses. Many sheep and cattle lost.
1778, November 10. Ilay sold for six dollars per cwt.
1779, February 16. Hay sold for nine dollars per cwt.
1779, November 12. Hay sold for twenty dollars per cwt.
1780, November 19. Hay sold for thirty-three pounds per cwt.
1780. Winter very severe. Great depth of snow.
1780, May 19. Remarkably dark day. Between twelve and one o'clock people could not work ; were obliged to light candles to see to eat dinner ; looked very melancholy indeed ; but little rain. The evening was very dark.
1781, August 5. Wild pigeons flew very thick.
1782. Very dry season.
1785, April 1. Severe snow-storm. Snow three to five feet deep.
1785, April 15. Very cold. Ground frozen hard. Rivers crossed on the ice, with excellent skating on ponds.
1785, May 20. Severe snow-storm. Snow several inches deep.
1785, November 25. Severe snow-storm. Snow very deep.
1786, May 21. Wind east for eight weeks in succession.
1791, July 18. Rev. John Porter's horse killed by lightning in a severe thunder-storm.
1804, October. Severe gale ; large trees blown down, and torn up by the roots.
1805, February. Snowed five days in succession. The road between North Bridgewater and Randolph was even with the top of the walls.
1806, June. Total eclipse of the sun.
1806. Winter of 1806-7 very mild; ground not frozen-over four inches deep all winter.
1806. Summer of 1806 very cold.
1808. Very heavy frosts in August.
1811, May 5. Severe snow-storm.
1811, July. Great freshet, doing great damage,
1815, September 23. Severe gale, Monday. Some verses published soon after, were as follows : -
" It chanced to be our washing-day; The clothes were all a-drying ;
The stormy winds came through the lines And set 'em all a-flying.
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" I saw the shirts and petticoats Go riding off like witches ; That day I lost - ah, how I wept ! - I lost my Sunday breeches."
The air became filled with limbs, shrubs, old pieces of timber, etc., roofs blown off from buildings, and great damage generally.
1815, September 25. Very powerful wind, unroofing many buildings, and doing considerable damage to other property.
1816. This year was remarkable for its severe cold weather.
1816, February. Arza Keith was severely burned while making varnish in his house, from the effects of which he never recovered.
1817, February 20. Remarkably severe snow-storm.
1818. Great freshet, doing great damage.
1820, December 22. Rev. Daniel Huntington delivered a discourse in the meeting-house of the North Parish, it being the Second Centennial Anniver- sary of the landing of the Pilgrims at Plymouth. Text, Psalms xliv. 1-3.
1821, July 4. The first town meeting was held in North Bridgewater this day. The meeting was opened by prayer by Rev. Daniel Huntington. Over two hundred were present, and the first yearly town officers were chosen. Joseph Sylvester was Moderator. Col. Edward Southworth was chosen Town Clerk.
1821, October 31. Messrs. Daniel Temple, of Reading, Mass., and Isaac Bird were ordained as missionaries to the heathen, in the old meeting-house. Rev. Richard S. Storrs, D. D., of Braintree, preached the sermon ; Rev. Daniel Thomas, of Abington, gave the charge; and Rev. S. Green, the right hand of fellowship. Mr. Temple married Miss Rachel B. Dix, of Boscowen, N. H., and sailed for Malta January 2, 1822, on the brig " Cy- press " from Boston. In 1823 Rev. Isaac Bird sailed for Beyroot as mis- sionary. Mr. Temple has since died, August 9, 1850.
1823, November 13. David Brown, a native of the Cherokee tribe of Indians, delivered an address in the meeting-house of the First Church, after which a collection was taken for supporting schools in his nation.
1835, November 6. Miss Susan Hersey, a young miss of sixteen, who resided in the family of Dea. John Crafts, was drowned in Howard's Pond.
1837, July 15. David Lincoln drowned in Sprague's Pond.
1845, August 23. Daniel Brett's house struck by lightning, and Mr. Brett instantly killed.
1845, November 22. Joseph Brett killed by an ox.
1844, November 6. Hon. John Quincy Adams delivered a discourse to the citizens of North Bridgewater, in the meeting-house of the First Con- gregational Church.
1847, August 14. Lorenzo D. Hervey had his left arm fractured by coming in contact with another train at South Boston, which was standing on a side track, his arm resting at the time on the side window.
1849, May 21. North. Bridgewater Union Cemetery consecrated.
1849, May 22. Ethan and Henry Leach (brothers) were thrown from a chaise while crossing the railroad at the burying-gound crossing, and in- etantly killed.
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1849, March 22. Howard's mill-dam washed away ; also railroad bridge near Lewis Keith's mill, damaging so much as to stop the cars.
1851, October 30. Timothy Sullivan was killed by coming in contact with a bridge at the north end of the village, known as " Harlow's Bridge."
1852, May 12. David I. Gray had thumb sawed off in Howard's mill.
1852, May 27. Michael O'Leary drowned.
1852, July 22. " Enterprise" Engine Company, accompanied by the North Bridgewater Brass Band, visited New York.
1852, July 26. Eugene Marshall was a passenger on board the steamer " Atlantic," that sunk on Lake Erie. The steamer came in contact with the " Ogdensburg " near Longport, two o'clock Friday morning. Three hundred lives lost. One hundred and fifty men and women were drowned in the cabin. Mr. Marshall narrowly eseaped drowning.
1852, August 15. Salmon Manly died from injuries to his spinal column to-day.
1852, September 18. Galen Edson died from wounds received by a fall that fractured his skull.
1853, November 24. Frederick A. Babcock injured on railroad.
1853, February 5. George Washington, son of Levi French, was badly scalded, injuring him so much that he died the next day (Sunday). Age, two years and ten months.
1853, February 26. Edward Elmer, son of Perez Marshall, was drowned while attempting to cross a pond near his father's house. Age, six years and five months.
1853, February. Ellridge G. Cobb, and one hundred and seven others, sent a petition to the Legislature opposing the passage of a law restricting the sale of intoxicating liquors.
1853, November 21. A collision took place between two trains of cars on the railroad, one of which was the steamboat train ; four persons severely injured. One died soon after.
1853, December 29. Severe snow-storm. The cars on the railroad were stopped, for the first time since the road was opened.
1853. Alonzo S. Drisko, a workman engaged in building the new house of worship for the First Congregational Church, had an arm broken by a board falling from aloft.
1854, March 18. Severe gale. Railroad-crossing sign, at Court Street, blown down. The steeple of the Porter Church was somewhat damaged by the force of wind, which was pretty general throughout this section of country.
1854, June 14. Severe hail-storm about noon. Thermometer stood at ninety in the shade. Hailstones as large as cherries fell in abundance. Zophar Field's house struck. Cow belonging to Chandler Sprague, Esq., instantly killed.
1854, June 19. The house of Weston Simmons, known as the " Poor Farm," was struck by lightning, instantly killing Lemuel Reynolds, who had just stepped into the house for protection from the storm.
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
1854, July 27. The new meeting-house of the First Congregational Church was dedicated to-day.
1854, September 18. Michael Coleman and Michael Keho were run into by a steamboat train that came in contact with chaise.
1855, September 20. To-day was observed as a holiday, for the purpose of holding a fair, to obtain means for erecting a fence around the new ceme- tery. A large and brilliant procession, consisting of the various fire engine companies in full uniform, drawing their engines, handsomely deco- rated, preceded by a band of music ; also, the North Bridgewater Light Dragoons, under the command of Captain J. Freeman Ellis, together with a representation of the various trades, in large numbers. The procession was formed at one o'clock, when, after marching about the various streets, they proceeded to Yale's mammoth tent, which had been crected for the purpose of serving the dinner, in a lot owned by Frederick Perkins, and opposite the residence of Franklin Ames, Esq. The procession was under the care of Francis M. French, Esq., as chief marshal.
1856, January 5. Severe snow-storm. No trains passed for two days. No meeting on the next day (Sabbath). Roads badly blocked.
By an Act of the Legislature, passed April 19, 1856, a Probate Court was established at North Bridgewater, to be held the last Tuesday of July in cach year.
1856, June 3. The centennial celebration of the four Bridgewaters was held to-day, and the bells of all the four towns were rung half an hour before sunrise, and cannon fired on Trooper's IIill.
1856, June 4. A meeting was hield to show the feeling in regard to the assault on Charles Sumner at Washington, at which resolutions were passed condemning the act in the strongest terms.
1857, January 18. Very severe snow-storm. Trains on the railroad were blocked for several days. The thermometer during the day was sixteen degrees below zero. The sky was obscured by a dense cloud of snow, that extended in every direction. At night the weather moderated ; but the wind increased to a gale, piling the snow in huge drifts. The storm in the night was of unexampled severity. The force of the wind caused the spire of the church at Campello, which had been erected but a short time, to break just below the clock, and the bell to break through the roof and lodge in the vestry below. The damage to the house by this fall was about $3,000.
1857, April 6. Some fiend placed some iron rails upon the railroad track about one mile north of the village, causing the locomotive called the " Pil- grim " to run off the track and injure the train, breaking Alden Reed's jaw-bone, an employee of the road in charge of the train.
1857, May 17. Ice formed one-sixteenth of an inch thick to-day.
1857, May 31. Terrible hailstorm, doing great damage to crops and fruit-trees in the town. Hailstones, as large as robin's eggs, fell to the depth of an inch, continuing about one half-hour.
1858, March 30. Emma Olivia, daughter of F. B. Washburn, was so
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severely burned while at play that she died in fifteen hours after. Ago, seven years and eight months.
1858, May 14. Bela Keith, Esq., fell and broke his collar-bone while at work repairing a shed belonging to the Satucket House.
1858, May 14. Elisha HIall had his hand badly injured at Howard & Clark's steam-mill.
1858, July 21. Charles W., a son of Rev. J. Cooper, was drowned in Howard's Pond.
1858, September 21. Frank Richmond, son of Philo W. Richmond, broko his leg by falling from a ladder while at work painting on the cast side of Kingman's brick block.
1859, January 22. John B., son of Charles Wentworth, was drowned. Body found Sunday noon following.
1859, June 3. Gershom I. Sylvester, son of F. M. Sylvester, seven years of age, was run over by cars near Keith's mills, and injured so that he died soon after.
1859, July 30. Mrs. Harriet Everson and Thacher Everson, wife and daughter of Joseph H. Everson, of Hanson, were killed by a locomotive near Keith's mills. George W. Monroe and Miss Sarah F. Stetson were in the covered wagon at the time, and severely injured.
1859, August 25. Herbert, son of Albert Keith, choked to death by a piece of apple, which he was eating while running.
1850, September 9. Mr. Henry Volney French, who had just arrived at the depot in the Centre Village, from New York, in the steamboat train, attempted to jump from the cars while the train was in motion, was thrown upon the track and run over by the train, and lived but two hours after the accident. Mr. French was of the firm of French & Howard, shoe manufac- turers. He was a man of excellent habits, smart, active, and very exem- plary in all the walks of life. A deep feeling of sadness pervaded the entire community upon learning of the sad affair. His wife and children were absent from home at the time of the accident, in Maine.
1859, November 26. When the four o'clock train was approaching Cam- pello, and near the brick factory, from Boston, a woman named Joanna Barrett, in attempting to cross the track, was struck by the locomotive, and injured so that she died in a few moments.
1860, June 16. Severe hail-storm. Hailstones plenty, as large as bullets, doing much damage to fruit.
1860, July 11. C. Adelbert, son of T. M. Packard, came to his death by falling into a tub set in the ground to catch water.
1860, August 2. A young child of Daniel Hayward, eighteen months old, fell from an attic of a two-story house to the ground, a distance of thirty feet, through the carelessness of a domestic ; taken up apparently uninjured.
1861, February 25. Bridget O'Brien was killed by violence.
1861. Mr. G. E. Wilbor and Thaddeus Keith made a bet on the election of Abraham Lincoln, Wilbor betting he would be elected and Keith that he would not ; the condition was, that the one that lost was to walk to Boston.
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HISTORY OF NORTH BRIDGEWATER.
Mr. Keith, having lost the bet, started for Boston March 6, and walked the entire distance to the city in five hours. He was accompanied through the village by fife and drum.
1861, March 24. Severe storm, -snow. Trains delayed twenty-four hours.
1861, April 8. As Mrs. John Ellis and another lady were riding from North Bridgewater Village to Campello, they were robbed of their pocket- books. The rogue was caught soon after, and punished.
1861, October 3. M. W. Dwight jumped from a car when in motion near Campello Station, and was killed.
1862, May 26. Michael Larry, a lad of eight years, was drowned in a sawmill flume, at Sprague's Factory Pond.
1863, June 15. Malcolm Iloward died of injuries received by the kick of a horse owned by Dr. Baldwin, in the north part of the town.
1863, September 24. William Tolman, son of Elijah Tolman, engincer at Ellis Packard & Co.'s steam-mill, had an arm broken and otherwise severely injured.
1863, October 20. Leroy Hamilton, a driver in the employ of Ilancock's express, was struck by a locomotive while crossing the track at Elliot Street crossing. The wagon was made a complete wreck. Mr. Hamilton escaped with a few bruises only.
1863, November. Nahum Perkins, a man over seventy years of age, shot a goose from a flock that was passing over his home.
1864, February. Moses Packard fell and broke his leg in his barn.
1864, February 12. Michael Murphy and Patrick Early were burned to death in the town lock-up.
1864, February 13. Herbert Eaton broke his collar-bone while at play.
1864, April 29. A child of Cornelius McAuliffe was so badly burned while playing with fire in the Pine Grove that she died next day.
1864, July 14. Jennie, daughter of Patrick McCullough, was drowned in a tub of water.
1864, September 26. A boy in the employ of Harrison Rogers was dragged about by a horse till life was extinet, by incautiously fastening the rope-halter around his arms. The horse became unmanageable, so the boy could not release himself.
1864, October 12. Eliza J., wife of James S. Bond, of North Bridgewater, committed suicide by drowning, at Mansfield, Mass.
1864. The drought of 1864 has had no parallel for years. For June and July only 2.38 inches of rain fell ; May previous, only two inches ; July, 1.32 inches ; June, 1.06 inches. In 1854, ten years in August pre- vious, there was no rain.
1864, January 3. The body of an unknown man was found on the rail- road track, about a half-mile south of Campello depot ; supposed to have fallen from the New York train. The body was terribly mangled, so that it could hardly be identified.
1864, October 27. Five cattle were killed by a Fall River train at How- ard's crossing, in the north part of the town, and others badly injured.
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1864. Adeline Harris was appointed teacher by the Freedman's Relief Association, stationed at Newbern, N. C., and sailed from New York De- cember 8.
1865, July 4. Charles Hayward, son of the late B. F. Hayward, was badly burned in the face by powder.
1865, July 4. Daniel Huntington, son of Joseph Vincent, had a thumb blown off by the discharge of a pistol.
1865, August 23. Mrs. Sanford Winter committed suicide. Cause, tem- porary insanity.
1865. This summer season has been very dry. Wells throughout the State dried up. Fall feed very light, or none at all. Mills stopped running for want of water.
CHAPTER XIX.
EARLY HABITS AND CUSTOMS.
Social Life. - Parties. - Spinning Matches. - Raising Flax. - Process of Manu- facture. - Dress of Men and Women. - Amusements. - Raisings. - Style of Architecture. - Use of Cranes. - Tinder-Boxes. - Food of the Early Inhabi- tants. - Drinks. - Well-Sweep. - Rising and Retiring Early. - Attendance on Church Worship.
INTHE people of the North Parish, in its early settlement, were on a footing of remarkable equality. Their social manners and customs were very simple, friendly, and uncere- monious. Visiting was common and frequent among neigh- bors, and without the formalities of invitation. When a company of neighbors were invited, the women went carly, taking their knitting and babies with them, and spent the afternoon ; and the men went in season to take supper and return in the evening. Many of the social gatherings partook of the useful as well as the agreeable. They joined together to help their neighbor husk their corn, or to raise a building ; and occasionally some neighboring housewife had a quilting party, in which all the good housewives gave an afternoon to make a covering for a bed. In the social gatherings of the young people, dancing was a favorite amusement, and generally using a fiddle. If that could not be had, they used to dance by whistling and singing the tune. Spinning matches, at one time, were quite common, and the people made their own cloth and yarn, and hence were obliged to raise their flax. Nearly every farmer in town owned and cultivated a patch of ground devoted to that purpose. We here give an account of the method of preparing it for use. The quantity of seed required for an acre varied from one half to three bushels. The stalk, or stem, when grown, was of a pea-green, and from two to three feet in height,
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bearing a blue blossom, which ripened into a ball that con- tained the flax-seed. When the flax was ripe, it was pulled carefully by the roots, tied into small handfuls, left to dry on the ground a day or two, then set up in small stooks, and, after becoming well dried, was stacked in the field a fortnight or more. Then the seed was threshed out, and sometimes dipped in water for a week or more, and evenly and thinly spread out on the grass to be rotted. This being sufficiently done, it was packed away for the winter ; and, as soon as the fair days appeared in spring, there was a general turn-out of men for dressing flax, which consisted of separating the fibrous thread from the stalk. This had to be done by several implements, called the brake, the hatchel, the swingling board and knife. A smart man dresses nearly forty pounds a day. After the process of dressing and twisting it into bunches, it was handed over to the good woman and her daughters to spin, weave, whiten, and convert into thread, cloth, and neat, beautiful garments. We shall describe the process of manu- facture, as follows : first, the hatchel was brought and fast- ened into a chair with a string or stick, and the mother, with her checked apron, and a handkerchief pinned about her neck, and another handkerchief tied about her head to keep off the dust, sat in another chair. Winding one end of the flax tightly around the fingers of the right hand, and holding it, she drew the flax through the hatchel till it was thoroughly combed ; then, changing, she combed in a similar manner the other end. Next, it was snarled or wound on the distaff, and spun into thread or yarn upon the foot or linen-wheel. That drawn out by hatcheling was called tow, which was carded by hand, with hand-cards, and spun upon the large wheel. That was called tow-yarn. From the wheel it went to the reel ; from the reel to the loom, which nearly every family had, and every woman knew how to use, although some families let out their flax to be made into cloth and yarn.
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