USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Picturesque Hampshire : a supplement to the quarter-centennial-journal > Part 12
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DUMPLING NO. V.
THE APPLE PARING BEE.
I recall now the days when 'twas Puritan creed In garret and cellar to store against need: Dried boneset for sickness, and pork for the spider, Blue yarn for mittens, and jars of boiled cider; But chief in the list was the rich "apple sass," Well flavored with quinces or wild sassafras, Not less than a barrel to last all the year,- On company days 'twas the pride of our cheer. To its making the matron invited a legion, The rusties and maidens of all the wide region, Like 'quiltings," or "raisings" and "huskings" so free; But best of them all was the famed "Apple Bee." There swift fly the hours, full of innocent mirth, There pedigree plays second fiddle to worth, There Jane with pink fingers sweet apples is paring, While Jonathan quarters and cores, often daring A long coil of peeling to toss o'er his head, To fall in initials as fateful when read As the Delphian Oracle's awe-striking token,- Two J's in a looping that cannot be broken, When the sun of October paints leafage and apple With russet and crimson and brindle and dapple, And, mixing fresh tints on a calm evening sky, Puts a flush on the "Fulton" and stripes on the "Spy." How fragrant the heaps that for cellar or mill Lie under the trees, and the wonder grows still; That families small many barrels must store Of cider,-for vinegar,-same as of yore ! E'en the cider mill teaches of nature the law, Some blessings are sweetest when drawn through a straw : The smaller the apple the redder the skin, The better the cider that's hidden within.
DUMPLING NO. VI.
APPLE PIE.
O the hot apple pie ! 'tis a work of high art, Regaling the senses and warming the heart. Now list, while I give you a pre- cions prescription
For building a pie worth the poet's description : Right deftly the fruit. tart and tender bestow
on a wide snowy sheet of the liveliest dougli, White sugar and nutmeg "sift on with neat fingers:
Touch lightly, work quickly,-no true artist lingers :- Next a slice of sweet butter, some cinnamon dust, And now with dexterity lay the top ernst, And away to the oven, thence to appear In a cloud of rich fragrance, the table to cheer, 'Tis the Yankee's delight; but to make it complete There's an old and wise adage, I beg to repeat, That the best apple pie, if it's served withont cheese, Is like giving a kiss, and-omitting the squeeze ! When work is all done, quick they sweep every scrap up. And round the big chimney the old game of "snap up"
THE CAMPBELL ELM.
CHURCH AND TOWN HALL, PLAINFIELD.
Rolls on through the best room, hall, spare room and kitchen. Till gran'ther's cracked voice cries, "Look out for the brit- chin'!" Then the jolly old fiddle, oft counted profane, Shrieks out with a lively old "shave-her-down' strain, "Zip Coon," "Soldier's Joy," or "Virginia Reel," With a shuffle of pumps and a clatter of heel. Till the welcome announcement, "Refreshment is nigh !" Great pitchers of cider and acres of pie !
DUMPLING NO. VII AND LAST.
When Jupiter had his "swell wedding." we're told, Hesperian maidens brought apples of gold By the apronful, love for the gay bride to prove, And a smile of approval to win from old Jove. But what, pray, are apples of gold to compare With the "Astrachan" juicy, or "McIntosh" rare ? Then cheers for King Apple, red, golden and streaked, Elliptical, spherical, spheroid or peaked, Sub-acid, mild, bitter, or spiced like sweet pickle, Or sours that would sharpen the teeth of a sickle,- Hurrah for King Apple ! for pleasure or gain, For health and for beauty, O long may he reign !
THE MOUNTAIN MILLER.
Explanatory matter concerning the illustrations generally on these and other pages may be found in the article headed "A Ride About the County," but the fol- lowing brief sketch of the "Mountain Miller" of Plainfield is from the pen of Rev. Solomon Clark :
Joseph Beals, known as the "Mountain Miller," united with the Plainfield church in 1792. Came from Bridgewater, and settled here in 1776, with his wife and
MILL OF THE MOUNTAIN MILLER.
several young children. For the first ten years of his residence in town he considered the mere externals of morality enough for his safety here and hereafter. He experienced a severe reverse in 1789. A scarcity of pro- visions prevailed in the community that year. In the absence of himself and wife from home one evening his cottage took fire, and with it, in one short hour, was consumed the fruits and avails of several years. It was a severe lesson, but one which a wise Providence ap- pointed to make him acquainted with himself. He be- came an altered man, one of the most humble, useful Christians the town ever had. The year 1798 marks an important date in his career. He purchased a corn- mill, so called, a mile south of the meeting-house-not the one that now stands on the same spot. There were many incidents connected with that mill, covering fifteen
STREAM THAT RUNS THE MOI NTAIN MILL.
years. Numbers resorted thither for special conversation. It became a noted spot. Trou- bled ones there found help. The church elected him one of the deacons in 1803. He died ten years later at the age of sixty-one. For more than half a century, people in various countries have read the story of his life. In 1831 the American Tract society published the " Moun- tain Miller," a popular and useful tract. With- in a year 140,000 copies were circulated. Soon a larger edition was issued. Societies in other lands published the same. How many editions
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PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
have been given to the world we cannot say. It has gone to the ends of the earth. The instances of its use- fulness would fill a volume. This example shows that a quiet community on the hills, not rich as judged by a material standard, may send out an influence for good that shall bless multitudes in distant parts of the earth.
"BEING A BOY."
One of the best things in the world to be is a boy ; it requires no experience, though it needs some practice to be a good one. The disadvantage of the position is that
BEING A BOY.
it does not last long enough ; it is soon over ; just as you get used to being a boy, you have to be something else, with a good deal more work to do and not half so much fnn.
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No other boy knows how to appreciate a holiday as the farm boy does ; and his best ones are of a peculiar kind. Going fishing is of course one sort. The excite- ment of rigging np the tackle, digging the bait, and the anticipation of great luck; these are pure pleasures, enjoyed because they are rare. Boys who can go a-fish- ing any time care bnt little for it. Tramping all day through brush and brier, fighting flies and mosquitoes, and branches that tangle the line, and snags that break
BIRTHPLACE OF CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER.
the hooks, and returning home late and hungry, with wet feet and a string of speckled tront on a willow twig, and having the family crowd out at the kitehen door to look at 'em, and say "Pretty well done for you, bub ; did you catch that big one yourself ?"-this is pure happiness, the like of which the boy will never have again, not if he comes to be selectman and deacon and to "keep store."
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If there is one thing more than another that hardens the lot of the farmer boy it is the grindstone. Turning grindstones to grind scythes is one of those heroic but unobtrusive occupations for which one gets no credit. It is a hopeless kind of task, and, however faithfully the crank is turned, it is one that brings little reputation.
O, it was nothing to do, just turn the grindstone a few minutes for this one and that one before breakfast; any "hired man" was authorized to order the boy to turn the grindstone. How they did bear on, those great strapping fellows ! Turn, turn, turn, what a weary go it was. For my part I used to like a grindstone that "wabbled " a good deal on its axis, for when I turned it fast, it put the grinder on a lively lookout for cutting his hands, and entirely satisfied his desire that I should "turn faster." It was some sport to make the water dy and wet the grinder, suddenly starting up quickly
and surprising him when I was turning very slowly. I used to wish sometimes that I could turn fast enough to make the stone fly into a dozen pieces. Steady turning is what the grinders like and any boy who turns steadily, so as to give an even motion to the stone, will be much praised and will be in demand. I advise any boy who desires to do this sort of work to turn steadily .- From Charles Dudley War- ner's "Being a Boy."
A RIDE ABOUT THE COUNTY.
Now, naturally curious readers, you are inter- ested to know more about the pictures. When the old-fashioned panorama of childhood days was un- folded in the town hall, the lecturer with his tong pointer, was the guiding genius of the occasion, but with scenes so near at hand as these, all we want is the serviceable horse and carriage which accont- modated us in our ride about Northampton. A per- sonal view of the scenes depicted in these pages, will certainly be conceded to be "the thing," by all the friends who accompanied us in our "about town" trip. Therefore, as many of you as can, jump in and come along with ns.
We are going to Hatfield, first, which is, next to
CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER.
Northampton and Hadley, the pretti- est "elm-bowered " town in the coun- ty. This was the home of Oliver and Sophia Smith, who founded the Smith Charities and Smith college, also of Caleb Cooley Dickinson, founder of the Dickinson hospital. It is the home of many other men of generons hearts and liberal hands. Just as we enter the town we shall notice an odd scene on the left by the roadside-a colored family's cabin, which looks,
THE BOY'S RAINY DAY PRIVILEGE.
for all the world like a bit of the "sunny south " transplanted to the north. Look for this picture on page 32. What a contrast with the representative " Hampshire Homestead," further on the road. The "Hubbard elm " is a graceful type of this beau- tiful tree family. The old tavern (the Hubbard
THE FARM GRINDSTONE.
inn) now a private residence, is a conspicuous landmark of the town. Perhaps the best exhibition of arching old elms is made on Hatfield's Elm street, as depicted in the first en- graving on page 33. But a few feet from this point of view, our artist caught the pretty " Door-yard" scene. Turning to the left, beyond the Hubbard elm, we shall soon come to Major Shattuck's pistol factory. The elms on Main street make another beautiful picture and this quaint old home- stead is known as the "Lew" Dickinson place. Hatfield was the birthplace of Artist Elbridge Kingsley, and the old house where he was born is shown to strangers with natural pride by citizens. The picture of "Kingsley at work," taken by our artist, is a good one, and if we could only catch him with his ear, at dinner with some of his boon artist compan- ions, we should see some such seene as that here depicted. Who has not found just such a hay-field scene ; the picture seems to show forth the intense heat of an ideal hay-making day. Then that boy in the door-way ; there's quite a story about that boy-depend upon it. Is he waiting for "some- thing to turn up," for a "chum" to come along, or to be driven to school or sent on an errand ? Kingsley probably personated in these sitnations more than once, like so many boys before him-indeed, in his charming "Recollections," he gives us to understand as much. Let us look at these interesting antiquities. Similar articles may be found in almost any old New England town, but those pictured in these pages were brought out and displayed at the two hun- dredth anniversary, last year, of the Indian fight. Some of the best specimens were from the family collections of Thad- deus Graves and Samuel P. Billings. The old flint-lock musket and powder-flask are not so very long out of use, nor the old candle-sticks either. Many Hatfield households boast a "grandfather's clock," but few can show the fine collection of old china and blue figured pottery arranged on these buffet shelves. The Franklin stoves and high-backed chairs are still useful and the latter are coming into fashion again. As there is very little cooking done in the old-fash- ioned fire-place, the old-time heavy and cumbersome utensils are seldom used. The flax aud spinning-wheel, reel, and the foot-warmer which our grand-parents used to take to church
A. GLIMPSE OF THE PLAINFIELD CEMETERY.
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
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-the old hearth itself, with grandfather's forsaken, broken-down chair-what stories these mute relies of by-gone days might tell, if they could! This antique door-way of an old deserted house-what a beautiful frame-work it might make for the many associations that have been connected with it! A view of a corner in the old village cemetery fittingly follows our study of the antiquities.
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But West Hatfield is a thriving part of this old- fashioned town; let us drive over and look about and above there a little. There is a neat little chapel at the west village, and an air of enterprise and thrift. Then passing up through the "Pantry " district (said to have taken its name from "pine-tree") we come to a succession of picturesque scenes on and about Cham- pion Dickinson's place, at North Hatfield. This is a favorite resort of picnic and sleighing parties. In the latter case the participants stop at the hospitable quar- ters always ready for them and "Uncle Champ" pro- vides all that a good host should. The pond, dam, cascade and flume effects are all very pretty ; "Uncle Champ " thinks they are ahead of Whately Glen, and we shall not dispute with him. Who has not seen somewhere the characteristic country school group on page 38. This was taken not a thousand miles from Hatfield.
Now, gentle reader, and fair traveling companions,
LOOKING DOWN WORTHINGTON GLEN.
mens of country publie architecture, and a walk down the streets shows that the art of landscape gardening is not neglected by owners of private resi- dences. The cemetery is well cared for and in Easthampton, evidently, are a people who take great pride in making their village look neat and beautiful. Looking north on Main street we see the old church, high school building and a small park, and now let us drive to- wards the mountain which frowns so high above the town on the east. Here is the highest point on the Mount Tom range, and yet over it, or rather, part way up its side, is a very good road to Holyoke, from which a fine view of the surrounding country may be obtained. Just before turn'ng off on the road lead- ing to the moun- tain is one con- ducting to the "German hall," an institution which is justly the pride of de-
scendants of the Teutonic race now living in Easthampton. The view looking towards Williston mills is sug- gestive of what is called "New City," a factory village in the town. East- hampton is quite an important manu- facturing place, and onr artist's scenes on page 40, give a hint of it from the picturesque point of view, to which we are in this section of our work limited. The Catholic church, as seen across the river, is without a spire as yet, but hopes to boast one some day.
Turning about, we cross the covered bridge over the "Manhan " river, and looking back, after we are well on the way toward the trotting-park, we catch the striking view of spires, and the rear of Main street buildings high above the river, outlined against the near mountain-side. Could there be anything prettier? Perhaps so, but
VIEW UP THE GLEN.
nothing like it, we venture to say, any where else. There is nothing to see at the trotting-park at present, we assume, and so we continue on the road to Southampton. That handsome residence well elevated above the highway, be- longs to H. C. Nev-
A CHARCOAL PIT.
we have reached the northern confines of the county. We should like to take you over the line to Whately Glen, but that would not be " Picturesque Hampshire," and we must draw the line somewhere, as we have our hands full now. So we gather up the reins again, and returning to Northampton, we "strike out " on the southern side of the city for Easthampton, a tow which, with no remarkable natural advantages, has been made, by the hand of man, one of the handsomest in the county. Good roads and well kept sidewalks are the glory of this town- ship. Williston seminary is its noted educational institution, and the good character and sobriety of the inhabitants make it a pretty safe place to send young men to. The brick-yard, "half-way," "pasture and mountain" scenes will be recognized by all who have driven to the little town on the "Manhan," and a fairer view than that which is presented to the eye as one enters the town, with outlined spires against the horizon, can- not be offered by any New England town of these times. Easthampton's Main street is representative of its culture, in- telligence and business capacity, outside of its manufacturing. The town hall and public library are more than ordinary speci-
WORTHINGTON " CORNERS."
WORTHINGTON CHURCH.
ins. The only presentable view of the village of Southamp- ton is from the hill, looking at the rear of buildings below, but this does not give a correct idea of the territory covered by the township. Some of it lies on plain and some on mountain. Like Northampton, Southampton boasts its "Paradise," which is three quarters of a mile from the center, south, near Lyon's Mills, and west off the highway leading to Westfield from Southampton. It is a beautiful drive about where the picture of "Paradise" was taken, and the drive and scenery continue on for a half mile. There are quite a number of places in the town which en- title it to a more considerable space in these pages than we can afford to give it. The "brook" scene given herein is a pen and ink sketch from nature, and the view of the "Man- han " is of more than ordinary interest, either in the picture or in direet view from the carriage. The home of S. B.
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PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE
GREAT ROCK AT MIDDLEFIELD.
Quigley, on Pomeroy mountain, is a very quaint place. It is on the south slope of this eminence, which at the northern end is higher than either Mts. Tom or Hol- yoke. The highest point can be reached on foot or horseback.
The " Manhan falls " are on the road leading from S. B. Quigley's house to what is known as the Isaae Parsons place.
In returning from Southampton we shall pass over the rustic bridge shown on page 42, if we take the right road, but " the Farm Pet," we may or may not see, as it happens. "In the Fields after the Rain," is a sng- gestive combination of water, sunlight and shadow
shall find Norwich ponds, a famous fishing resort, in the town of Huntington, but the village of the latter name lies so far to the south (about five miles) that we had better postpone our trip to it until later. The village of Norwich, in the town of Huntington, is, however, only a mile from the ponds.
Now let us make a start for the hills in the western part of the county. You may think you have been climbing pretty considerable hills already, but wait and see. "We go in," as an Adirondack guide would say, at Roberts Meadow. This is the most interesting and shortest route to Chesterfield. One of our prettiest pie- tures, of an old deserted mill, was made on this road. It is now up hill and down hill into Chesterfield, where one who is a stranger and wants information, is sure to be welcomed by good Dea. Baker or Wm. Bancroft and J. D. Stall. Mr. Bancroft has a "cu- riosity shop" worth vis- iting if he will permit you the favor, and he
THE COUNTRY MAIL-BOX.
ON THE HILL AT MIDDLEFIELD CENTER.
enjoys pointing out places of interest in the view from the hill, and here you are 1350 feet above sea level. Rev. John W. Chadwick and M. B. Bryant have sum- mer homes here, and while there is no hotel, some good people in the village take summer boarders, and fortunate are they who fall under the care of such excellent providers as are these Chesterfield people. Ex-Congressman Whiting's estate is in this village and the honse shows prominently in the engraving. Mr. Stall manages the place for Mr. Whiting, who is now attending, with his son, to his great paper interests in Holyoke, and whose advertisement in this issue (pre- ceding the third page of the cover) we feel specially called upon to invite our reader's attention to, and we do so without any solicitation or knowledge on his part.
From Chesterfield hill to West Chesterfield, or the "Hollow," as it is some times called, is a pleasant drive, down hill all the way, and about half a mile before we reach the foot we will water our horse at the watering-trongh pic tured in the pen and ink sketch in our "Introductory." As we near the valley we shall get a glimpse, through the trees, of as fair a scene as mortal man ever set eyes upon. The village is a small one, but the Westfield river winds grace- fully through the narrow valley, with towering hills on either side. A new iron bridge now spans the river in place of the old wooden one, dear in the memory of many old inhabitants. The "trout brook " shown on page 45 is in quite another direction, on the road to Huntington, in the town of Chesterfield. but abont three miles from the center. The "rocking-stone" and stone monu- ment of the government survey are also more in that direction; Canada moun- tain is, in fact, in the town of Westhampton, about two miles south of Hanging Mountain, "as the crow flies." There are fine views here, and the "rocking-stone' is so nicely balanced that it can be easily moved with the hand.
GLENDALE FALLS, MIDDLEFIELD, LOOKING UP.
effect from one of "Old Probabilities'" many odd and curious phases.
Approaching the center of the village of Westhampton from the west imagine, if you can, a more captivating scene! High up the hill over which runs a winding road, stands the white spire of the pretty village church. Prosperous farm houses line the side of the road, orchard, creek and meadow on either side, lend color, heighten the effect of the seene, and then at the top of the hill bursts into view the very bnd and promise of what must evident- ly be a representative rural New England village, and so it is. Westhampton is sim- ply this: a modest, retired town, nestled in and on the hills, made up of sober, in- dustrious farming peo- ple. The "Hill-Town Home" and "Starting for School" are sug- gestive bits of charac- ter in this vicinity. Over the hills, but a few miles away, we
SOMEWHAT INQUISITIVE.
LOOKING OVER THE ROCKY BED OF GLENDALE FALLS, IN A DRY SEASON.
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PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
But to return to West Chester- field. Here the views along the Stevens brook and the Westfield river are superb. The peculiarly washed and worn rock may be seen here in the bed of the river near the house of Fred I. Cleveland, and the gorge is down the valley of the Westfield river about two miles. Then, two miles to the west, on the road to Worthington, a wild view in the rear of Stevens' mill may be seen. There family picnic parties often come, and as it is a small, secluded spot, it is well fitted for them. In spring-time we shall shall often see "sugar camps" along the roadside in this section of the country - Chesterfield and Cum- mington abound with them, and maple sap-gathering has now be- come a scientific work-the "small boy " in the family no longer drink- ing a large share of the product, as often happened when maple sugar was made on a small scale.
BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF HUNTINGTON, FROM THE HILL.
Who has not seen some such "pasture gate-way " as that pictured by our artist ? No particularly sharp eyes are required to find it, and how natural in another pic-
chitoalorson an
ON THE ROAD FROM MIDDLEFIELD TO HUNTINGTON.
A NUTTING PARTY.
ture is the attitude of the father of the fam- ily, as he turns to the inquiry of his wife, " Have you fed the pigs ?"
But leaving, for the nonce, character sketches behind, let us turn our carriage in the direction of Cummington. This is but five miles drive, most of the way over a gently ascending road. Near the fair grounds of that excellent and most successful of the county's agricultural organizations, the Hillside society, we drive rapidly down a pretty hill roadway and find ourselves on the main street of Cummington. Two churches, a hotel, the town hall, a public library and schoolhouse are here and the village is neatly laid out, lawns running to the street, without fences, and though lying in a narrow valley, all the homesteads are arranged on a generous scale. We are in- debted to James R. Gilfillan for the picture of the village obtained for this work. It was taken from the "Pinnacle," a high hill over- looking the town. From this point also can be seen the Bryant place and the Bryant library. At one time Cummington was quite a manufacturing place, as elsewhere noted. It had also seven churches and in the height of the anti- slavery agitation this towu was the hot-bed of "abolitionism." Garrison, Burleigh and Pillsbury made these old hills ring with their eloquence
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