USA > Massachusetts > Hampden County > Picturesque Hampshire : a supplement to the quarter-centennial-journal > Part 8
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Hence the student soon finds that he is dominated by
A BUFFET, ANDIRONS, BELLOWS, ETC.
a market that demands a proper label. America is too busy to grow in art herself, but is perfectly willing to pay for great names. The plutocratie tendencies of the age in this country militate against the young artist having convictions of his own in regard to what he shall say in his art, and also against the moneyed man in choosing what he likes to hang upon his parlor walls. By and by this haste and turmoil will wear itself out, and men will learn that greatness in the artistic life is just the same as greatness in another direction, and that money will not buy it or insincerity force its hand.
And, finally, to put the thought more directly, I use one example. Jean Francois Millet painted peasant life at a little village in France. He painted it because he loved it, and in the teeth of every pecuniary interest, and nearly starved in the doing it. Today America sends more pilgrims to worship his familiar haystacks than any one else, and artists spend much time in painting the neighborhood. Is there not plenty of material at home of the same kind, and is not the lesson plain enough that if there is no art or greatness in the soul of the artist, the pilgrimage to the shrine of Millet will not save him? And also, for the man whose life has been spent in making combina- tions that draw upon the life of the masses like a sponge, so there is no spark of love left for the home of childhood away back in the Connecticut valley ; think you for him to own a "Millet " by paying twice its value, will help his personal condition, or lift his soul out
of the track where his ambition has put it? What man as- pires to be, or, to do, with his whole na- ture, so he is, noth- ing more, nothing less !
While two or three of the public build- ings of Northamp- ton, illustrated in the Quarter-Centen- nial edition of The Journal, are re-pic- tured in this publi- GRANDFATHER'S CLOCK. cation, they are all from a new point of view and not one engraving used in the first-named work appears in this. Every engraving in this book was made especially for it.
KINGSLEY'S CAR.
BY THE CAPAWONK.
Where'er those broad tires leave their trace, By marsh land marge, or rough ascent, There comes unto the time and place An air of great content.
And they who toil the weary year With little hope, and less of cheer, Find help and comfort, waiting here Beside the Capawonk.
Whene'er across life's pathway drear Unfailing friendship marks its course, Henceforth futurity is clear, Come better days, or worse.
And who that magic spell revere, And woodland echoes list to hear,
Discern sweet nature, wondrous near Beside the Capawonk.
LAURA SANDERSON.
UTENSILS BY FIREPLACE.
36
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
REMINISCENCES OF OLD-TIME POLITICS.
We see and hear much about the political animosities of the present day, but they are only a repetition of what has transpired in the past, time out of mind. The elections of 1801 and 1805, in a measure, took a religious bias. It was openly asserted and believed by a great portion of the voters of New England that the election of Jefferson would lead to the burning of all the churches and Bibles in this section of the country. Jefferson was elected and re-elected, but churches and Bibles increased and people began at length to see that discussion harmed no one, and, in fact, was the only safe- guard of liberty.
When partisanship takes the form of practical joking or fun, both sides can enjoy it, for it leads to no revengeful memories, and the story I am now to relate is one of that description.
The Democrats of Northampton, who were to celebrate the election of Gov. Morton, in the spring of 1839, by a salute from the guns of the artillery company, found, after digging their way through drifts of snow, to the arsenal, the guns removed. After a vain search for them they sent to Springfield for a piece of ordnance, and had their celebration. But the disappointment rankled in their hearts, and they determined, when occasion offered, to pay the whigs in their own coin.
The election of Gen. Harrison to the presidency, in 1840, gave them the desired opportunity. The whigs proposed to fire a salute on the morning of March 4, 1841, and great preparations were made for the coming event. Mindful of their old tricks on the Democrats they set a watch upon the guns (which had been returned to their places) weeks before the expected demonstration. It would have been well for them had they continued it until the morning of the 4th. The night before, deeming themselves secure from molestation, they left the "guns in charge of "Obed, " a good natured, harmless old man, though not deficient in brave talk, with the strict injune-
THE ANTIQUE DOORWAY.
and then asked where the cider was. Obed knew nothing about it. He was then told that Mr. L-, a staunch and well- known whig, was to have sent a pail of cider for his comfort during the night, and was persuaded to leave the guns in charge of the officions helpers while he went to procure the desired article. Without a suspicion of wrong he started for the resi- dence of Mr. L -. He had not proceeded two rods before the guns were spiked. Obed continued on his way for the cider. When he had aroused the prospective fur- nisher of the refreshments, he was in- formed that he had made a mistake, and was directed to the house of Mr. A-, where he found the desired article. Mr. L -- , however, who had returned to his bec began "to smell mice." Jumping from his bed he hastily dressed and ran for the gun-house, not far distant, and found it unguarded. In a few minutes Obed came in, lugging his pail of cider, which he had obtained at Mr. A's. A brief examination showed the extent of the mischief and a storm of wrath broke upon Obed. "Why," said he, "they told me they were whigs." "You old fool," said L-, "what made you think they were whigs?" "Because they seemed to want hard cider so badly," replied Obed This was a clincher. But Mr. L- was
"Should Old
apaintanco
tion not to admit any one to the gun house, even the man who gave him his instructions. Arm- ed with a pistol of a half mus- ket's length, and an old "Queen's arm" crammed with destrue- tion, the door locked and braced with a plank, the doughty guard calmly awaited events.
But "man proposes and God disposes." A few "sons of Belial" of the democratie per- suasion, met that night at the canal-house, one of them with a supply of rat-tail files, and all of them inspired by that old- time beverage, ",flip." deter-
be Jorg ot
Ben Waste, his gun
Grandpa's
Chair by & Kuchen Hearch
mined to storm the camp or take it by strategy. At about midnight a party of three (two of whom are deceased and the remaining one who lives to enjoy the relation of the story and to whom the writer is indebted for a truthful relation of the affair) left their seductive tipple and proceeded to the gun-house, near the cemetery. Arrived there they knocked at the door and asked admittance. Faithful to his instructions Obed refused it. They then informed him that an organized band of "loco-focos" (the cant name which the whigs bad bestowed on the democrats) from the center, were preparing to break in and take the guns, and that they, as good whigs, had come to his assistance. This was enough, the doors were opened and they marched in. After complimenting him on his ex- cellent preparations for defence, they slyly got possession of the arms, blew the priming out
IN THE "PANTRY " DISTRICT.
equal to the occasion. He immediately aroused Mr. W -- , a skilled mechanic, who commenced drilling a new vent, and so far succeeded that at a half hour beyond the appointed time the guns were fired, with no further damage than that in the adjustment of the gun for drilling, by accident, it was let down on poor Obed's toes, who went limping about for two or three months. This was all the pay he received for his services. After the salute all parties met at the canal- house and had a merry time, a sequel much more to be commended than a useless and enduring quarrel. w.
MUSIC IN "YE OLDEN TIME."
Listening, as I occasionally do, to the best sacred music in our church service I find myself often comparing finished musie to that which I listened in my boyhood. And this leads me to remembrancees of
OLD STONES IN HATFIELD CEMETERY.
VIEW AT WEST HATFIELD.
37
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
THE "CHAMP " DICKINSON PLACE.
the old " singing-school." No town in Massachusetts, however small in popu- lation or humble in pretension, but had this then indispensable requisite to church service, and indeed to the pre- liminary rites in the worship of Hymen. The weekly lesson in music was always looked forward to by Damon and Phyllis, for the opportunity to escort and be escorted to and from the school. But I am wandering from the business in hand. My first essay to the study of this most delightful of sciences was under the tutorship of G. W. Lucas, long time leader in the First church choir of Northampton, but a man well known throughout the county. His school was in the winter season held in the old town hall. His classes aggregated from fifty to seventy-five, of both sexes, and the term, of about three months duration, cost two dollars per pupil. We began with the initial elements, but had no blackboard for
THE COUNTRY SCHOOL.
llustration. This now almost indis- pensable element in teaching was then embodied in exam- ples of our teach- er's voice-one of not peculiar attrac- tion. The classes were divided by sexes, each on op- posite sides of the hall, the large in- tervening space be- ing occupied by the teacher, whose tall, gaunt and ungainly form was paraded up and down the middle space with a self consciousness of dignity that even at this distant day excites my laugh- ter. The instru- mental part of the lessons consisted of two flutes, a tenor viol (as it was then called) and a bass viol. Our curricu- lum embraced one solitary book, the "Bridgewater Col- lection," consisting mostly of the sim- plest tunes, some of which, if sung at the present day,
WEST BROOK CASCADE.
our teacher shone forth in his true colors. His tall form, gigantic feet and elongated neck, with "side-board" collar for a support to his ears, remind me of Irving's description of Ichabod Crane. His temper was not of the best, as his severe outbreaks of passion often testified. The girls made no end of fun of his person and peculiarities. But justice must admit that he was a true lover of his science, crude and uncul- tured as it was in his day and genera- tion.
His especial hatred, and he had many, was the introduction of church organs, which he declared would, if en- couraged, utterly destroy all truly de- vout musical worship. When one knows, as I do, by the words of my an- cestors, the horror with which the in- troduction of the bass viol in church music was regarded, he need not won- der at his disgust and fright at the thought of this new infringement on antiquated notions. To the day of his death, not long ago, he "bore testimony " against the "box of whistles."
ON WEST BROOK.
BELOW THE DAM
would move the mirth of an audi- ence. "Pelew." "Knaresbor- ough," "Totali- ty " and other hideous cogno- mens were the designations of the tunes over which we were drilled. But our highest attain- ment was "Den- mark." the sub- limation of our teacher's effort. That mastered we were consid- ered fit for a public exhibi- tion free to all. It was then that
The long struggle in Northampton's first parish over the
BELOW THE FLUME.
38
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
BRICK YARD ON ROAD TO EASTHAMPTON.
introduction of the organ need not be alluded to. It was not until 1856, that its persistent friends triumphed. It is within my personal knowledge that two of its members of an almost life-time's attendance, left the church on this account. It must be said in their behalf that, in a musical sense, they could not distin- guish " Yankee Doodle " from " Old Hundred." "Times have changed and we have changed with them," and we can now, the poorest of ns, listen, weekly, to the music of masters whose works are imperishable, withont money and without price. VIEUX TEMPS.
Old-Time Northampton Humorists.
There is scarcely a village in New England of a respectable size that has not within its borders one person at least who enjoys the reputation of the wag par excellence. Underneath the inborn grav- ity and decorum that the original puritan natu- rally observes in his discourse with his fellow- townsmen, there lurks a sly and hearty humor in general, rarely exercised, it is true, but none the less to be occasionally observed. In some in- stances, it seems to center in one individual, in a sort of compensation for the general solemnity of the rest.
Every generation has had its hero of fun and frolic, so far as I can learn from older people than myself, and in my youth the palm was awarded to one whom I shall designate only by the initial "M." He had the honor of belonging to the craft of printers, and possessed a true genius for prac- tical jokes and sayings, that had the extra merit of bearing no malice with them. He had comrades, however, who were not so observant of the pro- prieties in their manner of inflicting personal jokes and our friend, on some few occasions, was made to feel the weight of the law for unwarranted freedom in his playful demonstrations. His experience was obtained in the days when apprentices, just commencing their trade, were upon their first day of service furnished with a wheelbarrow loaded with a huge empty wooden box and sent on a fruitless search for round squares, square rat-tail files, india rubber screw-drivers, rye and indian lightning-rods, spoon moulds, strap oil, ete., calling on one only to be sent to another, and by him to another, and so on, until he had made the eirenit of half the town, before the true inwardness of of his errand dawned upon his perception
The first of his jokes that came to my knowledge was played upon an unsus- peeting young colored man, who, in preparing for his wedding day, had purchased
PUBLIC LIBRARY IN EASTHAMPTON.
a pair of Vancy shirts for the oc- casion, and was desirons of hav- ing them marked with his name. Applying to our hero, he was kindly offered the favor gratis. Calling at the printing office on the anspicions morning he re- ceived the arti- cles neatly tied up and wended his way home to inspect them. His astonish- ment may be conceived when
" ABOUT HALF WAY" TO EASTHAMPTON.
he found the fronts of both ornamented with his name in six-line pica (type-letters an inch high) and, underneath, the picture of a huge stallion, all in the blackest of printer's ink. His rage was appeased only by the gift of two new shirts, for which "M " paid cheerfully.
The favorite resort of the fraternity for which he was the acknowledged chief in mis- chief was a well-known grocery store, where most of them could be found on any week- day, seeking for some unwary victim for their sport. It was at this place that on a dismal sloppy day in winter, a stranger made his appear- ance at the store, who wore then the unusual ontfit of india rubber overshoes, one of which had received a puncture in the toe part, that admitted the water. Inquiring for a repairer of sneh arti- cles he was referred to " M " as one who made that business a specialty. Divesting himself of the pair he handed them to "M," who told him to call for them in the afternoon. The self-styled repair- er proceeded to a tin shop across the way, where he cut off the toe of the perfect shoe, forced it over the toe of the leaky one and fastened it with waxed ends. On the remaining shoe, then robbed of its frontal portion, he placed a tin toe, secured by copper rivets, the whole presenting the appearance of an armored canal boat. When the unfortunate owner appeared to claim his shoes, and was pre- sented with them, the artisan was wisely absent, escaping the torrent of imprecations of the enraged victim, who swore vengeance on the cheat who humbugged him. But the Indicrous aspect, in the end, prevailed over the sorrowful, and the matter was somewhat compromised by "M" standing
PASTURE AND MOUNTAIN SCENE.
MAIN STREET IN EASTHAMPTON.
treat all around. When outside victims grew scarce, the members of this delectable body did not hesitate to immolate any of their own number. Among them was a person of more than mature years, of a quiet and harmless disposition, but keenly fond of such amusements. He was also made to "see how he liked it." One burning hot day the conclave was in session at its quarters when the wiliest of the lot incited "M" to play a sorry joke on this good-natured comrade. In the rear of the shop, where they were seated, were the heavy goods of the store, among them several hogsheads of molasses with the usual accompaniments of measures, drainers, etc., the latter half full of waste treacle, with a plentiful admixture of flies and all manner of creeping things, Of this slimy and disgusting mass, the instigator had obtained a gallon measure full, and by persuasion and the aid of sundry stimulating doses, induced "M" to turn it upon the nearly bald head of their comrade. The rage of the sufferer was great and natural. The instigator suggested a legal prosecution and a warrant was obtained. As soon as it was
39
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
LOOKING UP MAIN STREET, NEAR EASTHAMPTON LIBRARY.
placed in the hands of the sheriff the same person conveyed information to "M" and furnished him with a hiding place in the barn of his friend. He then told the sheriff of "M's" retreat and hastened to tell the culprit that he was no longer safe there. He had but a moment to escape, when the officer made his appearance and gave chase. The river furnished no obstacle to "M's" flight. He dashed through the stream, leaving the officer in bewilderment on the banks, and took to the lower meadows. The sheriff then mounted his horse and rode to the meadows to intercept him. But he was too late. The culprit had established himself on the farther bank of a deep morass called " Creek pond," which no team could cross. Here the officer beat a parley and advised "M" to surrender. After some chaffing from "M " and a profane allusion to a great gulf mentioned in the seripture, he gave himself up and the affair was amicably settled.
A good sized volume might be written out of recital of the freaks of this elub of roysterers. One of their number came into possession of quite a sum of money, took some of his chums to New York, where he entertained them sumptuously for a few days, and then left them in the
How the "Ox-Bow" was Made.
This explanation is now given of the change in the "Ox-bow" waters of the Connecticut river, in Northampton :
Before 1840, the river flowed around the great curve known as the "Ox-bow," going 3 1-2 miles to gain thirty rods. In the fall of 1839, one of the village farmers ploughed a strip of land which ran across the neck, and on the 24th of February, 1840. a jam of ice in the bow set the water back so that it ran across the plonghed field. In a few Lours it had ent a new channel. This eaused great rejoicing in the towns above, and in North- ampton the bells were rung, for they were three miles nearer tide-water.
Look, ladies, I pray; where the river below,
Like a flirt, thought to make a fine movement;
And so in a passion, it ent its old bow (bean),
But found it no wondrous improve- ment.
It never again could get round that old bow (bean)
With all its palaver and dicker, Nor found it another, and so yon must know,
It ran out but so much the quicker. -Mt. Holyoke Album
IN THE CEMETERY.
LOOKING TOWARDS WILLISTON MII.I.S.
HAMPSHIRE A GREAT EDUCATIONAL CENTER.
Hampshire county is not only greatly favored with natural attractions, but it is blessed with rare educational facilities. Probably no county in the United States can boast such a remarkable showing of literary institutions.
Northampton has Smith college for young women, an institution of the highest grade ; the Mary A. Burnham preparatory school, Hillyer art gallery, free Florence kindergarten and soon to be established an agricultural college, and one of the largest libraries in the world, as previously noted.
Amherst has its world-famed elassical college for young men, besides one of the best equipped agricultural colleges in the country and a preparatory institute. South Hadley has Mt. Holyoke female college, founded by Mary Lyon, Easthampton Willis- tor. seminary and Hatfield Smith Academy-all these institutions of the highest grade of their kind.
It should be said also that the public school system of all the towns in the county is excellent ; in many places it is far above the average of the state. This is largely the result of the new system of district superintendenee and the improved methods brought forward through intellectual culture generally. The towns are more liberal in their
LOOKING NORTH, ON MAIN STREET.
city penniless, to get home the best way they could. At times, when business was slack with the jokers, they found means of enjoyment in stopping the draught of chimneys by mounting roofs and placing boards on the outside aperture, and in other countless methods of annoyanee. Fishing parties were made up, ending with a snpper, at which some unsuspecting guest partook of fried black snake, ingen- iously eooked and served to resemble eels.
But space will not allow of any but this barest outline of the numerous exploits of this never-to-be-forgotten conclave of mischief-makers. With searcely an exception, they have perpetrated their last jokes and even the memory of them is fast fading from the remembranee of the few who were personally cognizant of the results. NONOTUCK.
ON THE ROAD TO MOUNT TOM.
NEAR THE GERMAN HALL.
40
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
triumphs in the highest form of intellectual culture and musical art, all of which the people of Hampshire have an opportunity of enjoying, as sovereigns of this favored locality.
THE ABANDONED FARMS.
Hampshire county has unoccupied some excellent farms, on hill and in valley. They are of the class of what is known as " aban- doned farms," but they are not abandoned through any fault of the land or the sur- roundings. The old folks have gone the way of all flesh and the younger generation have departed to the cities or to western lands. And many of these latter, as the editor has reason to know, are sorry they went. Now let them come back, and we
LOOKING TOWARDS THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
LOOKING ACROSS THE POND.
school appropriations, and parents and school authorities are more vigilant in enforcing the attendance of children, so much so that the truant school established by the county has had but one pupil therein the past year.
Any who feel attracted to Hampshire county may thus feel the additional incentive to come here which rare and exceptional liter. ary and educational privileges always inspire. Those great discov- erers and servants of humanity, Henry M. Stanley and George Kennan, have passed by many great cities to give the capital of Hampshire a call and lecture, and it was at Northampton that Stanley received his last call to Africa. The modest boards of the local temples of Thespis have echoed to the ambitious Greek tragedy work of Harvard, contemporaneously, by Smith's young ladies ; whose musical work, through their instructor, Dr. Blodgett, has also attracted quite a national attention, and Northampton's new Academy of Music is destined, doubtless, to reveal many more
RUBBER FACTORY. ETC.
AN EASTHAMPTON VISTA NEAR CEMETERY.
will kill the fatted calf for them. We need hardly do more, for with a re-stocking and fertilizing of the old farms, they will yield more abundantly than ever before, for their long rest, and bring their own- ers such contentment and peace as farming life in a civilized and cul- tured country alone can offer.
Any son of Hampshire in a dis- tant state, who sees these pages, and is tired of burning corn or feed- ing it out to poor stock, and would really like to return to the land of his fathers, should address the editor of The Journal and we will see that he is posted up how to get hold of some of the practically abandoned but still most excellent farming lands in Hampshire county, and if he has spunk and energy, we think EASTHAMPTON SPIRES. he can come back here and make it pay, through market gardening or otherwise. Within a few years probably, our beautiful hill and valley towns will be filled with sum- mer visitors. Hampshire is already vying with Berkshire county in rural attractions and its educa- tional facilities give it this advantage over its sister on the west. Some day the market gardeners will multiply in Hampshire. The city of Northampton now requires the services of many of them, and the towns want them more and more. Here is a chance for the live, wide-awake but impoverished
VIEW ON THE ROAD TO THE TROTTING PARK
VIEW ON THE ROAD TO SOUTHAMPTON.
41
PICTURESQUE HAMPSHIRE.
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