The History of Concord, Massachusetts

The History of Concord, Massachusetts – Alfred Sereno Hudson

The text is closely confined to the colonial period; but the mode of presentation is extraordinary indeed to those accustomed to the prosaic methods of town and village historians. Mr. Hudson has tried to transport his readers and himself back two hundred years or more, as in a vision. In imagination we sit before the humble firesides of the first settlers; hear and join in their gossip, superstitions, and communings, social and religious; inspect their farm lands and homestends, and mark well and remember their boundaries and their family histories. At the same moment we are supposed to be living in the present, and viewing these days through the customary haze of retrospect. It is asking a good deal of any one to fancy himself in two centuries at the same time, but Mr. Hudson’s humor is insistent on this point, and he keeps up the illusion, which is, unfortunately. no illusion whatever, and then finds himself on the safe road of steady and progressive narrative.

The History of Concord, Massachusetts

The History of Concord, Massachusetts.

 

Format: eBook.

The History of Concord, Massachusetts.

ISBN: 9783849653286.

 

 

Excerpt from the first chapter:

 

THE fire flickered and the sparks flew up the broad chimney, as a traveler sat on a fall evening before the half-burnt backlog, in Goodman Hartwell’s snug farm-house in Concord town about two centuries and a half ago.

It was evident from the appearance of things that company was expected, for besides the usual oaken settle and chairs there were standing about sundry stools and a long, low bench. Presently a sound was heard at the door as if someone were fumbling for the latchstring, and as it opened several neighbors entered and also Goodmen Buttrick and Heald from the North quarter and Miles and Dakin from the South. A little later, Parson Peter Bulkeley arrived with the Gobble boys who had come from down by the river bay in an oxcart and having overtaken the minister had brought him along.

While waiting for others to come, various subjects were talked about, among which were some strange noises which Colonial Goody Dean said she “heerd near the buryin ground.”

Some said they were made by an earthquake, others suggested a landslide, but these explanations did not satisfy Duty, who declared that “the sounds ware above the airth, not under it nor inside it. Besides,” said she, “the milk has soured twice sence I heerd them so I think the cows heerd them too fur they feed there.”

The matter being referred to the minister he said, after a moment’s reflection, “Such things being unusual contain a lesson and should lead us to be circumspect and careful in our conduct.” He was about to say more but was interrupted by a faint rap at the back door which was at the end of a low entry under the lean-to roof.

Goodman Hartwell snatched from the mantlepiece a save-all on which a short candle stub sputtered and going out soon returned with Goody Rice who had come across lots for an evening call. The newcomer created a fresh breeze of excitement for she confirmed what Duty had said of the queer noises, and also told about a strange creature which had several times been seen near the “great meadows,” sometimes looking like a man and sometimes like a goat, but always vanishing when approached.

It was at once agreed that since the strange sight and sounds were at about the same time they might have the same cause, and as the matter was a serious one it was thought wise before considering it further to wait till others came in, “For,” said Ensign Hosmer who had just entered, “there’s some up our way who’ve heerd things, and I consait seen things too, and perhaps the creature is the ‘specter wolf folks have talked of.”

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