an old town by the sea-第6章

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　and　in　one　corner　stands　a　claw…footed　buffet；　near　which　the　imaginative　nostril　may　still　detect　a　faint　and　tantalizing　odor　of　colonial　punch。　Opening　also　on　the　council…chamber　are　several　tiny　apartments；　empty　and　silent　now；　in　which　many　a　close　rubber　has　been　played　by　illustrious　hands。　The　stillness　and　loneliness　of　the　old　house　seem　saddest　here。　The　jeweled　fingers　are　dust；　the　merry　laughs　have　turned　themselves　into　silent；　sorrowful　phantoms；　stealing　from　chamber　to　chamber。　It　is　easy　to　believe　in　the　traditional　ghost　that　haunts　the　place

　　　　〃A　jolly　place　in　times　of　old；　　　　　But　something　ails　it　now！〃

The　mansion　at　Little　Harbor　is　not　the　only　historic　house　that　bears　the　name　of　Wentworth。　On　Pleasant　Street；　at　the　head　of　Washington　Street；　stands　the　abode　of　another　colonial　worthy；　Governor　John　Wentworth；　who　held　office　from　1767　down　to　the　moment　when　the　colonies　dropped　the　British　yoke　as　if　it　had　been　the　letter　H。　For　the　moment　the　good　gentleman's　occupation　was　gone。　He　was　a　royalist　of　the　most　florid　complexion。　In　1775；　a　man　named　John　Fenton；　and　ex…captain　in　the　British　army；　who　had　managed　to　offend　the　Sons　of　Liberty；　was　given　sanctuary　in　this　house　by　the　governor；　who　refused　to　deliver　the　fugitive　to　the　people。　　The　mob　planted　a　small　cannon　（unloaded）　in　front　of　the　doorstep　and　threatened　to　open　fire　if　Fenton　were　not　forthcoming。　He　forth…with　came。　　The　family　vacated　the　premises　via　the　back…yard；　and　the　mob　entered；　doing　considerable　damage。　The　broken　marble　chimney…place　still　remains；　mutely　protesting　against　the　uncalled…for　violence。　Shortly　after　this　event　the　governor　made　his　way　to　England；　where　his　loyalty　was　rewarded　first　with　a　governorship　and　then　with　a　pension　of　L500。　He　was　governor　of　Nova　Scotia　from　1792　to　1800；　and　died　in　Halifax　in　1820。　This　house　is　one　of　the　handsomest　old　dwellings　in　the　town；　and　promises　to　outlive　many　of　its　newest　neighbors。　The　parlor　has　undergone　no　change　whatever　since　the　populace　rushed　into　it　over　a　century　ago。　The　furniture　and　adornments　occupy　their　original　positions　and　the　plush　on　the　walls　has　not　been　replaced　by　other　hangings。　In　the　halldeep　enough　for　the　traditional　duel　of　baronial　romanceare　full…length　portraits　of　the　several　governors　and　sundry　of　their　kinsfolk。

There　is　yet　a　third　Wentworth　house；　also　decorated　with　the　shade　of　a　colonial　governorthere　were　three　Governors　Wentworthbut　we　shall　pass　it　by；　though　out　of　no　lack　of　respect　for　that　high　official　personage　whose　commission　was　signed　by　Joseph　Addison；　Esq。；　Secretary　of　State　under　George　I。

V。　OLD　STRAWBERRY　BANK

THESE　old　houses　have　perhaps　detained　us　too　long。　They　are　merely　the　crumbling　shells　of　things　dead　and　gone；　of　persons　and　manners　and　customs　that　have　left　no　very　distinct　record　of　themselves；　excepting　here　and　there　in　some　sallow　manuscript　which　has　luckily　escaped　the　withering　breath　of　fire；　for　the　old　town；　as　I　have　remarked；　has　managed；　from　the　earliest　moment　of　its　existence；　to　burn　itself　up　periodically。　　It　is　only　through　the　scattered　memoranda　of　ancient　town　clerks；　and　in　the　files　of　worm…eaten　and　forgotten　newspapers；　that　we　are　enabled　to　get　glimpses　of　that　life　which　was　once　so　real　and　positive　and　has　now　become　a　shadow。　I　am　of　course　speaking　of　the　early　days　of　the　settlement　on　Strawberry　Bank。　They　were　stormy　and　eventful　days。　The　dense　forest　which　surrounded　the　clearing　was　alive　with　hostile　red…men。　The　sturdy　pilgrim　went　to　sleep　with　his　firelock　at　his　bedside；　not　knowing　at　what　moment　he　might　be　awakened　by　the　glare　of　his　burning　hayricks　and　the　piercing　war…whoops　of　the　Womponoags。　Year　after　year　he　saw　his　harvest　reaped　by　a　sickle　of　flames；　as　he　peered　through　the　loop…holes　of　the　blockhouse；　whither　he　had　flown　in　hot　haste　with　goodwife　and　little　ones。　The　blockhouse　at　Strawberry　Bank　appears　to　have　been　on　an　extensive　scale；　with　stockades　for　the　shelter　of　cattle。　It　held　large　supplies　of　stores；　and　was　amply　furnished　with　arquebuses；　sakers；　and　murtherers；　a　species　of　naval　ordnance　which　probably　did　not　belie　its　name。　It　also　boasted；　we　are　told；　of　two　drums　for　training…days；　and　no　fewer　than　fifteen　hautboys　and　soft…voiced　recordersall　which　suggests　a　mediaeval　castle；　or　a　grim　fortress　in　the　time　of　Queen　Elizabeth。　To　the　younger　members　of　the　community　glass　or　crockery　ware　was　an　unknown　substance；　to　the　elders　it　was　a　memory。　An　iron　pot　was　the　pot…of…all…work；　and　their　table　utensils　were　of　beaten　pewter。　The　diet　was　also　of　the　simplestpea…porridge　and　corn…cake；　with　a　mug　of　ale　or　a　flagon　of　Spanish　wine；　when　they　could　get　it。

John　Mason；　who　never　resided　in　this　country；　but　delegated　the　management　of　his　plantation　at　Ricataqua　and　Newichewannock　to　stewards；　died　before　realizing　any　appreciable　return　from　his　enterprise。　He　spared　no　endeavor　meanwhile　to　further　its　prosperity。　In　1632；　three　years　before　his　death；　Mason　sent　over　from　Denmark　a　number　of　neat　cattle；　〃of　a　large　breed　and　yellow　colour。〃　The　herd　thrived；　and　it　is　said　that　some　of　the　stock　is　still　extant　on　farms　in　the　vicinity　of　Portsmouth。　Those　old　first　families　had　a　kind　of　staying　quality！

In　May；　1653；　the　inhabitants　of　the　settlement　petitioned　the　General　Court　at　Boston　to　grant　them　a　definite　townshipfor　the　boundaries　were　doubtfuland　the　right　to　give　it　a　proper　name。　〃Whereas　the　name　of　this　plantation　att　present　being　Strabery　Banke；　accidentlly　soe　called；　by　reason　of　a　banke　where　strawberries　was　found　in　this　place；　now　we　humbly　desire　to　have　it　called　Portsmouth；　being　a　name　most　suitable　for　this　place；　it　being　the　river's　mouth；　and　good　as　any　in　this　land；　and　your　petit'rs　shall　humbly　pray；〃　etc。

Throughout　that　formative　period；　and　during　the　intermittent　French　wars；　Portsmouth　and　the　outlying　districts　were　the　scenes　of　bloody　Indian　massacres。　No　portion　of　the　New　England　colony　suffered　more。　Famine；　fire；　pestilence；　and　war；　each　in　turn；　and　sometimes　in　conjunction；　beleaguered　the　little　stronghold；　and　threatened　to　wipe　it　out。　But　that　was　not　to　be。

The　settlement　flourished　and　increased　in　spite　of　all；　and　as　soon　as　it　had　leisure　to　draw　breath；　it　bethought　itself　of　the　school…house　and　the　jailtwo　incontestable　signs　of　budding　civilization。　At　a　town　meeting　in　1662；　it　was　ordered　〃that　a　cage　be　made　or　some　other　meanes　invented　by　the　selectmen　to　punish　such　as　sleepe　or　take　tobacco　on　the　Lord's　day　out　of　the　meetinge　in　the　time　of　publique　service。〃　This　salutary　measure　was　not；　for　some　reason；　carried　into　effect　until　nine　years　later；　when　Captain　John　Pickering；　who　seems　to　have　had　as　many　professions　as　Michelangelo；　undertook　to　construct　a　cage　twelve　feet　square　and　seven　feet　high；　with　a　pillory　on　top；　〃the　said　Pickering　to　make　a　good　strong　dore　and　make　a　substantiale　payre　of　stocks　and　places　the　same　in　said　cage。〃　A　spot　conveniently　near　the　west　end　on　the　meeting…house　was　selected　as　the　site　for　this　ingenious　device。　It　is　more　than　probable　that　〃the　said　Pickering〃　indirectly　furnished　an　occasional　bird　for　his　cage；　for　in　1672　we　find　him　and　one　Edward　Westwere　authorized　by　the　selectmen　to　〃keepe　houses　of　publique　entertainment。〃　He　was　a　versatile　individual；　this　John　Pickeringsoldier；　miller；　moderator；　carpenter；　lawyer；　and　innkeeper。　Michelangelo　need　not　blush　to　be　bracketed　with　him。　In　the　course　of　a　long　and　variegated　career　he　never　failed　to　act　according　to　his　lights；　which　he　always　kept　well　trimmed。　That　Captain　Pickering　subsequently　became　the　grandfather；　at　several　removes；　of　the　present　writer　was　no　fault　of　the　Captain's；　and　should　not　be　laid　up　against　him。

Down　to　1696；　the　education　of　the　young　appears　to　have　been　a　rather　desultory　and　tentative　matter；　〃the　young　idea〃　seems　to　have　been　allowed　to　〃shoot〃　at　whatever　it　wanted　to；　but　in　that　year　it　was　voted　〃that　care　be　taken　that　an　abell　scollmaster　＇skullmaster！＇　be　provided　for　the　towen　as　the　law　directs；　not　visious　in　conversation。〃　That　was　perhaps　demanding　too　much；　for　it　was　not　until　〃May　ye7〃　of　the　following　year　that　the　selectmen　were　fortunate　enough　to　put　their　finger　on　this　rara　avis　in　the　person　of　Mr。　Tho。　Phippes；　who　agreed　〃to　be　scollmaster　for　the　the　towen　this　yr　insewing　for　teaching　the　inhabitants　children　in　such　manner　as　other　schollmasters　yously　doe　throughout　the　countrie：　for　his　soe　doinge　we　the　sellectt　men　in　behalfe　of　ower　towen　doe　ingage　to　pay　him　by　way　of　rate　twenty　pounds　and　yt　he　shall　and　may　reserve　from　every　father　or　master　that　sends　theyer　children　to　school　this　yeare　after　ye　rate　of　16s。　for　readers；　writers　and　cypherers　20s。；　Lattiners　24s。〃

Modern　advocates　of　phonetic　spelling　need　not　plume　themselves　on　their　originality。　　The　town　clerk　who　wrote　that　delicious　〃yously　doe〃　settles　the　question。　　It　is　to　be　hoped　that　Mr。　Tho。　Phippes　was　not　only　〃not　visious　in　conversation；〃　but　was　more　conventional　in　his　orthography。　He　evidently　gave　satisfaction；　and　clearly　exerted　an　influence　on　the　town　clerk；　Mr。　Samuel　Keais；　who　ever　after　shows　a　marked　improvement　in　his　own　methods。　In　1704　the　town　empowered　the　selectmen　〃to　call　and　settell　a　gramer　scoll　according　to　ye　best　of　yower　judgement　and　for　ye　advantag　＇Keais　is　obviously　dead　now＇　of　ye　youth　of　ower　town　to　learn　them　to　read　from　ye　primer；　to　wright　and　sypher　and　to　learne　ym　the　tongues　and　good…manners。〃　On　this　occasion　it　was　Mr。　William　Allen；　of　Salisbury；　who　engaged　〃dilligently　to　attend　ye　school　for　ye　present　yeare；　and　tech　all　childern　yt　can　read　in　thaire　psallters　and　upward。〃　From　such　humble　beginnings　were　evolved　some　of　the　best　public　high　schools　at　present　in　New　England。

Portsmouth　did　not　escape　the　witchcraft　delusion；　though　I　believe　that　no　hangings　took　place　within　the　boundaries　of　the　township。　Dwellers　by　the　sea　are　generally　superstitious；　sailors　always　are。　There　is　something　in　the　illimitable　expanse　of　sky　and　water　that　dilates　the　imagination。　The　folk　who　live　along　the　coast　live　on　the　edge　of　a　perpetual　mystery；　only　a　strip　of　yellow　sand　or　gray　rock　separates　them　from　the　unknown；　they　hear　strange　voices　in　the　winds　at　midnight；　they　are　haunted　by　the　spectres　of　the　mirage。　Their　minds　quickly　take　the　impress　of　uncanny　things。　The　witches　therefore　found　a　sympathetic　atmosphere　in　Newscastle；　at　the　mouth　of　the　Piscataquathat　slender　paw　of　land　which　reaches　out　into　the　ocean　and　terminates　in　a　spread　of　sharp；　flat　rocks；　lie　the　claws　of　an　amorous　cat。　What　happened　to　the　good　folk　of　that　picturesque　little　fishing…hamlet　is　worth　retelling　in　brief。　In　order　properly　to　retell　it；　a　contemporary　witness　shall　be　called　upon　to　testify　in　the　case　of　the　Stone…Throwing　Devils　of　Newcastle。　It　is　the　Rev。　Cotton　Mather　who　addresses　you　　〃On　June　11；　1682；　showers　of　stones　were　thrown　by　an　invisible　hand　upon　the　house　of　George　Walton　at　Portsmouth　＇Newcastle　was　then　a　part　of　the　town＇。　Whereupon　the　people　going　out　found　the　gate　w