The History of Florence, Massachusetts; Including a Complete Account of the Northampton Association of Education and Industry (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1895 edition. Excerpt: ... enterprise failed materially, but among the eternal forces that live and influence the world, I believe the Community still has its being. WHEN I WAS A GIRL. By A Community Maiden. My earliest recollections connected with Florence were of the long journey from Brooklyn, Conn., made with our family by private conveyance, there being no railroad to Northampton at that time. The cottage to which we came stood on rising ground, terraced to the road, with a rather long, sandy hill at the back; a beautiful grove of great pine trees at one side, and just beyond that a deep, broad, sand valley, clean, white, and fine; an ideal playground for children. Our great delight was to start some distance from its brink, run as fast as we could, jump over and land knee deep in its warm embrace. Across the road, and directly opposite the cottage, ran a shallow brook, with sandy soil on either side, in which grew fine, firm cranberries, the first and last I ever _ saw growing. Beyond the brook, and a zigzag fence, lay a swamp of some extent, which was our resort when hunting the trailing arbutus, which grew there in perfection. One day, while looking for the flowers, I rolled a log over, and beheld a large, black snake surrounded by her family of little blackies, whereupon the mother opened wide her mouth, and one by one the six baby snakes disappeared down that receptacle. How long it might have been before the Community was founded, I have no idea, but soon the brick mill became a place of residence for families, and uncles, aunts, and cousins, besides others, began to arrive, and my lonely life was relieved by companions of all ages. And then began our school life, which was so different from the POLLY HOSWORTH HOUSE TO-DAY. stereotyped training of other...