Page:The Granite Monthly Volume 7.djvu/41

 BETH Li: 11 EM, N. H.

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��have it that from Mrs. lUirnham's btish sprang all the common red syringas in the town; but the statement may be doubtful. Her original bush is now living, having spread for some distance by the roadside, at the site of her old iiome.

THREi: S.MALI, GRAVES.

If we return to the gate of this an- cient cemetery, a touch of sympathy, which makes the whole world kin, nat- urally prompts us to look down at the right of one's entering feet, where three small mounds lie side by side. These three uninscribed graves hold three bodies of children of the late Icha- bod Eaton, whose family was be- reaved of three oi its young members in three weeks. On three Sundays in succession there were funeral services at the Eaton house, and on each day a child was mourned, while its body was conveyed to the silent grave. This affliction was the result of the great epidemic, known as the "thioat dis- temper," which, not far from the year 1820, attacked the children of this town, of whom seventy-two are said to have died by its fell stroke. Of such an extended public aftliction the pres- ent local population can have no pos- sible conce]:ition, and we hope its practical ignorance of t!ie fact may long continu-^.

IX FIXF..

The scenery of New Hampshire abounds with sublime and picturesque

��views, which always excite the admira- tion of the transient tourist, while they furnish a perpetual fund of delight to the appreciative local resident. The prospect from Putney's hill, in the town of Hopkinton, is of a peculiar character, since it is not only extended and beautiful, but also singularly varied in thecharacterof its visible objects. On a clear day, standing at the northeast corner of the old burying-ground, one can see the tip of Mount Washington, appearing like a speck of cloud in the extreme northern horizon. Nearly every important eminence south of the latitude of the above mountain, within the limits of the state, is also visible. Within the circling sweep of the eye can be seen numerous villages. At the east, under one's feet, lies the village of Hopkinton. On the west the eye overlooks the great valley of the Contoncook river, where the mean- dering, silvery stream enhances the beauty of the view in a manner stimu- lating our sense of praise, but also ex- ceeding our powers of description. Drawing this effort to a close, we invite the reader to this ancient necr'jpolis. Let him select a bright and quiet sum- mer day. With the dead sleeping si- lently at his feet, and the l.i ulscape stretching softly in the wide distance, he mav realize subdued reflections that mantle the life-worried spirit with a feeling of inexpressible sweetness and calm.

��BETHLEHEM, N. H.

��"The earlv history of the town of Bethlehem. New Hampshire," is the title of a little volume written by Rev. Simeon Bolles, and published liy the Enterprise Printing House, of Woods- ville. We hope this venture will lead to the issuing of a more djtailed ac- count of this famous summer resort.

From its pages one learns that the town was first settled about 1787 or I 7S8, by Benjamin Brown and Joseph

��W^arren, who migrated from Massa- chusetts. James Turner settled on Lloyd's hill in 1790; Lot \Voodbury came from Roylston, Mass., in March, 1794; Isaac Newton Gay in 1800.

The town was surveyed into lots by Nathaniel Snow. It was originally called Lloyd's hill. It was incorpo- rated as Bethlehem Dec. 27, 1799. Moses Eastman was the first modera- tor, town- clerk and selectman; Na-

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