Show A DAY IN LEXINGTON AND CONCORD OF ALL the historical scenes of the II Revolutionary War II there are none more interesting or suggestive than those connected with the first engagement engagement engagement engage engage- ment of the war the battle of Lexington and Concord It was It-was was my privilege during the past summer to spend a day visiting with an experienced guide all the points associated associated associated asso asso- with this historic battle The visit gave me so much new light and so much better understanding of the events connected with this episode in our country's history that I think an account account account ac ac- count of it might add to the knowledge and interest of some of the readers of your paper concerning the momentous events of April 1775 It was with such a hope in view that I consented to write te this article We left Harvard Square early Saturday Saturday Saturday Satur Satur- day morning July in the electric cars and rode to Arlington Here our II Barges were waiting to convey us along the famous old road So quaint and picturesque is this region and so suggestive of the old times that as we passed along we almost imagined the same houses and f fences were still standing standing standing stand stand- ing the same shrubs and trees were green and grain that gladdened the hearts of the farmers over a century ago was still stirring in the wind This section is really typical of New Eng Eng- land It is marked by a series of rollin rolling rolling roll roll- in ing hills beautiful foliage and fences built from the stones stories of the fields The most im important port ant places of historic interest interest in in- t. t terest are marked by stone tablets 1 ti i 3 k l' l t ga j v f t. t ii i I e i M it- it ii P which are very numerous in this section The first tablet we reached contained a avery avery avery very appropriate inscription stating that it marked the spot where Benjamin Welling one of the minute-men minute was stopped and disarmed by the British while on their way to Lexington He procured another gun however and joined his companions iri in in the battle later in the day he also fought in inmany inmany inmany many other battles of the war One of the most interesting scenes scenes on the road is the spot where stands the theold theold theold old Munroe Tavern built in 1693 and occupied by Major Munroe of the American militia during the Revolutionary Revolutionary Revolutionary struggle The building is now owned by Munroe's grandson a talkative talkative talkative talka talka- tive old man who appears to take great delight in telling of the events of Lexington Early in the morning on the of April Munroe hearing of the approach of the British thought that they must rust be in search of Hancock and Adams who were at that time in inthe inthe inthe the Clark Tavern He hastened to warn them leaving his tavern in charge of Raymond the bartender Percey's reinforcements reinforcements reinforcements rein rein- met the fleeing British here hereon on their return from Concord and they lay down for a rest One of the rooms of the tavern was converted into a hospital for the wounded men of the British Raymond was made to serve drinks to the soldiers not feeling at ease with such customers he made an attempt to escape but was shot down like a dog at the rear of the building As the troops were leaving they set fire to the tavern but Munroe came up in r i t i time to to extinguish the flames Lat Later r Washington dined at this tavern and the old chair in which he sat is still preserved Farther along the road are stone tablets marking the spots where Lord Percey had stationed field pieces to check the minute-men minute in pursuit of the British A short distance from these tablets is the Lexington town hall in which are many relics of Revolutionary times together with paintings and statuary The most conspicuous painting is The Dawn of Liberty representing the fight on the green grAen A short distance from the town hall hallis hallis hallis is a small three-cornered three plot covered with a beautiful lawn really the most sacred spot in this vicinity Lexington Green It was here that the British met their first resistance on their way to Concord The minute-men minute had been drawn up in line under command of Parker near the old church which then stood on the corner of the green A large granite boulder now marks the spot where the men faced the British as they came up Upon this is inscribed the words of Captain Parker to his men Stand your ground Dont Don't fire unless fired upon But if they want a war let it begin here The green is marked by bya a monument of granite with the names of the heroes of this ba battle inscribed bed upon it It was erected in 1799 hy by the citizens of Lexington On the centennial centennial centennial centen centen- nial of the battle services were held on the green at which time General Grant planted an elm tree We Ve next had the pleasure of visiting the old oid tavern the Clark House wherein Hancock and Adams were sleeping on that eventful night April It is often said that a woman is at the bottom of everything At any any rate it is easy to surmise that it was a woman oma who caused the stay of Hancock I in Lexington at this particular time while Adams was there on political business There were a anum number ber of young ladies living in the house and Miss Dorthy Quincy their friend was visiting them Her presence surely accounts for Hancocks Hancock's s bein being there Hancock and Adams had been watched with the most intense intene anxiety by their friends because the British had offered a large reward for them They were sleeping in the lower room while Dorthy Quincy and the Miss Clarks were in the room just above when at a avery avery very early hour in the morning Paul Revere accompanied by Munroe came cameto cameto cameto to the house It is said that Revere was making considerable noise and Munroe told him to be quiet lest he wake the inmates Therell be noise enough to wake them before morning cried Paul the British are comin coming At this Hancock put his head out of the window and said Is Is that you Paul Just back of this house is a long low lowhill lowhill lowhill hill called Grannies Hill from which it is said that Adams and Hancock watched the battle of Lexington the latter exclaiming What a glorious dawn for America The ladies of the company were particularly interested in the even events ts r related by our our guide in connection with this place and especially especially especially espe espe- the Quincy Hancock-Quincy story At the end of a hill known as Mile long Ridge is a tablet stating that here Jonathan Hayward met a British soldier who exclaimed raising his gun Youre a dead man And so are you replied Hayward Both fired The soldier was killed and Hayward mortally wounded Between the last mentioned tablet and the center of Concord is The Wayside Here was H Hawthorne's famous II sky t Ji j f r study erected soon after his return from Switzerland from this study he had a a magnificent view of the surrounding surrounding surrounding sur sur- rounding country Just back of the house is the terraced hill his favorite walk The Pines It was here where he spent hour after hour walking to-and- to fro awaiting inspiration We were permitted per permitted permitted per per- to enter his study room wherein are his books and chairs and an old- old fashioned rough standing-desk standing made by himself at which he wrote when tired of sitting A short distance from the Wayside still stands Emersons Emerson's old home his study being unchanged since he occupied it many years ago TO BE CONTINUED t s |