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of our small garden；from peach… trees and lilac…bushes in bloom； from bergamot and balm and beds of camomile！
Sometimes we would find the pathetic figure of white…haired Larkin Moore； the insane preacher； his two canes lain aside； waiting； in our dooryard for any audience that he could gather： boys and girls were as welcome as anybody。 He would seat us in a row on the green slope； and give us a half hour or so of incoherent exhortation； to which we attended respectfully； if not reverently； for his whole manner showed that； though demented； he was deeply in earnest。 He seemed there in the twilight like a dazed angel who had lost his way； and had half forgotten his errand； which yet he must try to tell to anybody who would listen。
I have heard my mother say that sometimes he would ask if he might take her baby in his arms and sing to it； and that though she was half afraid herself； the babyI like to fancy I was that babyseemed to enjoy it； and played gleefully with the old man's flowing gray locks。
Good Larkin Moore was well known through the two neighboring counties； Essex and Middlesex。 We saw him afterward on the banks of the Merrimack。 He always wore a loose calico tunic over his trousers； and； when the mood came upon him； he started off with two canes；seeming to think he could travel faster as a quadruped than as a biped。 He was entirely harmless； his only wish was to preach or to sing。
A characteristic anecdote used to be told of him： that once； as a stage…coach containing； only a few passengers passed him on the road； he asked the favor of a seat on the top； and was refused。 There were many miles between him and his destination。 But he did not upbraid the ungracious driver； he only swung his two canes a little more briskly； and kept breast of the horses all the way； entering the town side by side with the inhospitable vehiclesa running reproach to the churl on the box。
There was another wanderer； a blind woman； whom my mother treated with great respect on her annual pilgrimages。 She brought with her some printed rhymes to sell； purporting to be composed by herself； and beginning with the verse：
〃I； Nancy Welsh； was born and bred In Essex County； Marblehead。 And when I was an infant quite The Lord deprived me of my sight。〃
I labored under the delusion that blindness was a sort of insanity； and I used to run away when this pilgrim came； for she was not talkative like Larkin Moore。 I fancied she disliked children； and so I shrank from her。
There were other odd estrays going about； who were either well known； or could account for them selves。 The one human phenomenon that filled us little ones with mortal terror was an unknown 〃man with a pack on his back。〃 I do not know what we thought he would do with us； but the sight of one always sent us breathless with fright to the shelter of the maternal wing。 I did not at all like the picture of Christian on his way to the wicket…gate； in 〃Pilgrim's Progress；〃 before I had read the book； because he had 〃a pack on his back。〃 But there was really nothing to be afraid of in those simple； honest old times。 I suppose we children would not have known how happy and safe we were； in our secluded lane； if we had not conjured up a few imaginary fears。
Long as it is since the rural features of our lane were entirely obliterated； my feet often go back and press； in memory； its grass…grown borders； and in delight and liberty I am a child again。 Its narrow limits were once my whole known world。 Even then it seemed to me as if it might lead everywhere； and it was indeed but the beginning of a road which must lengthen and widen beneath my feet forever。
II。
SCHOOLROOM AND MEETING…HOUSE。
THERE were only two or three houses between ours and the main street； and then our lane came out directly opposite the finest house in town； a three…story edifice of brick； painted white； the 〃Colonel's〃 residence。 There was a spacious garden behind it； from which we caught glimpses and perfumes of unknown flowers。 Over its high walls hung boughs of splendid great yellow sweet apples； which； when they fell on the outside； we children considered as our perquisites。 When I first read about the apples of the Hesperides； my idea of them was that they were like the Colonel's 〃pumpkin…sweetings。〃
Beyond the garden were wide green fields which reached eastward down to the beach。 It was one of those large old estates which used to give to the very heart of our New England coast towns a delightful breeziness and roominess。
A coach…and…pair was one of the appurtenances of this estate； with a coachman on the box； and when he took the family out for an airing we small children thought it was a sort of Cinderella spectacle； prepared expressly for us。
It was not； however； quite so interesting as the Boston stage … coach； that rolled regularly every day past the head of our lane into and out of its headquarters； a big； unpainted stable close at hand。 This stage…coach； in our minds； meant the city；twenty miles off； an immeasurable distance to us then。 Even our elders did not go there very often。
In those early days； towns used to give each other nicknames； like schoolboys。 Ours was called 〃Bean…town〃 not because it was especially devoted to the cultivation of this leguminous edible； but probably because it adhered a long time to the Puritanic custom of saving Sunday…work by baking beans on Saturday evening； leaving them in the oven over night。 After a while； as families left off heating their ovens； the bean…pots were taken by the village baker on Saturday afternoon； who returned them to each house early on Sunday morning with the pan of brown bread that went with them。 The jingling of the baker's bells made the matter a public one。
The towns through which our stage…coach passed sometimes called it the 〃bean…pot。〃 The Jehn who drove it was something of a wag。 Once； coming through Charlestown； while waiting in the street for a resident passenger； he was hailed by another resident who thought him obstructing the passage； with the shout；
〃Halloo there！ Get your old bean…pot out of the way！〃
〃I will； when I have got my pork in；〃 was the ready reply。 What the sobriquet of Charlestown was； need not be explained。
We had a good opportunity to watch both coaches； as my father's shop was just at the head of the lane； and we went to school up… stairs in the same building。 After he left off going to sea； before my birth；my father took a store for the sale of what used to be called 〃West India goods；〃 and various other domestic commodities。
The school was kept by a neighbor whom everybody called 〃Aunt Hannah。〃 It took in all the little ones about us； no matter how young they were； provided they could walk and talk； and were considered capable of learning their letters。
A ladder…like flight of stairs on the outside of the house led up to the schoolroom； and another flight； also outside； took us down into a bit of a garden； where grew tansy and spearmint and southernwood and wormwood； and； among other old…fashioned flowers； an abundance of many…tinted four o'clocks； whose regular afternoon…opening just at the close of school； was a daily wonder to us babies。 From the schoolroom window w