Part 11 (1/2)

None of the events of those exciting days escapedthem over, with one of the men who had been with Sherman, was a rare pleasure In the course of our conversation, we touched upon Captain Orton's present home, which is in a very pretty corner of the ”Keystone” State, and which apparently has reached the golden ests ideal cos and stores are built upon a substantial and convenient plan

Fiftieth Day

_Reed House_, ERIE, PENNSYLVANIA, _June Twenty-ninth_

Upon my arrival at Erie, I was pleasantly surprised to find a letter frouest at the Reed House during ladly availed h htful interest of my host, every opportunity to see the city, and to hear soh Erie, Pennsylvania coreat coh she only holds a small share of the valuable shore line, there is every advantage for reaping a large benefit The harbor isprotected by a strip of land known as ”Presque Isle,” and which, long before the persistent waves wore away its southern end, was connected with the uide the night traveller to one of the prettiest ports in this part of the country, while from the bluffs on which the town is built shi+ne ular and lead to many handsome homes, which they say will bear comparison with the finest on the Lakes Several parks relieve the htliness of the place

Besides her present ireat inland seas, Erie has had her share on the page of history since 1795; a the departure from her port of Oliver Hazard Perry, ent in 1813 to lish in the splendid naval action which has e back the reality of those stirring ti the enterprises are her iron works, where stoves, e quantities of coal and petroleum, the contributions froood share of the varied products which e water channels to different parts of the United States Her educational system is excellent and there are nearly half a hundred public schools, which offer quite good advantages to the children who help make her population of nearly twenty-five thousand

Erie undoubtedly has a bright future before her, which her rapid increase in population since 1870 predicts, and she may, in a measure, balance the power in the opposite corner of the State, where the ”City of Brotherly Love” reigns supre seen so much of the place as time would allow, and heard its story fro at the Acade

Fifty-first Day

_Farm House_, SWANVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, _June Thirtieth_

Passed a very busyto business correspondence with advance agents, ton brought my scrap-book up to date I called also upon a few old acquaintances whom I had known in the East, and whose faces were a welcoe of my journey The editor of the Erie _Dispatch_ called after dinner and spent an hour with eneral discussion of the incidents ofBoston, which had been, however,In this way the afternoon slipped by, and it was not until five o'clock that I found myself ready to leave Colonel Ellsworth's hospitable roof Had I not been fully deterht, the cordial request of ht have dissuadedso late, but I resisted the inclination, and having bade good-bye to my newly-made friends put spurs to _Paul_, who soon carried me far beyond the city li since learned that in a case of this kind, the charms of hospitality, like those of Circe, were fatal to the interests of hiht and a half miles to Swanville in fair tiht at the home of John Joseph Swan, an old resident and pioneer, after whom the hamlet is named

Fifty-second Day

_Farm House_, SWANVILLE, PENNSYLVANIA, _July First_

Was compelled to remain in this place two days on account of ularly fortunate in having castin their efforts to hty-three years old and quite patriarchal in appearance Fro of their military record, which reaches over quite an extended period of our country's history, and which round for the peace and comfort they now enjoy Mr Swan's father was a captain of militia in pioneer days, and his son Andreas a lieutenant-colonel of cavalry during the late war He was a participant himself in the war of 1812, and both he and his father were pensioners In fact they have grown up with the country, having shared its trials and its triumphs Mr Sas one of the earliest settlers in Erie County, and although more than half a century had passed since he had settled there, this veteran still remembered and vividly described the scenes and events of those stirring times He saw the first steaarded as an evil omen by the Indians, who called it ”The Devil's Canoe” and who ran frightened from the shore at its approach

His stories were ave the While I ith these people, I had the pleasure of hter of the family, who had just returned fro under Jules Le Fevre, the well-known painter A her better productions I was especially pleased with her portrait from life of an old man, for which she arded a medal by Peter Cooper

Fifty-third Day

_Central House_, GIRARD, PENNSYLVANIA, _July Second_

Took a ith Mr Swan over his farrain and quietly ad the thrift and enterprise everywhere apparent The co impression, and I became quite enthusiastic over the A ht upon his pre It was difficult to realize that the fields which ere viewing had, within the memory of my companion, been transfor over the fared Swanville Owing to this caprice of the elements, I was unable to leave until three o'clock in the afternoon Made the six miles and a half between the two places in easy tireeted by the Girard Brass Band, which, while it a our ”triu,” greatly to the delight of the onlookers

After lecturing at the Town Hall in the evening, where I was introduced by Jacob Bender, editor of the _Cosable band, which certainly made me feel welcome I was sorry that the limitations put upon my time by appointments ahead allowed et a better idea of their occupations I should have liked to visit the lumber and brick yards, which are the chief enterprise, but was obliged to content lance,” as our newspaper friends say The soil of the region is almost entirely composed of clay, and is thus peculiarly adapted to the manufacture of brick

Fifty-fourth Day

_Fisk House_, ASHTABULA, OHIO, _July Third_

A bright sun and clear blue sky gave proly pleasant day, as I seated ht o'clock

Before leaving I bade good-bye to Mr Farrington, who had been with me from Boston, but who now found it necessary to return to his ho to business interests there I regretted exceedingly his retirement, as he had rendered invaluable service in connection with enial and coht us together along the route