82 



and adjoining woods, or betook tliemselves to some of tlie 

 pleasant by-paths that here aljound, and are more or less 

 skirted with shrubbery and the flowering plants that appear 

 and disappear, in succession, with the advance of the sea- 

 son. Many of these by-paths were undoubtedly the primi- 

 tive roads constructed by the early settlers, from house to 

 house, without any definite plan, merely for their own 

 personal convenience. When the vilhiges and towns 

 sprung up requiring better and more direct means of com- 

 munication, other roads were constructed and these were 

 soon abandoned ; the people accordingly changed their 

 places of residence and built other houses ; the old ones 

 being neglected soon fell into decay. One occasionally 

 meets in rambling through the woods and following the 

 devious windings of some of these old by-paths or cross- 

 roads the remains of an old cellar, the gnarled apple tree 

 near by, a few plants that always linger in the footsteps of 

 man, and perhaps the old well in the midst of dense woods 

 and forests. Nature soon usurps her sway and clothes 

 with rich verdure the places that man ceases to cultivate. 

 This diversity of the surface into hills and dales, with the 

 various brooks and ponds interspersed, adds to the l)eauty 

 of the scenery and greatly contri!)utcs to the pleasures of 

 rural walks. Through the kindness of Mr. David Stiles, 

 several of those interested in antiquarian lore were enabled 

 to see specimens of the old houses, two stories front with 

 a lean-to in the rear, that have braved the blasts of some 

 two hundred Avinters, also the burial places where the 

 forefathers of the hamlet sleep with their names inscribed 

 upon tlie sinn)le stone that marks the spot of interinent. 

 Mr Stiles directed attention to other objects of historical 

 interest ; some of these will be alhided to in the afternoon 

 session. Middleton has two railroads located within its 

 territoryv, one from Salem to Lowell in the extreme 



