NATURE versus MEDICINE 



I had located in Ward Eight, but at the 

 time did not know anything in relation to its 

 size, as compared with the other wards of the 

 city. A glance at the map in the city direc- 

 tory showed me that Ward Eight was larger 

 in area than all the other wards combined. 

 I also found that it comprised within its limits 

 the Cut, Fresh Water Cove, West Gloucester, 

 and Magnolia. It pleased me much to find 

 that it contained about twelve thousand acres 

 of shrub land and forest. 



Two-thirds of the way from the Cut to 

 the drawbridge, Essex Avenue connects with 

 Western Avenue. Essex Avenue crosses the 

 marsh to West Gloucester, and is the high- 

 way into the city for Essex and other distant 

 towns. There is a constant stream of travel 

 over this highway, divided among farmers, 

 icemen, and pleasure-seekers. The travel on 

 Western Avenue is now, and was then, made 

 up largely from the summer colonies at Mag- 

 nolia and Manchester. Showy turnouts 

 passed and repassed, so that I had enough to 

 attract my attention from sunrise to sunset. 

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