320 OLD PLYMOUTH TRAILS 



choir in the Congregational church of those early- 

 days. He invented many other musical instru- 

 ments, one the forerunner of the cabinet organ 

 which made a fortune for certain New England- 

 ers. He invented a braiding machine which has 

 since his -day made millions for Rhode Island 

 factories. It may be that he invented the strang- 

 est form of double-runner that I have heard of, 

 and which was used on Ponkapoag Hill, but I 

 fancy not. That I guess was an inspiration 

 worked out on the spot by some hardy Yankee. 

 It consisted of a great wood-sled on which half 

 the village could be accommodated. This was 

 hauled by horses to the top of the hill, a boy of 

 more than ordinary courage, strength, and — it 

 seems to me — skill, sitting on that diminutive 

 sled in front of the great on-rushing mass and 

 guiding it in safety to the bottom of the hill, time 

 after time. 



That a boy should have been found that would 

 turn this trick after he had once successfully done 

 it is not so difficult to believe as that one should 

 have the 'hardihood to undertake it for the first 

 time to find out whether he could do it or not. 



