Hurrah for New England!

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Hurrah for New England!

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Title: Hurrah for New England! The Virginia Boy's Vacation
Author: Louisa C. Tuthill
Release Date: February 16, 2004 [EBook #11120]
Language: English
Character set encoding: US-ASCII
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK HURRAH
FOR NEW ENGLAND! ***

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[Illustration: THE YOUNG NAVIGATORS.]

HURRAH FOR NEW ENGLAND!
OR
THE VIRGINIA BOY'S VACATION.
BY THE AUTHOR OF
"THE BOY OF SPIRIT" "WHEN ARE WE HAPPIEST?" ETC.

CONTENTS
LETTER I. THE DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION II. FITTING OUT
FOR THE CRUISE III. OUR MESSMATES IV. TALK ABOUT
GREAT MEN V. OLD JACK VI. VISIT TO THE CUNARD
STEAMER VII. MOODY DICK'S SISTER LOUISA VIII. DAVID'S
GLIMPSE OF NOBILITY IX. BOSTON LIONS

HURRAH FOR NEW ENGLAND!

LETTER I.
THE DOCTOR'S PRESCRIPTION.
FROM PIDGIE TO HIS COUSIN BENNIE.
Marblehead, July 1st, 1846.
Do you remember, my dear cousin, how scornfully we used to look at
"little crooked Massachusetts," as we called it, on the map, while
comparing the other States with good old Virginia? I don't believe that
we ever even noticed such a town in it as Marblehead; and yet here I
am, in that very place; and though I love our noble State as well as ever,

I am beginning to think that there are some other places in the world fit
to live in. I don't mean, though, that I have the smallest inclination to
take up my abode in this town, but I should like to have you see it, for
it is the funniest place you can imagine. The old, queer-looking houses
seem to be placed cornerwise on the most crooked of streets, all up hill
and down, and winding around so that I begin to think they have lost
themselves and will come to a stop, when out they start, from behind
some red or green house which they had run around just for fun. Then
there are heaps, as we Southerners say, of droll little children running
about, some of them quite nicely dressed, with no servant to take care
of them; and yesterday, on the rocks that look out upon the ocean, I met
a little boy who could scarcely walk tottling along beside one but little
older, as independent and happy as if he might not at any time fall and
hit his little white head against one of the sharp stones. They say that
some of our most distinguished Congressmen, and even our United
States Senators, have been brought up in this way, and though I don't
see how these boys can ever learn to be polished gentlemen when they
mix with all sorts of children, yet some of them are as intelligent as if
they had done nothing but read all their lives, and as brave as their
sailor fathers.
Yesterday a fishing-vessel came in, which had been out for several
months, and I spied a little fellow clambering down a ladder, placed up
to one of the tall chimneys, as fast as he could go, and then, starting out
the door like lightning, he was by the water-side before the boat
touched the shore, and his mother was not far behind him.
But how I am carried away by what is around me! I forget that you
don't even know how I came to be here, and while I am writing are
perhaps wondering all the time if I am not playing a trick upon you,
after all, and dating from some place where I never expect to be. But I
am in real earnest, Bennie, and will try and tell you, as soberly as I can,
how I happen to be here.
You remember, the day that Uncle Bob brought the horse home for me
to ride to Benevenue, he said something about Master Clarendon's not
being able to ride Charlie much of late, so that I would find him rather

gay. When I got to the place, I found every thing in confusion, and Dr.
Medway talking very earnestly with brother Clarendon, who was
looking quite thin, and not at all pleased.
"I should think a voyage to Europe would be quite as beneficial," he
said, turning to the Doctor, with his proudest air, as soon as he had
greeted me.
"No," replied Dr. Medway, smiling at his displeased manner; "you