an old town by the sea-第13章
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rked of him by a caustic contemporary： 〃Well； yes； Mr。 Jaffrey was a gentleman by profession； but not eminent in his profession。〃
This modest exhibition of profiles； in which I have attempted to preserve no chronological sequence； ends with the silhouette of Dr。 Joseph Moses。
If Boston in the colonial days had her Mather Byles； Portsmouth had her Dr。 Joseph Moses。 In their quality as humorists； the outlines of both these gentlemen have become rather broken and indistinct。 〃A jest's prosperity lies in the ear that hears it。〃 Decanted wit inevitably loses its bouquet。 A clever repartee belongs to the precious moment in which it is broached； and is of a vintage that does not usually bear transportation。 Dr。 Moseshe received his diploma not from the College of Physicians； but from the circumstance of his having once drugged his private demijohn of rum； and so nailed an inquisitive negro named SamboDr。 Moses； as he was always called； had been handed down to us by tradition as a fellow of infinite jest and of most excellent fancy； but I must confess that I find his high spirits very much evaporated。 His humor expended itself； for the greater part； in practical pleasantrieslike that practiced on the minion Sambobut these diversions； however facetious to the parties concerned； lack magnetism for outsiders。 I discover nothing about him so amusing as the fact that he lived in a tan…colored little tenement； which was neither clapboarded nor shingled； and finally got an epidermis from the discarded shingles of the Old South Church when the roof of that edifice was repaired。
Dr。 Moses； like many persons of his time and class； was a man of protean employmentjoiner； barber； and what not。 No doubt he had much pithy and fluent conversation； all of which escapes us。 He certainly impressed the Hon。 Theodore Atkinson as a person of uncommon parts； for the Honorable Secretary of the Province； like a second Haroun Al Raschid； often summoned the barber to entertain him with his company。 One eveningand this is the only reproducible instance of the doctor's readinessMr。 Atkinson regaled his guest with a diminutive glass of choice Madeira。 The doctor regarded it against the light with the half…closed eye of the connoisseur； and after sipping the molten topaz with satisfaction； inquired how old it was。 〃Of the vintage of about sixty years ago；〃 was the answer。 〃Well；〃 said the doctor reflectively； 〃I never in my life saw so small a thing of such an age。〃 There are other mots of his on record； but their faces are suspiciously familiar。 In fact； all the witty things were said aeons ago。 If one nowadays perpetrates an original joke； one immediately afterward finds it in the Sanskirt。 I am afraid that Dr。 Joseph Moses has no very solid claims on us。 I have given him place here because he has long had the reputation of a wit； which is almost as good as to be one。
VII。
PERSONAL REMINISCENCES
THE running of the first train over the Eastern Road from Boston to Portsmouthit took place somewhat more than forty years agowas attended by a serious accident。 The accident occurred in the crowded station at the Portsmouth terminus； and was unobserved at the time。 The catastrophe was followed； though not immediately； by death； and that also； curiously enough； was unobserved。 Nevertheless； this initial train； freighted with so many hopes and the Directors of the Road； ran over and killedLOCAL CHARACTER。
Up to that day Portsmouth had been a very secluded little community； and had had the courage of its seclusion。 From time to time it had calmly produced an individual built on plans and specifications of its own； without regard to the prejudices and conventionalities of outlying districts。 This individual was purely indigenous。 He was born in the town； he lived to a good old age in the town； and never went out of the place； until he was finally laid under it。 To him； Boston； though only fifty…six miles away； was virtually an unknown quantityonly fifty…six miles by brutal geographical measurement； but thousands of miles distant in effect。 In those days； in order to reach Boston you were obliged to take a great yellow； clumsy stage…coach； resembling a three…story mud…turtleif zoologist will； for the sake of the simile； tolerate so daring an invention； you were obliged to take it very early in the morning； you dined at noon at Ipswich； and clattered into the great city with the golden dome just as the twilight was falling； provided always the coach had not shed a wheel by the roadside or one of the leaders had not gone lame。 To many worthy and well…to…do persons in Portsmouth； this journey was an event which occurred only twice or thrice during life。 To the typical individual with whom I am for the moment dealing； it never occurred at all。 The town was his entire world； he was a parochial as a Parisian； Market Street was his Boulevard des Italiens； and the North End his Bois de Boulogne。
Of course there were varieties of local characters without his limitations； venerable merchants retired from the East India trade； elderly gentlewomen； with family jewels and personal peculiarities； one or two scholarly recluses in by…gone cut of coat； haunting the Athenaeum reading…room； ex…sea captains； with rings on their fingers； like Simon Danz's visitors in Longfellow's poemmen who had played busy parts in the bustling world； and had drifted back to Old Strawberry Bank in the tranquil sunset of their careers。 I may say； in passing； that these ancient mariners； after battling with terrific hurricanes and typhoons on every known sea； not infrequently drowned themselves in pleasant weather in small sail…boats on the Piscataqua River。 Old sea…dogs who had commanded ships of four or five hundred tons had naturally slight respect for the potentialities of sail…boats twelve feet long。 But there was to be no further increase of these odd sticksif I may call them so； in no irreverent moodafter those innocent…looking parallel bars indissolubly linked Portsmouth with the capital of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts。 All the conditions were to be changed； the old angles to be pared off； new horizons to be regarded。 The individual； as an eccentric individual； was to undergo great modifications。 If he were not to become extincta thing little likelyhe was at least to lose his prominence。
However； as I said； local character； in the sense in which the term is here used； was not instantly killed； it died a lingering death； and passed away so peacefully and silently as not to attract general； or perhaps any； notice。 This period of gradual dissolution fell during my boyhood。 The last of the cocked hats had gone out； and the railway had come in； long before my time； but certain bits of color； certain half obsolete customs and scraps of the past； were still left over。 I was not too late； for example； to catch the last town crierone Nicholas Newman； whom I used to contemplate with awe； and now recall with a sort of affection。
Nicholas NewmanNicholas was a sobriquet； his real name being Edwardwas a most estimable person； very short； cross…eyed； somewhat bow…legged； and with a bell out of all proportion to his stature。 I have never since seen a bell of that size disconnected with a church steeple。 The only thing about him that matched the instrument of his office was his voice。 His 〃Hear All！〃 still deafens memory's ear。 I remember that he had a queer way of sidling up to one； as if nature in shaping him had originally intended a crab； but thought better of it； and made a town…crier。 Of the crustacean intention only a moist thumb remained； which served Mr。 Newman in good stead in the delivery of the Boston evening papers； for he was incidentally newsdealer。 His authentic duties were to cry auctions； funerals； mislaid children； traveling theatricals； public meetings； and articles lost or found。 He was especially strong in announcing the loss of reticules； usually the property of elderly maiden ladies。 The unction with which he detailed the several contents； when fully confided to him； would have seemed satirical in another person； but on his part was pure conscientiousness。 He would not let so much as a thimble； or a piece of wax； or a portable tooth； or any amiable vanity in the way of ton
