_The Penny Magazine_ I obtained in that way for two years.
In the cholera seasons of 1832-3 and 1834, the people were so alarmed
that they hesitated to take letters and papers from the post-office.
For a time gum-camphor was thought to be a preventive against the
contagion.
Between 1830 and 1834 the ambition of the town was stimulated by the
building of a new road from Fitchburg to Shirley. It was claimed that
a shorter and more nearly level route to Boston from Fitchburg and the
country above was thus secured. For a time the travel was
considerable, but the teamsters preferred the old roads, the old
taverns, and the old acquaintances. The construction of the Fitchburg
railroad in 1844 ended the business from the country to Boston over the
old highways.
In the month of November, 1834, I had a call from Mr. Joseph Hazen, of
Shirley, who asked me to accept the post of teacher in the school at
Pound Hill, half-way between Shirley Village and Shirley Centre. The
pay was sixteen dollars per month in addition to board. After making
an arrangement with Mr. Heywood, by which I was to pay him eight
dollars for the twenty-six days in December, I accepted the invitation,
and after an examination conducted by the Rev. Seth Chandler and the
Rev. Hope Brown, I entered the school the first Monday of the month of
December.
Pages:
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60