Former Inhabitants and Winter Visitors

Iweatheredsomemerrysnowstorms,andspentsomecheerfulwintereveningsbymyfire-side,whilethesnowwhirledwildlywithout,andeventhehootingoftheowlwashushed.FormanyweeksImetnooneinmywalksbutthosewhocameoccasionallytocutwoodandsledittothevillage.Theelements,however,abettedmeinmakingapaththroughthedeepestsnowinthewoods,forwhenIhadoncegonethroughthewindblewtheoakleavesintomytracks,wheretheylodged,andbyabsorbingtheraysofthesunmeltedthesnow,andsonotonlymadeadrybedformyfeet,butinthenighttheirdarklinewasmyguide.ForhumansocietyIwasobligedtoconjureuptheformeroccupantsofthesewoods.Withinthememoryofmanyofmytownsmentheroadnearwhichmyhousestandsresoundedwiththelaughandgossipofinhabitants,andthewoodswhichborderitwerenotchedanddottedhereandtherewiththeirlittlegardensanddwellings,thoughitwasthenmuchmoreshutinbytheforestthannow.Insomeplaces,withinmyownremembrance,thepineswouldscrapebothsidesofachaiseatonce,andwomenandchildrenwhowerecompelledtogothiswaytoLincolnaloneandonfootdiditwithfear,andoftenranagoodpartofthedistance.Thoughmainlybutahumbleroutetoneighboringvillages,orforthewoodman’steam,itonceamusedthetravellermorethannowbyitsvariety,andlingeredlongerinhismemory.Wherenowfirmopenfieldsstretchfromthevillagetothewoods,itthenranthroughamapleswamponafoundationoflogs,theremnantsofwhich,doubtless,stillunderliethepresentdustyhighway,fromtheStratton,nowtheAlmsHouse,Farm,toBrister’sHill. Eastofmybean-field,acrosstheroad,livedCatoIngraham,slaveofDuncanIngraham,Esquire,gentleman,ofConcordvillage,whobuilthisslaveahouse,andgavehimpermissiontoliveinWaldenWoods—Cato,notUticensis,butConcordiensis.SomesaythathewasaGuineaNegro.Thereareafewwhorememberhislittlepatchamongthewalnuts,whichheletgrowuptillheshouldbeoldandneedthembutayoungerandwhiterspeculatorgotthematlast.Hetoo,however,occupiesanequallynarrowhouseatpresent.Cato’shalf-obliteratedcellarholestillremains,thoughknowntofew,beingconcealedfromthetravellerbyafringeofpines.Itisnowfilledwiththesmoothsumach(Rhusglabra,)andoneoftheearliestspeciesofgolden-rod(Solidagostricta)growsthereluxuriantly. Here,bytheverycornerofmyfield,stillnearertotown,Zilpha,acoloredwoman,hadherlittlehouse,whereshespunlinenforthetownsfolk,makingtheWaldenWoodsringwithhershrillsinging,forshehadaloudandnotablevoice.Atlength,inthewarof1812,herdwellingwassetonfirebyEnglishsoldiers,prisonersonparole,whenshewasaway,andhercatanddogandhenswereallburneduptogether.Sheledahardlife,andsomewhatinhumane.Oneoldfrequenterofthesewoodsremembers,thatashepassedherhouseonenoonheheardhermutteringtoherselfoverhergurglingpot,—“Yeareallbones,bones!”Ihaveseenbricksamidtheoakcopsethere. Downtheroad,ontherighthand,onBrister’sHill,livedBristerFreeman,“ahandyNegro,”slaveofSquireCummingsonce,—therewheregrowstilltheapple-treeswhichBristerplantedandtendedlargeoldtreesnow,buttheirfruitstillwildandciderishtomytaste.NotlongsinceIreadhisepitaphintheoldLincolnburying-ground,alittleononeside,neartheunmarkedgravesofsomeBritishgrenadierswhofellintheretreatfromConcord,—whereheisstyled“SippioBrister,”—ScipioAfricanushehadsometitletobecalled,—“amanofcolor,”asifhewerediscolored.Italsotoldme,withstaringemphasis,whenhediedwhichwasbutanindirectwayofinformingmethatheeverlived.WithhimdweltFenda,hishospitablewife,whotoldfortunes,yetpleasantly,—large,round,andblack,blackerthananyofthechildrenofnight,suchaduskyorbasneverroseonConcordbeforeorsince. Fartherdownthehill,ontheleft,ontheoldroadinthewoods,aremarksofsomehomesteadoftheStrattonfamilywhoseorchardoncecoveredalltheslopeofBrister’sHill,butwaslongsincekilledoutbypitchpines,exceptingafewstumps,whoseoldrootsfurnishstillthewildstocksofmanyathriftyvillagetree. Neareryettotown,youcometoBreed’slocation,ontheothersideoftheway,justontheedgeofthewoodgroundfamousforthepranksofademonnotdistinctlynamedinoldmythology,whohasactedaprominentandastoundingpartinourNewEnglandlife,anddeserves,asmuchasanymythologicalcharacter,tohavehisbiographywrittenonedaywhofirstcomesintheguiseofafriendorhiredman,andthenrobsandmurdersthewholefamily,—New-EnglandRum.Buthistorymustnotyettellthetragediesenactedherelettimeinterveneinsomemeasuretoassuageandlendanazuretinttothem.Herethemostindistinctanddubioustraditionsaysthatonceatavernstoodthewellthesame,whichtemperedthetraveller’sbeverageandrefreshedhissteed.Herethenmensalu