grazing in elm-shaded pastures, of
a road winding contentedly among simple, ancient cottages, and quiet,
thrifty farms. These are the homes which belong, and have belonged for
generations, to people who are neither rich nor poor; cozy, quaint,
suggesting in an odd way the thatched-roof cottages of England. Not that
all of Weymouth's homes are of this order. The Asa Webb Cowing house,
which terminates Commercial Street within a stone's throw of the square
of the town of Weymouth, is one of the very finest examples of the
Colonial architecture in this country. The exquisite tracery and carving
over and above the front door, and the white imported marble window
lintels spin an elaborate and marvelously fine lacework of white over
the handsome red-brick facade. Although it is, alas, falling somewhat
into disrepair, perfect proportion and gemlike workmanship still stamp
the venerable mansion as one of patrician heritage. There are other
excellent examples of architecture in Weymouth, but the Cowing house
must always be the star, both because of its extraordinary beauty and
conspicuous position. Yes, if you want a characteristic glimpse of
Weymouth, you cannot do better than to begin in front of this landmark,
and drive down Commercial Street. Here for several smiling miles there
is nothing--no ugly building large or small, no ruthless invasion of
modernity to mar the mood of happy simplicity. Her beauty of beach, of
sky, of river, Weymouth shares with other South Shore towns. Her
perfection of idyllic rusticity is hers alone.

Just as Weymouth's scenery is unlike that of her neighbors, so her
history projects itself from an entirely different angle from theirs.
While they were conceived by zealous, God-fearing men and women honestly
seeking to establish homes in a new country, Weymouth was inadvertently
born through the misconduct of a set of adventurers. Not every one who
came to America in those significant early years came impelled by lofty
motives. There were scapegraces, bad boys, rogues, mercenaries, and
schemers; and perhaps it is entirely logical that the winning natural
loveliness of this place should have lured to her men who were not of
the caliber to face more exposed, less fertile sections, and men to whom
beauty made an especial appeal.

The Indians early found Wessagusset, as they called it, an important
rendezvous, as it was accessible by land and sea, and there were
probably temporary camps there previous t