IN OLD NARRAGANSETT; ROMANCES AND REALITIES - 1898 - FOREWORD - Some of these stories of old Narraganset are familiar fivPside tales to those who have lived in that picturesque land some are but vague traditions, others summer dreams a few are family chronicles still others are outlined ih that inferestng memoir, Thomas R. Hazards Recollections of Ue Olden Z mes, or in Updikes Narragansett Church . Old Nawagansett was, proper, all the lands occupied by the Narragansett Indians at the . coming of the Bnglish. Narragansett is now, popular, the coast sweep of the western Jore of Nawagansett Bay f m Mckford to Point Judih. In 1685 Narragansett was made a stparate government aparf from Rhode Island, and was called the Kings Rovince. Wlttn rezlnited with Rhode Island ibis was changed to Kings County. For many years, and by some old people to-day, it is called the South Coutzty, but its legal nanze is iVashitzgton County, which was given it in 1781 CVashi1zgt01n being a more agreeable and folerablc tzanze at fhat date to loyal Americans than Kings. Narragansett was owned by a co nparatively snzan number of persons, and estates were lnrge, one fannily owned a tract nine miles long and thme wide. Tho nasS tanto z had a Covdh four and a hag miles long and two wide. Colonel Chntnplin owned two thousand acres, Zb1nas Hazard twelve thousand acres. 3ar71ns of five, six, eve11 ten nziles square existed. Thus the conditons of lfe in colonial Narragansett were wide dzferert fyonz those of other New Bagland colonies. 22e esta6lishment of and adherence to the CJIarcJI of Englmd, and the tmiversal prevalece of Afnca t slavety, evolved a social Zfe resembling thnt of the firginian plantation rather than of the Akdan farm. It was a cotn zuni o t f y malzy sujerstitions, to which the foZ - ctrs fonts of the feast-days of the English Church, the evil conznzunications of witch-seeking R rz tarr tzeighrbors, fie voodooisnz of the negro slaves, the pow wov sof the native rednzen, all adM a share and inznite vanety. It was a plantation of wealth, of vast flocks and herds, of productive soil, of great crops, of generoa living all these are vanislred from the Zge t h e to-day, bat still the fields are smiling and the lakes and the bay are blae and beautgal as of yore and a second prosferiily is dawning in the old Kings fiovince in the universal establishment therein of happy summer-homes. In memoty of many perfect days sjmt on Narragatzsett roads and Canes, of dzys in P Narragansett woods or on the shore, t h e pages have been wntten. WICKFORD, RHODE ISLAND, Alidszrtnt zer Eve, 1897. -- CONTENTS -- A Narragansett Elopement a l Narragansett Weavers l . . Where Three Towns Meet l . Tuggie Bannockss MoonacR . A Black Politician a a a a The Witch Sheep . l . l . The Crusoes of the Noon-Home The Doctors Pie-Plates . . . My Delft Apothecary Jars . l The Dancing Turkey . . . l Cuddymonks Ghost . l . a PAGE a . I A NARRAGANSETT ELOPEMENT