Hopedale History
September 2025
No. 443
Traveling Book Salesman
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Twenty-five years ago – September 2000 – Microsoft releases Windows Me.
The 2000 Summer Olympics are held in Sydney, Australia.
Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon visits the Temple Mount in East Jerusalem, sparking an uprising that becomes the Second Intifada.
Fifty years ago – September 1975 – September 5 In Sacramento, California, Lynette Fromme attempts to assassinate U.S. President Gerald Ford, but is thwarted by a Secret Service agent.
September 22 – In San Francisco, Sara Jane Moore tries to assassinate U.S. President Ford, but is foiled by the Secret Service.
Home Box Office becomes the first pay television network to deliver a continuous signal via satellite by broadcasting the “Thrilla in Manila” boxing match live.
One-hundred years ago – September 1925 -The U.S. Navy dirigible USS Shenandoah broke up in a squall line near Caldwell, Ohio, killing 14 of the 43 crewmen aboard.
Western Union Telegraph announced it had established direct unbroken contact between San Francisco and London through a new invention enabling the automatic repetition of signals. Prior to this development, operators at interim points had to copy the message and send it on to the next relay point
A Vatican committee issued a circular to the directors of pilgrimages notifying them that women found in churches not wearing opaque clothing that covered their head, collar, legs and upper arms would be ejected.
News above is from Wikipedia. For Hopedale news from 25, 50 and 100 years ago, see below this textbox.
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Traveling Book Salesman
Adin Augustus Ballou, the son of Adin and Lucy Ballou, died on February 8, 1852, at the age of 18. Later that year, his father published a book about him titled A Memoir of Adin Augustus Ballou. It includes excerpts from Augustus’s diary, and comments from his father. Here below is a short part of it.
In March 1850, he was indulged, with some reluctance on the part of his parents, in a brief book-selling excursion. He had scarcely been absent from the family for two days at a time, all his young life. Now he wanted to see the world a little and must needs see it in the character of a book peddler. Objections were made to his going abroad after this fashion. But as he was sure it would amuse, instruct and profit him to do so, and above all as he promised to get through as soon as possible, he was not opposed. He had made arrangements with a worthy young friend to be his companion; and both having supplied themselves in Boston with as many books as they could conveniently carry in person, started on their expedition up the Fitchburg Railroad. He was not long in obtaining all the experience he wished in this kind of business. Less than a week sufficed. Yet he improved his opportunity for seeing men and things to a good intellectual and moral account. The following letter to his mother indicates some of his adventures and observations.
Concord, Mass., March 4, 1850. (Evening)
Dear Mother:-
I want to talk and think of home. I am quite ready, too; and although I shall wait a day or two before I send this, yet I shall feel some as if you were near me. I am at Dr. Dillingham’s sitting at a table with Alonzo [his young friend] opposite, and the Dr., his wife and two children round about, and an old gentleman-a visitor. Mrs. D. is a very pleasant woman, and I was glad enough, after this hard day’s work, to get into such comfortable quarters.
After I left father at Marsh’s, we found the Fitchburg Depot with ease and were soon on our way. I thought I would try my luck for a little; for I wanted to know the worst immediately. So putting on the bravest face I could muster, I showed my wares to a young man and two ladies beside him. After long looking, and talking and beating me down, a ninepence, I sold them a book. I felt pretty well about it. Seventeen books in all- now one less, – seventeen cents made. I went into two other cars but sold no more.
The bookseller advised us to go some distance from Town, where peddlers were more scarce. That is why we came here to begin. Well, we got out here and went into the Depot; I to collect my scattered thoughts and look about me. My face was rather long. We sat there an hour, I judge-thinking. Certainly I was. A stranger in a strange place, almost dark, and no stopping place yet found for the night! After holding a council, we took our courses to see ‘how the land lay.’ I called at two or three places, and at last at Mrs.—-, the pencil maker’s, who, after considerable politeness and talk, bought a copy of Wordsworth’s Poems, price one dollar-profit forty cents.
Shaker Village (Harvard,) March 5.
Won’t you, dear folks ag home, be astonished to see the account of my second day’s tramp, written from this place? I am in the bed-room where I am to sleep -Alonzo with me, or course-seated by a light stand, to tell you the events of the day. And it would talk a day to tell them all. But I am well and feeling well (materially and spiritually).
I went out this morning and sold four books almost immediately-profits one dollar and sixty cents. All the rest of the day have done nothing. We decided to go in the eleven o’clock train to South Acton, the next station. But owing to the irregularity of the cars, and my calling at Mr. Weir’s, we were left. I feared this while there, but Lizzie [a Normal School-mate of his sister when at West Newton] was so busy writing a note to Abbie, that she could not break off. Made up our minds to go up in the baggage train at 3 P.M. But the cars were in advance of the regular time, and we were left again. Goodness! Left twice in one day. Tell it not in Hopedale! Alonzo had the “blues,” and was heartily tired of the whole Fitchburg valley.
Hopedale News – September 2000
Hopedale – September 1975
Hopedale News – September 1925
