Sunday, June 21, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Room Service, 1938 by Lester Ambrose

Room Service, 1938 by Lester Ambrose (America, 1879-1949)

























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Saturday, June 20, 2026

The Angel of Hadley

I came across a 1961 edition of The Life Treasury of American Folklore.  I sampled a couple of stories and what a pleasant reminder of robust America History storytelling.  

In regard to this particular tale, I read a history of the American Puritans in the English Civil War within the last few years and so was familiar with history of General Goffe, but not this particular story.

The Angel of Hadley

The story of the Angel of Hadley is largely true. The two Cromwellian generals involved did seek refuge in the little town of Hadley, Massachusetts, from the agents of Charles II, and the Indians did attack Hadley during King Philip War. The version which follows was compiled from Judd's History of Hadley.

When in 1645 Oliver Cromwell's Roundheads had crushed the forces loyal to the English monarchy, the king, Charles I, was tried and condemned to death by three judges Cromwell followers of high rank. Two of them were Generals Edward Whalley and William Goffe. Fifteen years later, Charles II was restored to the throne and the men who had condemned the new king's father were forced to flee the country. Generals Whalley and Goffe sought asylum in the American colonies where they settled for a time in Cambridge under the names of Richardson and Shepardson and spent their time attending church and lectures, and occasionally dining with the president of Harvard College. Aside from their pseudonyms, they made little attempt to disguise their identities in Puritan and antimonarchial Cambridge.

But the news from home grew increasingly ominous for the two men. In February of 1661 colonial authorities received orders for the arrest of the generals. Friends decided that they must be sent well away from the Massachusetts Bay area. An Indian guide took them west to Springfield, and there other sympathizers helped them reach Hartford and then New Haven. But King Charles was determined to have the generals and dispatched two royalists to hunt them down.

The royalist investigators demanded warrants to search New Haven for the men in hiding, but permission was delayed until Whalley and Goffe had had time to flee. They managed to hide in the area of Guilford for some time, but then, in the autumn of 1664, a group of commissioners was sent from London with express orders to seize the two fugitives. Again they were spirited away by friends and after a night journey reached the tiny village of Hadley just north of Holyoke where they were taken in by a sympathetic clergyman Reverend John Russell. There the two men dropped from sight.

Where the two men hid, how or where they died, where they are buried all is long forgotten. But one of the generals, according to leg-end, made a dramatic reappearance.

September, 1675, a decade after Goffe and Whalley took refuge in Hadley, King Philip's War was raging. As was the custom in times of peril, the citizens of the town had gathered in the church to "seek the face of God by fasting and prayer." At the very time they were praying for help against the Indians, the savages attacked the village. Many of the men had brought weapons to church, but when they rushed out to fight the enemy, they were met with a barrage of arrows. The colonists were thrown into confusion, and the Indians charged into the settlement. All seemed lost. Then there appeared an old gray-bearded man, dressed in clothes of military cut, brandishing a broadsword and shouting battlewise orders like one used to command.

The colonists obeyed him and fought off the Indians. The village was saved. But when the panting and relieved settlers looked about to thank the man who had led them to victory, he was not to be found. He had seemingly vanished in a second from the heart of the tiny village. This led the religious townspeople to conclude that providence had sent them an angel in answer to their prayers to aid them in their hour of desperate need. For many years that briefly seen old man was known as "The Angel of Hadley."

But others, knowing the story of the judges, said the graybeard in the strange clothes was no angel but General Goffe, who forsook his 10 years' concealment to turn his military skill to the service of the village that had given him refuge, and who, once the fighting was over and victory assured, slipped quickly back into his hideaway, there to stay for the rest of his life.



History

 

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I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Small Silent Nocturne, 2024 by Alice Dalton Brown

Small Silent Nocturne, 2024 by Alice Dalton Brown (America, 1939 - )































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Friday, June 19, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The Invitation, 2026 by David Arsenault

The Invitation, 2026 by David Arsenault (America, 1958 - ) 



















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Thursday, June 18, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

View From their Garden Gate at Markvej, Skagen

View From their Garden Gate at Markvej, Skagen by Anna Ancher (Denmark, 1859-1935) 






























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Wednesday, June 17, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Rest Stop, 2022 by Jamie Perry

Rest Stop, 2022 by Jamie Perry (America, 1962 - )















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Tuesday, June 16, 2026

History

 

An Insight

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The Pont Neuf at Night, 1935 by Albert Marquet

The Pont Neuf at Night, 1935 by Albert Marquet (France, 1875-1947)





















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Monday, June 15, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Pluto, 1909 by Franz von Stuck

Pluto, 1909 by Franz von Stuck (Germany, 1863-1928)






















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Sunday, June 14, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

North Greenland Fiord, Gray Day, 1933 by Rockwell Kent

North Greenland Fiord, Gray Day, 1933 by Rockwell Kent (America, 1882-1971)




















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Saturday, June 13, 2026

History

 

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I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Two Barns at Point Reyes, Michael Drury

Two Barns at Point Reyes, Michael Drury (America, 1945 - )
















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Friday, June 12, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Cosmos, 1925, by Ilya Chashnik

Cosmos, 1925, by Ilya Chashnik (Russia, 1902-1929)




























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Thursday, June 11, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The Eclipse of the Sun in Venice, July 6, 1842, by Ippolito Caffi

The Eclipse of the Sun in Venice, July 6, 1842, by Ippolito Caffi (Italy, 1809-1866)















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Wednesday, June 10, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The Old Mill, 1921 by Daniel Garber

The Old Mill, 1921 by Daniel Garber (America, 1880-1958)























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Tuesday, June 9, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The Eruption of Vesuvius, 1890, by Oswald Achenbach

The Eruption of Vesuvius, 1890, by Oswald Achenbach (Germany, 1827-1905)




















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Monday, June 8, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Cypresses and Two Women, 1889 by Vincent van Gogh

Cypresses and Two Women, 1889 by Vincent van Gogh (Netherlands, 1853-1890)






























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Sunday, June 7, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Setting out to Sea , Valencia, 1908 by Joaquin Sorolla

Setting out to Sea , Valencia, 1908 by Joaquin Sorolla (Spain, 1863 - 1923)






























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Saturday, June 6, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Day and Night, 1924 by Boris Aronson

Day and Night, 1924 by Boris Aronson (Ukraine/America, 1898 – 1980)































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Friday, June 5, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

The House on the Estuary, 2021 by Teresa Lawler

The House on the Estuary, 2021 by Teresa Lawler (England, 1948 - ) 

























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Thursday, June 4, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Solstice, 2009 by Edward Gordon

Solstice, 2009 by Edward Gordon (American, 1940— 2023)





























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Wednesday, June 3, 2026

History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

Blue and White Dish with Blueberries, 2016 by Suzan Paterson

Blue and White Dish with Blueberries, 2016 by Suzan Paterson (Canada, 1958 - )



















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Tuesday, June 2, 2026

History

 

An insight

 

I see wonderful things

 

Offbeat Humor

 

Data Talks

 

From the Oslo Fjord, 1926 by Harald Sohlberg

From the Oslo Fjord, 1926 by Harald Sohlberg (Norway, 1869–1935)






























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Monday, June 1, 2026

So man’s insanity is heaven’s sense; and wandering from all mortal reason, man comes at last to that celestial thought

From Moby-Dick Or, the Whale by Herman Melville.

It came to pass, that in the ambergris affair Stubb’s after-oarsman chanced so to sprain his hand, as for a time to become quite maimed; and, temporarily, Pip was put into his place.

The first time Stubb lowered with him, Pip evinced much nervousness; but happily, for that time, escaped close contact with the whale; and therefore came off not altogether discreditably; though Stubb observing him, took care, afterwards, to exhort him to cherish his courageousness to the utmost, for he might often find it needful.

Now upon the second lowering, the boat paddled upon the whale; and as the fish received the darted iron, it gave its customary rap, which happened, in this instance, to be right under poor Pip’s seat. The involuntary consternation of the moment caused him to leap, paddle in hand, out of the boat; and in such a way, that part of the slack whale line coming against his chest, he breasted it overboard with him, so as to become entangled in it, when at last plumping into the water. That instant the stricken whale started on a fierce run, the line swiftly straightened; and presto! poor Pip came all foaming up to the chocks of the boat, remorselessly dragged there by the line, which had taken several turns around his chest and neck.

Tashtego stood in the bows. He was full of the fire of the hunt. He hated Pip for a poltroon. Snatching the boat-knife from its sheath, he suspended its sharp edge over the line, and turning towards Stubb,  exclaimed interrogatively, “Cut?” Meantime Pip’s blue, choked face plainly looked, Do, for God’s sake! All passed in a flash. In less than half a minute, this entire thing happened.

“Damn him, cut!” roared Stubb; and so the whale was lost and Pip was saved.

So soon as he recovered himself, the poor little negro was assailed by yells and execrations from the crew. Tranquilly permitting these irregular cursings to evaporate, Stubb then in a plain, businesslike, but still half humorous manner, cursed Pip officially; and that done, unofficially gave him much wholesome advice. The substance was, Never jump from a boat, Pip, except—but all the rest was indefinite, as the soundest advice ever is. Now, in general, Stick to the boat, is your true motto in whaling; but cases will sometimes happen when Leap from the boat, is still better. Moreover, as if perceiving at last that if he should give undiluted conscientious advice to Pip, he would be leaving him too wide a margin to jump in for the future; Stubb suddenly dropped all advice, and concluded with a peremptory command, “Stick to the boat, Pip, or by the Lord, I wont pick you up if you jump; mind that. We can’t afford to lose whales by the likes of you; a whale would sell for thirty times what you would, Pip, in Alabama. Bear that in, mind, “and don’t jump any more.” Hereby perhaps Stubb indirectly hinted, that though man loves his fellow, yet man is a money-making animal, which propensity too often interferes with his benevolence.

But we are all in the hands of the Gods; and Pip jumped again. It was under very similar circumstances to the first performance; but this time he did not breast out the line; and hence, when the whale started to run, Pip was left behind on the sea, like a hurried traveller’s trunk. Alas! Stubb was but too true to his word. It was a beautiful, bounteous, blue day; the spangled sea calm and cool, and flatly stretching away, all round, to the horizon, like gold-beater’s skin hammered out to the extremest. Bobbing up and down in that sea, Pip’s ebon head showed like a head of cloves. No boat-knife was lifted when he fell so rapidly astern.

Stubb’s inexorable back was turned upon him; and the whale was winged. In three minutes, a whole mile of shoreless ocean was between Pip and Stubb.  Out from the centre of the sea, poor Pip turned his crisp, curling, black head to the sun, another lonely castaway, though the loftiest and the brightest. 
 
Now, in calm weather, to swim in the open ocean is as easy to the practised swimmer as to ride in a spring-carriage ashore. But the awful lonesomeness is intolerable. The intense concentration of self in the middle of such a heartless immensity, my God! who can tell it? Mark, how when sailors in a dead calm bathe in the open sea—mark how closely they hug their ship and only coast along her sides.

But had Stubb really abandoned the poor little negro to his fate? No; he did not mean to, at least. Because there were two boats in his wake, and he supposed, no doubt, that they would of course come up to Pip very quickly, and pick him up; though, indeed, such considerateness towards oarsmen jeopardized through their own timidity, is not always manifested by the hunters in all similar instances; and such instances not unfrequently occur; almost invariably in the fishery, a coward, so called, is marked with the same ruthless detestation peculiar to military navies and armies.

But it so happened, that those boats, without seeing Pip, suddenly spying whales close to them on one side, turned, and gave chase; and Stubb’s boat was now so far away, and he and all his crew so intent upon his fish, that Pip’s ringed horizon began to expand around him miserably. By the merest chance the ship itself at last rescued him; but from that hour the little negro went about the deck an idiot; such, at least, they said he was. The sea had jeeringly kept his finite body up, but drowned the infinite of his soul. Not drowned entirely, though. Rather carried down alive to wondrous depths, where strange shapes of the unwarped primal world glided to and fro before his passive eyes; and the misermerman, Wisdom, revealed his hoarded heaps; and among the joyous, heartless, ever-juvenile eternities, Pip saw the multitudinous, God-omnipresent, coral insects, that out of the firmament of waters heaved the colossal orbs. He saw God’s foot upon the treadle of the loom, and spoke it; and therefore his shipmates called him mad. So man’s insanity is heaven’s sense; and wandering from all mortal reason, man comes at last to that celestial thought, which, to reason, is absurd and frantic; and weal or woe, feels then Uncompromised, indifferent as his God.

For the rest, blame not Stubb too hardly. The thing is common in that fishery; and in the sequel of the narrative, it will then be seen what like abandonment befell myself. 


History

 

An Insight

 

I see wonderful things