On the way two of his fellow passengers became
sea-sick, and another "sat in the stern looking very white." On arriving
at Appledore he was met in the doorway by Mr. Laighton of whom he gives
rather a realistic description; adding, however, "He addressed me in a
hearty, hospitable tone, and judging that it must be my landlord, I
delivered a letter of introduction from Pierce, which of course gave me
the best the house afforded."
It seems strange that Hawthorne, who understood human nature better than
any other American writer, should have so rarely penetrated into the
character of the people whom he mentions in his note-books. Old Laighton
was a solid rock of sense and grit, and the chief impression he made
upon strangers was of a man whom it was best to keep on the right side
of. The detonations of his frankness sometimes cleared the air in a
truly remarkable manner, and would scatter all light spirits to a
prudent distance. He reminded one of Longfellow's description of Simon
Danz:
"Restless at times with heavy strides
He paces his parlor to and fro;
He is like a ship that at anchor rides,
And swings with the rising and falling tides,
And tugs at her anchor-tow."
Hawthorne seems to have found a kindred spirit in Mr. Thaxter, who
invited him to their cottage to meet the ladies and drink apple-jack.
There he also found John Weiss, a man of wit and genius little inferior
to his own.
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