THE TOWN CLOCK GIVES ADVICE TO THE TOURIST.

If you walk on Main Street, Turn your fancy loose, Out of lace and lacquer You may pick and choose; Poetry of race and clan, Demure maid and solemn man, All the lore is stored away In these houses brick and grey. Puritan and worldly wise Trod these stones that meet your eyes; Hoary old aristocrats, Old chairs, parrots, lace and cats; Old umbrellas, ivory canes, Whale and ship for weather vanes; Soldiers’ Monument and bank, Shops and studios in rank; New sails spread or old sails furled.... Main Street’s where you meet the World! If you turn in Salem Street, Better have a care; The Law is on your left And the red jail is there. They don’t burn witches But you’d better beware! If you walk on Whale Street, Roll some in your gait; Make believe that caravels For your coming wait; Square-rigged and clipper-built, Wind jammer and schooner, Will bear you off on cruises If not later, sooner! On North Water Street Salt creeps into speech; Looking down the little lanes You will see the beach. All along North Water Street, Please to make a note, All that’s worth saying Is said about a boat. If you walk on Milk Street, Keep your wits about you; Don’t let any saucy star On Vestal Street scout you. Curtsey to the Old Mill, Snatch a rose from arbor; Milk Street’s a nice street To come in harbor. If you walk through Pleasant Street, You are sure to see Many brilliant knockers Shine reflectingly; Gardens full of spicy bloom, And real ladies taking tea. If you go through Orange Street, You will have a glance At Japanese poetry And English romance; You’ll smell paint, hear some radio, And see among the wise A scholar with a Christian’s face, And two great grey eyes. If you walk through Centre Street, You will surely meet A true, true, woman With voice and manner sweet; And there the windows fairly talk, And the fences are so neat. If you walk through Lily Street The sunset’s at the end Honeysuckle claims you Like an old friend; And quaintly blocked upon the skies Old houses on “Gull Island” rise. If you walk through Quince Street, Never stand and stare, Hollyhocks will ask you To go otherwhere; Apples growing you may see, Raspberry and pear tree; Wisdom and a pretty wit If you know where to look for it. If you walk through Joy Street, Take a little heed To keep a fairly sober air, Dignity you’ll need; There’s something about Joy Street Goes to the head indeed. And when you are in Gay Street Choose a sober pace, Clematis along the fence, Shakes its stars like lace; And twinkling little cups of flowers Toss in a sheltered place. If you look for money, There’s New Dollar Lane, And Mill Street, another street With a pirate pointing vane; Consulting maps and other code You’ll find the Thousand Dollar Road! And last of all, wherever you walk, Stagger through Stone Alley, Slip along the cobbled stone, Slide methodically; Honeysuckle may evade, Birds shilly-shally, But a good place to meet a maid Is in Stone Alley. How e’er you walk in any street, Wear a pleasant smile As if you hoped to meet a dream Before the next mile— And you may find that dream Waiting by a stile!