stage-coach travel, it was no uncommon thing for a hundred persons to
breakfast at this inn before resuming their journey to Providence. It
was here that President John Adams usually took the coach when he set
out for Washington, being first driven to that point from Quincy in his
own private carriage.

There was a small public house at South Dedham, now Norwood, which was
but little patronized, and the next tavern of note was Polley's, at East
Walpole, which had the name of furnishing the best board to be found
between Boston and New York, and there all the travel on the road
stopped to dinner. It was also a convenient point for taking up
passengers from many adjacent towns, whence mail-carriages converged
toward the common centre, and scores of private teams were driven with
small parcels or other commissions for the stage; for it must be borne
in mind that the driver exercised the functions of an expressman, or
common carrier, and was entrusted with a variety of messages and
valuables to deliver along the route, the fees for such service being
usually regarded as his rightful perquisites.

Shepard's Tavern in Foxborough was a customary stopping-place; but the
next grand halt, after leaving Polley's, was made at Hatch's, in North
Attleborough. Here the approach of each stage was announced by the
winding of a horn, and the driver was wont to swing his long lash with a
flourish around the sweaty flanks of his leaders in a way to assure them
that he meant business, then give his wheel horses an encouraging cut,
and dash up before the famous hostelry at a breakneck speed that said to
the small boys, Get out of the way! and caused the stock loafers, who
always assembled on the piazza at the first blast of the horn, to envy
the skill that could thus handle a whip, and guide, with apparent ease,
the most mettlesome four-in-hand.