Hillsdale Whig standard. (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1846-1851, 1850-07-09
THE GRlNDSTONE,
Or the Lost Children.
DY ANDREW DUNCAN.

MS Is not the same country that il was
iOtty years ago. When first soua,t.d n,
the loot OF yonder dark mountain Won can sec
away to the north, I had TO live ike an Ia.
dian IN wigwam for over fourteen vcars
remember when the field we arc now s,,n
ding IN was covered with dense f,ros, rf
hemocts: now you don't see a stamD rc-
member when, for twenty miles around. tbc
most splendid mansion 10 be met with was -
Jog c'0in, of one room, with BOYS and rjrls as
the principal furniture. Now. sir. i9st lool
around you. and coun, from fifteen to twen-
I ~ good frame buildings, all polished of in
! fed and White paint. / feel that the world i
running away from ne; il goes too fast G,r
| me IDEAS Of an old man, and must even IL,
| IL go. love to think ofthe past, and TO look
forward to the future. Recolections Of the
past, and the hopes connected with the Fl,
ture are all that is left TO me now.
Thus spake Mr.. B i, a re sident ofa nor
theEh county IN the State ofNew York. Anx-
i'us 20 near little more ofJhings incidental
W the Aie OF hardy forest pioneer, we invi
tea the Old man TO take scat on the fenne
where we had ourselves come 10 an anchor
With our invitation be cheerfully complied /
seeming happy at having met with one who
appeared to take an interest in the things of
by-gone days.
For said he, the world now "A DAYS is all
go-ahead, seldom taking time to look behind
Had you any grist mills. or stores said
we, IN the early days of the settlementp
ell, said the old man, do YOU see that
iarge spruce, that stands by itself little 10
the east OF that red building7'
w replied that we saw the tree
w ell there stood the first and only mill tho
,so sot''etnont had for sixteen years and il was
nIteeh miles from my cabin. | considered
myself very lucky in living 50 nioh the mill
IS we had to back all our grain az leas, G,r
.he most part. As for stores, we had linIo
Use for them, and had none higher than san
ly Hlli about forty miles south Some neigh
'ors would go out occasionally, and brine in /
ooacoo, snutf, and such like Indispensable. !
besides, The Squire, when he went OUT to .
!et ms barrel filled would bring up any mic.
iaeks the women wanted.
, what did the Squire fill his barrel WITH a
iad you run selling tavern in those davr /,
Nol eXactly tavern like the taverns thev nj
a'o no"-a days out we had two grindstoaes: II
ne III my nelgnoorhood and one about ten p
iies HoItn. Oid squire s.. he ia now dead. d
ONE said ne made way with himself bu, ~
nat was never fully known. MIR 81 :
loved IN this country about two wears hoforo :,
moved IN; he was pretty cunning old feI- X
wv; understood himself very well. az least he a.
fought he did; but oil did not end well win n
I'm. When ho came into the country. ha r.
Fought with him agriadstOne and a barrel m
whiskey, two very good pieces of property n,
those days, and the man who had them co.
as pretty sure 20 pick up all tho loose q,
lange that was afloat. When money failed. /,
0ushel of corn would answer, and whom
'rn iailed, days chopping was good. Ma. III
= an acre Of land did the Squire clear with IN
iow gallons of whiskcy. Every man had II
-. IKE ond you know they get dull; when s,a
'y must De carried ~ the erindsioDe. ard bs