Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-02-17

Wheel the sound Of the dogs is heard,
the carriage begins to feed up and
the old saw goes on, devouring log
after log. as they slowly glide up the
slip out of the river. like huge sea-
monsters. The unwearied stones Of
the grist mill were always in whirl Of
business Knock. knock, thump, ,thump.
came from the interior Of huge box.
on one side Of the mill-'spirit man
ifestations.' perhaps; il so. they were
good. substantial, spirits for, ever
and anon, the Old, gray-haired miller
would lift a slide. and out would pour
the white -four, like miniture ava
'anche of snow. Farther along. anoth-
er slide was raised. and the shorts
came rolling through lastly, the refuse
or bran.
A busy life was ,hl, of the old mill
or for scores OF hungry villagers he
must supply with Temporal bread:
while the venerable Elder Maca led
them. the first dav OF the week. to the
church on the ridge, and there fed
them with choice bits OF spiritual food.
The old church building was in q
somewhat dilapidated condition, yet
retained enough Of its pristine ma.niii-
cence 10 awe the juvenile churchgoers
of Millridge into fear and silence, rs
they assembled the steps that led 10 the
broad aisle. That great, big meetin
house was truly. the wonder and pride
OF the little Milltonians and. when
little Billy Hall (who had been twice TO
Boston with his mother, and who was
looked upon as great travelcr-next
10 Sinbad) veniured 10 say, that said
meetin' house was twice as small as
the State House. their confidence in
his veracity was very much shaken
and he was unanimously voted a orful
story teller
With what curious eyes, they gazed
up 10 the dizzy height. where the dial,
(,he hands always pointing TO six, and
half pas, ten. respectively was paint
ed in fancy colors. inwardly resolving
TO ask papa. first chance all about
tina, big watch AMI how they got it
M there. 'and if Gullivers big men. in
the story. wore them kind of wat. hes.
Tween meetin's they would try to
coun, the seven by nine lights Of glass
in the large. old-fashioned windows,
seldom coming out. two alike. Hence.
those windows were constant theme
Of dispute with the little folks but
said they. we mean IA know. just
exactly, when We get big enough To be
good drihmesickers. Then, there was
the steeple-the c'owning glory OF the
whole ediiice. Like most respectable
s,eeples, OF that gdod old time, it was
constructed after the pattern of din
ing table. inverted upon large box,
or belirv, 50 called. each OF the four
sides of which, was ornamented with
large, wooden imitation fan, painted
green, like the one over the main en-
trance. The four little. stubby corner
spires pointed heavenward, some ten
or twelve feet. 10 show all the four cor
ners Of the world, and Millridge, in
particular, that this was a free union
church that is il was free TO all chris
tian sects ard denominations. or, ac-
cording to the Millridge category. tile
Congregationalists. Methodist, Bap-
tist, Freewillrrs. and Christian Band
ere These latter. as indicated By the
number OF spires were newcomers, as
yet only about half recognized-how-
ever. a middle sDre was talked Of
Near by, stood the red school-house,
easily recognized by the skillfuf letter
ing and carving on the out side,in style,
the reverse Of alto relieve; and the
windows. where, long ago, some one
either with or without sin, had east the
first stone"
The school, in winter, was kept by
Mr.. Domino Donover, and in summer,
by whomcver could be procured Cheap
est The school money was generally
thrown away, but somehow the young
Milltonians contrived to extract from
within the walls of that old, red house
an average share, Of book knowledge,
with those who enjoyed far better fac
ilities for learning.
Other public buildings, besides those
mentioned, might be noticed for in
stance, the Town Hall, where vaulting
ambition annually mounted into Office
and power, If not pay; and the Lyceum
Hall, where the young Ciceros hurled
whole dictionaries Of learning at each
other. These buildings had been re-
paired and painted, (on paper) at every
town meeting, ior the last ten years !;
still, the rain filtered through, in spite
of legal enactments.
The male portion Of the village, in
summer, we're engaged IN farming,
6shing, coasting. &c. In the winter.