Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-05-22

hus organized and fairly under way,
ur little ship of State set sail that day
ith much Of pride and more of future hope,
brave the storms and with the pillows cope.
ne plucky man, who from New Ipswich came,
,ne years before.-John Chandler was his name,
eld by conditional grant, as il would seem,
undreds of acres, near the old mill stream,
nd made his title good by building mills.
lis led to opening roads amongst the hills,
living the outside settlers chance ~ come
md cart their loads OF meal and lumber home.
nd there were other names worthy of note
Jnspicuous, mighty. in those times remote,
nblazoned on the records sending down
|caven enough to leaven half the town;
| ,ster, Fairbanks, Stevens, Pullen, How,
hitting, Brainard, Stanley, and Bishop too;
)gnOmens which in poetry work in
ost musical as pretty as PIN,
:annot mention all-suflice TO say
ley were illustrons in that ancient day,
nd for the town did much, did more, say some,
ian Romulous and Remus did for Rome.
her town meetings followed at the Inn;
which the freeholders did now begin
act on matters, some of grave import,
discussed and passed as in the general court
fsaveyards We're purchased, and highways i'm
J proved;
Ridges were luilt and obstacles removed,
ltil the river towns beyond the streams
puld now be reached by teamsters with their
teams,
|roceres were started and West India goods
piled slowly in through miles OF dreary woods
he heavy wagon ereaking meath its load,
he jaded oxen careless of the goard,
lac weary teamster stopping now and then,
~
iprovements still advanced, the woods gave way
y waving grainiields and the reapcr's sway;
ld the broad acres newly cleared and burned,
1undant harvests for the toll returned.
icy voted money, pounds and shngs, pense,
IA those old days to pay the towns expense;
iey levied taxes on the estates and polls,
hich were collected like the miller's tolls
icy ordered men into the box by three's,
y serve as jurors in the Common Pleas;
Hey favored learning and established schools,
armed out of town all stragglers, iddlers, fools,
Skpurgating the trash like tares from wheat
Serving only SO much as was meet
r this good town, whose honored name should be
synonym for good society.
IsligiOn, too, found early footing here,
| eaching was hired eight SabbaIhs in year,
T. I'D twenty pounds were raised to pay the bills
Re yet meeting house stood on its stills.
nd they were careful, too, what men they hired
preach the gospel from the word inspired,
I'd sometimes voted that they only would
re those whose moral character was good.
ne most consummate nuisance in those days
as DIR. Gardeners dam, with no fish-ways,
,wn at the mouth of Cobb'see Conte stream
source of trouble which got up great steam,
NJ the old settlers, they were fond of fish
Fad half subsisted on that excellent dish,
it DR.. Gardiner, dam built tight and high,
|rbargoed all the fish from passing by,
'-oiing the upstream fshermen's delights,
fringing, too, the fishes vested rights;
ronging both men and fish,-a two-fod grief
hat should he done? Ah DR.. g., take heed,
u'll catch it now for your unfriendy deed
ey called a new town meeting anu let on
first protest like gentle cough
fore sneeze, choosing a board of three
coax a ish-way out of Doctor G
axing was vain-The Doctor said "No."
fish around or through his dam should go.
nereat the settlers fl ed q louder gun,
monstrating and threatening both in one.
re was a casns beiii, cause of war
,rc palpabe than Greek and Trojan saw.
| ey did not fight to right this double wrong
TIRED full many protest loud and strong,
I'd boldly voted voting every year
| fresh committee to mt more clear
! cir grievances against that stubbo IN dam,
Mich locked the stream where once good fishes
swan.
-ack day Not ten long voting years
tn double shotted protests, barbed like spears,
allied them aught-That dam it would not down
dnaly,-they let the thing alone.
harki There is a tumult in the land,
nd more serious Sonfict now at hand
ponfiict not of merely local strife,
t one in which people strike for life.
gland, harsh mother, from her sea girt isle,
5ated, with wealth of many lands the spoil,
unken with power-proud mistress of The sea,
US heavy tribute by her stern decree
| all the provinces throughout the land;
leir voice in council hushed by her command,
cir sacred chartered rights all cloven down,
cir ministers spurned even from the throne.
se people helpless, crying for redress,
le monarch laughing at their vain distress.
~ there were murmerings, gathering wide and far,
d stern resolves unmoved by threats of war
'oice from old Virginia, 10y al then,
Sacrificed the hearts OF living men
tn words of fire, till flew on every breath
clarion war cry Liberty or Death
ii where was Winthrop on that trying day?
she not arm in earnest for the fray?
this old township heard the trumpet call,
Il sent her sons to conquer or to fall.
)se were the times that tried mems souls. Alas
,uld her young sons the dread ordeal pass,
d come again 10 these their hillside homes,
Hspend their days and hnd their burial tombs?
iven only knew what was in store for them -
o speeds the right will sure the wrong condemn.
,mpt at their country's call score went forth
the provincial army OF the North
IN mastering at old Cambridge. marshaling
meet the red coats, minions of the King
blood that flowed from many mortal wound
Lexington lay fresh upon the ground,
4 the raw infantry were on the drill
their grand charge at glorious Bunker Hill.
this is hstory,-and need not tell
ale which every schooi-b ~ knows full well
the part this patriotic town
Rk in the contest should be written down,
II honorable mention made of those
joined the ranks against the country's foes.
few returned to these new homes to dwell:
he died of hardship-some in battle fell,
A some who prvateered came back from sea
lshare the blessings of country free.
must not loiter longer on the way
tell what happened in the olden day.
us advance our pnions to the breeze
1 like good ship DER the laughing seas,
onward through the lapse of rolling years,
rayward pilot in the Muse, who steers
ietimes a devious course too prone TO dash
craft on breakers with fearful crash
King appalling shlpwreck-let us try
pass the dangerous breakers safely by,
aging our good ship to the offing now
iater days,-a port which IRE do kaoac.
here we come with all our canvass Free
cleaning beacons on the strand we see,
old familiar shores, the rocks the hills,
emerald fields, sweet lakes and streams and
rills,-
lOusand scenes in memory treasured W ell,
wd into view with many a tale to tell.
n native town. May not bring to thee
Iassing tribute, slight howe'er il be-
he little word, q token fondly laid
am the altar where our childhood played,
M where musing fancy loved to roam,
aptured with the beautiful at home
hy not pause one moment TO renew
4 dear delights which laughing boyhood knew,
q where the hills hold In their sweet embrace
many lakelet touched with native grace
be where the woods in spring-time were so green,
all the landscape seemed fairy scene;
De where we wandered, truants from the school,
pi penance paid for many broken rule
hing the freedom of the woodlands more
sn all the tasks the teacher had IN store,
| willing martyrs to the rod, II we
Wild thus atone Tor this our truant glee.
il the weakness of a boyish heart
deem no other scenes could ere impart
h wealth of happiness as seemed to come
hose long tramps through woods and fields at
home?
Tote on every nook and pathway where
wild flowers bloomed and fragrance hled the
AIR;