Connecticut western news., 1872-05-03
CORREsPONDENCE.
old Salisbury.
Bethany, Wayne Co.,, Pa,
 April g, 1872. {


 MR. PEAsE, Dear sir,-My wife is in re. ceipt of your most excellent journal, ren- dered more particularly interesting by allu. sion to occurrences of the past, by which the Salisbury man of four score is enabled to live his life over again, and re-enjoy scenes through which he, with others, pas sed in early life. Were it in my power to contribute one-half the widows mite to the richly embelished columns of that paper, l would cheerfully do 1t. Salisbury is the place where first saw the light of day. My school-boy days were chiefly spent in the state of New York, with the children of the Dskins, Rudds, Luenses. Hartwells, Lawrences, Perrys, &c., &c. Elder Joshua Dakin was the minister in Northeast in those days. About the commencement of the present century my father moved from near the York line to the Ore Hill and be- came Salisbury boy. Our nearest neigh Dor, Granny Thompson. lived in a log house. sold ginger cake, &c. Our next nearest was an Indian family.-iye in num- Der, who lived in 8 wigwam made of brush and leaves; slept on the ground baked their bread and little fishes in the embers, roasted woodchucks and rabbits before the Ire suspended by g string. The ground on which their hut steod was at that time owned by MT. Adin Stevens. The first public gathering I attended in Salisbury, was on occasion of the death of General Washington. So densely was the old meet ing house packed on that occasion, that the central underpinning gave way, the ground floor pitched inward and the gallery follow . ed suit. Every sinner in the house took fright and rushed for the door: Shrieks of women and children soon filled the house, and men and boys piled in heaps at the doorway, crying "pull him off. pull him oh," all of which made it festival long to be remembered. General Sterling was one of the orators of the day. He left the desk in wonderful dishabihe, his notes flying one way, his beaver the other. Order was soon restored however, and the celebration ended credibly.
 In 1877, left Salisbury, having spent my summers cheifly in the southwestern part of the town, and witnessed some freaks of fortune and growth of improve ment incident to an industrious and enter prising community. l had become strong ly attached to the leading men of the town; their praise worthy course in regard to school. and the munificent policy practiced by them in general, and was as contented as an unlucky man could well be. It was my portion to be drafted into the army within ten days after wife and I com menced housekeeping, and one of the best summers of my life was spent in the war of 1872. All was worth I lost by the fall of farm stock at the close of the war. Thus was l reduced to penury, with fam fly that tenderly loved, to support; my elf.radient powers hardly trustworthy. The star of destiny seemed to leave me no second choice; to the dictates of inexora- ble destiny therefore bowed. and farmed on shares until became so poor could not drive team of my own, nor milk my own cows,-then again consulted that ruling star, followed her dictates and she placed me ip the wild woods of Pennsylvs- nia, and even there she did not forsake me, but when the wolves and partners howled and screamed around my rude log cabin, she mildly whispered, {" eadurencs and i,s. dustry aoM conquor." Where l stopped and undeHe my scantY bundle fifty years ago, I am at this day with a competence for which think am devoutly thankful For awhile. was the only representative of Salisbury and vicinity in this place, but now the emigrants from that section wltt their descendants about us may be counted by scores, and their property by hundred. of thousands. The panther or the ugh wolf, have. believe, left thls country fol parts more congenial to their natures. II lieu of the wilderness, the eye now behold extensive meadows and fertile fields witt producing orchards, which like their own CTS have been transplanted or engraftet from the very best stock of New England Where first settled in this place, ther was not meeting house exclusively fo religious worship in the county. In tn most thickly settled part, the arrival of tn
 
 Sabbath was announced by the sharp cracl of the hunters rife. The Sabbath schoo had not been heard of, and the church-go ing bell had never resounded among tn hills of Northwestern Pennsylvania. Gu courts of common pleas, &c., during sel . sion assembled and re-assembled at tn sound of common dinner horn. Ol Captain Whiskey, that never-to-be var quished king of terrors. had put in his al pearance, and commenced an onslaugt on the souls and bodies of men; neverth, less much good has been accomplished and we have now more than fifty good an commodious houses of worship in the coul y, ard number more in process of built ing. The severing of myself and youIl family from the companions of my youtl and the society of those more advance, whom had intuitively learned to love ar venerate, in whose praise my pen new tires, was indeed painful to me, notwit standing necessity, stern necessity demsn ed it. Experience has taught me that u standard of refinement and civilizatie must go forward. and that an all-wise ar merciful God maketh use of whom he VI to advance His plans of mercy on cart and happy, yea thrice happy is the ms whom He chooseth to honor.
 MT. Editor !; I hardly know how to clo this chapter of hints without allusion
 the juvenile class of those early day with whom I spent many happy hours gone, to be sure, they mostly are, b their memory Is deeply engrafted in n heart. A characteristic volatility (not g called rudeRess,) seemed to attach to u character of the young people of Sallsbur