The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-07-10
NOrridgewOck.
A PLEASANT AND HISTORIC TOWN.

Though most of your readers have of course
read Whittier's beautiful description of Nor
ridgewock commencing
"Tis morning over Norridgewock-
On tree and wigwam, wave and rocN.''
am sure that very few of them know what
delightful, restful old place it is in which to
dream away summers vacation, for one who
seeks quiet and comfort, instead of the ex-
aggerated gayetes of a fashionable resort 1t
is one of the quietest and quaintest as well one
of the most lovely of our old interior New Eng
land towns of which Mrs. Stowe has drawn
such charming pen pictures. 1t is graded by
encrcliug hills with their crowns Of forest
trees and bisected by the beautiful Kennebec,
which at this season bears on its broad bosom
immense RATS of logs which it hurries ire
sstby along towards the iron teeth of the
mills below The grand old elms which form
cool, green arches over the quiet streets, ard
seem to stretch forth their arms as if in bene-
diction over the old homesteads nestled at
their feet, are constant source Of wonder
and admiration; in a storm they toss Their
giant limbs aud wreathe them together as if
rejoicing in their strength and majesty while
on still bright evening they conspire with
the moon to fleck the ground with bewilder-
ing fits of light and leafy shadow, which re-
wise ones belief in the ''faerie folk, and their
witching moon-lit dances. The roomy old
houses seem to blink at you with their many
paned windows with an air of contentment, as
it, having sent their generations of sons and
daughters out into the busy world,
they we're enjoying the season of repose
allotted to the old age of long and
useful life. A drowsy air pervades the whole
village, as if everything had long ago been
done up, folded and put away, and now was a
season Of rest. No one ever seems to be in a
hurry in Norridgewock. The people lead a
quiet, God fearing life, having their choice lit
tie bits of gossip, and their daily budget of
news from the outside world which is discussed
by the knowing ones in front of the village
store as gravely as if upon their shoulders
alone rested the affairs of the nation. Their
chief duty in life is to attend meeting regular
ly, rain or shine, and they go to the little plain
white church with its square steeple, and after
spending an hour or two there come away firm
y impressed with the belief that they have
gained great good though half OF them may
have been sound asleep during the entire SER
mon.
Next to their religion they have an implicit
belief in the unutterable and irredeemable
wickedness of Skowhegan, which name is to
all Neutrality-suspicious. fraught with the bitter
ness of gall, for be it known that whereas I'M
til within the past year Norridgewock has been
the shire town of Somerset county, Skowhegan
has by its artful Establishments so far bequiled
tla Of -
cupies the coveted position, leaving poor Nor
ridgewock to wall, and gnash its teeth. Until
the present season the only public conveyance
to Norridgewock was daily stage between it
and Skowheean, but now the traveller may, on
leaving the Maine Central road at West Water
vile, step into the new and elegant coach
es of the Somerset railroad, and be whired
along swiftly and easily over the inter-
vening thirteen miles to Norridgewock, its
present terminus. This little thirteen-mile
road is but section of proposed great through
line from Wiscasset on the coast to Quebec
which, crossing the Kennebec at Norrdgewock
will no doubt wake it into new life and activi
ty.
The country surrounding Norrdgewock is
extremely beautiful aud picturesque, which
renders driving most delightful occupation.
The road to Skowhegan is particularly beauti-
full, following as it does the windings of the
river, and affording view of the distant hills
and the fertile and well cultivated intervaes
which lie at their feet. The disciple of lzaak
Walton would here find himself in fishers
paradise; for not only is the river well stocked
with fish, but its numerous small tributary
streams abound in trout, while the numberess
lakes and ponds with which the country is
dotted, are filled with perch and pickere which
are SO eager to be caught that the trouble of
gratifying this whim of theirs is mere baca
telle.-
Norridgewock in common with most old
New England towns, has its traditions and
tales of the bloody and fearful warfare waged
between our fOrefatherS and their dusky neigh
bors of the forest, which are to this day told to
Snuddefl9g groups around the winters hreSIde.
The scene of one of these New England TRACE
dies, the destruction of the village of the peace
full and christianizcd Norridgewocks by the
English and the death of Father Ralle, the zeal
GUS Jesuit missionary, which has been immor
talized by Whittier In the poem of Mogg Me-
gone, IS marked by monument erected on
the spot where Father Ralle was killed it is
bard to realize as one looks over the peaceful
landscape to-day, that it was ever the scene of
so much strife and bloodshed But So it was, and
SO it is, and the Norridgewock of the present
sits calmly dreaming beside its swift-fowng
river, ever ready with hospitabe welcome to
the weary, troubled soul, who escaping for
time the hustle and turmoil of the crowded
city, seeks meath its sheltering elms season
of rest X
An Inquiry.
Perhaps the Bangor Wing will answer the
following query: