The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1874-08-19
Un Country.
SOUTH WATERFORD, Me-, Aug. 18th, 1871

SOUTH WATERFORD, Me-, Aug. 18th, 1874.
To the Editor Of the Press:
Portland people by this time have probably a
quite definite idea of the various and sundry
little towns at the head of lovely Sebago Lake
Bridgton, Harrison and SO on-and will know
Waterford as one of the most charming, above
all in being blessed with good hotel, neatly
kept by a elimination of the New England
ideal, "a good provider.' IT'S peaceable
name, and a peaceable place, in quiet valley;
mountain and lake close at hand, aud a fund
of rest and recreation waiting for all who
care to come and take it. To one fresh
from Washington, heated, to begin with,
in. the furnace of politicsl done brown
by long session, and relentless thermom-
eter, never willingly going below so deg,
and preferrng to dance among the ineties
there is cooling and healing in every breath.
Those scorching days from which we fed, in
which the sun poured down on shadeless
streets, and miles on miles of brick pavement,
become dimly remembered horror. Some.
where people are frying; bur, under these ma
pies, listening to the steady fall and flow of the
brook, watching rare lights and shadows creep
up the sides of Bear Mt, or lazy, white clouds
sail over ones head and lose themselves IN the
blue, who believes in 95 deg. in the shade, or
cares to read the city tables of heat? And was
ever such lullaby as this same brook sings, all
the night through? What possibilities for
sleep-genuine sleep. Not that broken by the
midnight Shrek of social cats, the morning
howl of the milkman, and all the distraciing,
peace destroying sounds we know too well, but
unadulterated smon-pure sleep.
Well. we went to bed-lavendered sheets,
four windows and real air coming in at every
one. No mixture of hot bricks. gas, and sew
ers, but sweet with dewy grass, and the breath
of pines There were long arrears to make I'D,
and the account was no where near settlement
when-Yang, Tang! Tang, Yang! sounded
right in our ears, and we sprang up. Gray tw-
light just breaking into dawn; q perfect day
making ready. "Fire!" we said, as the fright
full sound went on, and searched for sign of
smoke or fame. Yang Tang, Tang, Yang! Still
no cries i'll the street; no agitation among peo-
pie, The church opposite, quiet as the dead
generation who had worshpped there, save for
the fiendish sounds from its steepe, answered
by chorus OF distress from the whole animal
creation-cows lowing, dogs barking, ROSTERS
growing, pigs squealiDg.
singular apathy, we said, ''but if the vii
lage likes to burn up peaceably, We'll let it.
'Tisn't this house, any way"
We went back 10 bed, bat the spell was brok-
en-. No more sleep in those pillows, and after
tumbng about an hour we arose.
brushing the dew upon theupward lawn
reads exceliently, but according to cur expert
ence it brushes better after breakfast, and while
planning our first attempt we asked:
'What was the matter this morning?'
"Matter! why nothing.
'Nothing! and all that noise about it! We
supposed the town was on fire at least
ooh. you mean the bell! Well, that's the
FIVE o'clock bell for folks to get up and.go to |
work"
$50 get up! In Heavens name why do thew
want to get up? What's the hurry? Dough-
nuts and pickles Will harrow up their stonachs |
as well at seven as five, and two hours of con- |
sciouS dyspepsia thns be saved. The day is still |
long enough for pie and other agents of des- |
truction to have birth and do their work to-
ward making the average New England far
mer's wife thing of horror. Is it not enough
to have a tootbess mouth. a nubbin of hair
and face of four hundred at forty? Must
there be added to all this the crawling out of
bed to the sound Of au alarm that would mad
den an oyster, and thrill with nervous frenzy
The heart of q turnip?'
We have waited the selectmen, and the
men who are not select. Nobody knows why
t should be kept up. Some cannot tell why it
vas ever begun. We are among that number
The babies are screeching in every house at
i've O clock in the morning. One or two Seal
,ilate'' to keep on through the day. We forgive