The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-04-08

halcyon days when hop scotch was revelation
to me and molasses jug was burden, and
then felt that it was one of those immortal
buildings that was not born to die, like the
house that Jack built. But looked in vain;
that hungry giant, Improvement, had de-
voured it, and huge brick block had usurped
its place. Farther on, stood the high-school,
but not the same. A two-story brick build
ing, one ofmany, accommodating fewer pupils,
and affording the maximum Of light and air,
filled its place, and high above it lowered the
Lincoln elm, gigantic tree, ever spreading
and aspiring, like the fame of the great man
to whose memory it was planted.
We spent the day in wandering over the
town, finding occasionally some old land
mark. like Mechanics Hall, which had been
plain and elegant enough 10 be worthy of
preservation. The newer parts Of the city
were all strange. behring's Oaks had be-
come an elegant park, and around and be-
yond it to the far distance were fine residenc-
es. Back Cove was filled with closed docks
and small shipping, bringing fuel and sup
plies thus into the centre of the city, which
had broken bounds and was strolng out un-
checked into the open country. Looking up
on this busy scene of traffic, my thoughts
went back to the days of my childhood, before
so large a slice of Munioy Hill had been
dumped" into the Cove, when its waters
came up close to the rear of Oxford street,
and were as quiet and deserted as when the
old Indian chief, Scitterygusset, owned them.
pictured a summer afternoon and group
CT little school boys going down there to
battle in its tepid waters, warmed by the flats
which had been baking in the sun at low-wa-
ter; imagined them climbing the big boul-
der which some kindly glacier had transport
ed from the Oxford hills in the olden time,
and deposited at just convenient distance
from the shore, (about at the corner of Lin
coin and Stone streets now,) and diving from
1t with shouts of boyish glee, until I could ale
most see their slender limbs glancing in the
sunlight. Did the General, TOO, think of it
as it was in his day? 1t must have been
much the same then, save that the shore be-
low Congress street was pasturage. covered
with bushes, where the young folks went
maying in the season, except where the Or
chards intruded at intervals.
We tarred in the Park at midday. A no
BILE fountain stood on the hill beyond the
s'breezy dome' of the Oaks; around 1t cir
Gle of tall elms sheltered rustic benches, on
which we seated ourselves and looked down
across the long sweep of lawn which reached
to Back Cove, dotted with oaks around which
children were clustering to gather acorns.
"Here was where my son-in-law, Anthony,
was killed in the battle of 1885," said Master
Cleeyes.
"There we're many battles here in my boy
hood" said 1, ''but they were all between the
town youth who attempted to rob the or
chard and the servants of the proprietor"
Two children came racing along at this mo-
ment, playing tag. One of them fell and the
other tumbled over her. "Be carefur' said
the little one, "you will kill me, and then you
will be sent to Chicago"
We were puzzled to understand the child.
Why to Chicago?
On one of the benches near us sat a very
old man. Master Cleeves approached and,
ildhLuS tloiUlC3 dSnCo luC luCoaiu6 Va
the child's expression. The old gentleman
was garrulous.
"Capital punishment was abolished in my
time, sir, for I am much older than you
think. In fact, sir, there isn't man living
in this state as old as 1, except our United
States Senator, Hannibal Hamlin; and he
would have died long ago if he could have
made up his mind to give up that office, sir.
fought against the adjustment, but they got
it through at last, and finally in all the other
states. Well, sir, for a long time they shut
murderers up in prisons until they got ready
to pardon them out, but that never was quite
satisfactory. Finally Chicago, which had
been gradually growing worse. became so bad
that it could not be hurt any, and all the
states began to send their murderers and des-
perate criminals there, and, although I have
never given up my convictions in favor of
the death penalty, sir, must say it affords
me deal of satisfaction to see what nice
time they have there, tormenting and murder
ing each other; and do believe they get
away with about as many of them in a year as
under the death penalty. Only last week
woman, who was sent from this city for pois-
oning her husband, was strangled by one of her
lovers be was stabbed by another lover; their
friends took it up, regular vendetta, aud
knocked each other down like row of bricks,
so that dozen murderers were disposed of
in two days without the slightest expense to
the public. In fact, sir, I am inclined to
think, after all that it is a capital punishment,
sir, he! he hep and the old gentleman went
off in fit of coughing.
Master Cleeves rejoined US and we moved
| on.
ga hundred and fifty years old and not
cured of punning yet! he is not fit to live,"
said the General.
Gle is not fit to de-" said Master Cleeves.
sternly. 'Where in all the vast world of
spirits can you find society which will en-
dure that?"
said nothing for I recognized the man
and he was an old and dear friend.
But night came, and we had satisfied our
selves with silent sightseeing, wandering
unseen and unquestioned, three ancient,
queerly dressed men, amid the throngiDg
crowd of this great and busy city. Master
Cleeves, who seemed the most familiar, as he
had right TO be with the localities, led US to
quiet lodging-house on Bramhall Hill,
where we entered "free as air." and found
ourselves in snug bachelor quarters. A pleas
ant-faced old gentleman arose to meet US,
whom intuitively perceived to be descend
ant of the General in the seventh generation.
"Gentlemen," said he, offering us seats,
around the fire, 81 have just been reading in
an old copy of the PRESS an account Of your
visit one hundred years ago, and Ihad
curious feeling come over me that you would
come again tonight, and that should be the
favored man to receive you"
fancied could trace some resemblance
between him and his venerable ancestor, but
he was dressed more like Master Ceeves, the
fashion having got around to that style again;
and when compared the three was forced
to admit that mine was the ugliest and
MaStar Claavas, tho handSomoef opd T Ib;pI>