The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1880-05-28
GRANDMOTHER'S STORY.

A bright little Miss, of Boston, who
signs herself Ida, writes me and asks if
/ can't tell story about girls, and sets
me thinking that nice old lady, whose
name is Huldah, told me one day story
about her girlhood that might prove in
teresting to this Miss Ida, and perhaps to
many other girls and boys.
1t was long ago, in the spring of 1911
think of it, siXty-eight years ago
when Huldah's father and mother, with
two children, moved into Fryeburg,
Maine. 1t was then almost wilderness
and thinly settled, but the lands along
the river were rich, the fish plenty and
the farms easily titled. Huldah's mother,
when she came to see the log house they
were to live in, set herself down and
cried. Ofcourse Huldah and her little Sis
ter joined in, and they had a good family
snivel, and after that they felt more
cheerful, for you must know that any,
body feels better after weeping. Then
they brushed away their tears and began
looking around them, and found things
were quite comfortable.
The house had two rooms on the
ground floor and two chambers over
head, and it was snug and nice. The
good for the COWS and oxen and it had
roomy stall for old Fan, the family
horse. Plenty of room for the crops
they could raise, and taking it altogether
it was very nice place for those days.
There were great pine trees near their
house, and the winds made music III
their tops. 4 brawling brook ran near
the barn, and danced and dimpled in
the sunshine, and in its deep holc1
bright spotted trout lived and thrived
The nearest neighbors were two mile.
away, but they came to see the new
-Omers a day or two after their arrival,
and welcomed them to the section in n
cordial and kindly way. SO it came about
that they began to feel quite at home
and settled
The soil 'laughed," when ''ticllled"
with the hoe, and the grass grew lux
uriantly. The health of the family was
| perfect, and in the fall the barn was full,
! the pig was fat, the hens and turkeys
were plump, and all went we'll with them.
At about this time ''rumOrs of war"
! filled the air. Great Britain had tram
pied upon our rights, and it needed only
/ half q cause with our old arch-enemy to
bring every able-bodied man to the butt
of q musket Huldal's father caught
the war fever and enlisted, in spite Of
all mother and children could say; and
they, seeing he was determined on going,
made the best of it, and helped him off
with heavy hearts and fearful eyes.
In those days newspapers were scarce
in Maine, and news travelled slowly.
The telegraph had never been dreamed
of, and railroads were an unheard-of
thing. Still they heard from father now
and then, and to know that he was alive
and well cheered up the lonely family as
they toiled on the farm.
The mill where they had their CO.
and wheat ground was six miles avsy.
and the road bridle-path with blasco
trees to guide the traveller.
What are blazed trees?
Trees with bits of bark hewcd Off,
leaving the white wood underneath tc
show, looking in the sunshine somewhat
ike q blaze in contrast with the dark
bark. Yes, and Huldah, now about ten
years old-a bright, resolute, stout girl
was the one that took all the graiD =
the mill, waited till it was ground, and
then, with the meal-bag behind her
rode old Fan, "leg Of u side," the SIX
miles through the woods and clearings
lhome again. Huldah enjoyed going &c
mill very much, for like all good little
girls it delighted her to be of some use
and assistance to her mother.
At the mill, and especially on "low'ry'
days, the farmers came from miles
around, and she heard all the news
scanty although it was, and her bulge
brought consolation and matter fol
thought to mother. Sometimes she hat
to wait until her turn came, and fre
J luently it was almost dark when sh,
reached home, but Huldah was neve
afraid. for hadn't she old Fan, who coulC
run away from any bear or wolf tina
ever lived?
Did they have bears and wolves there
Certainly they did, and hardly a da.
passed that some farmers did not shoe
either one or the other, as he found then
prowling around the outskirts of tn
farm, lying in wait to catch calf, sheer
turkey or len. One day when Huidal