Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1881-09-13
Springfield Republican
SUMMERING IN MAINE.
FRyEBuRG-LoyEwELLs FIcHT-SEBA-
GO LAkE-AN UNPUBLISHED LITTER
Br DANIEL WEBsrER--THE FEssEN-
pENs-SuMMER VIsIToRs--WHITTIER.

pENS--SUMMER NISlT0Rs--- w HlIIihh'
Fryeburg is lovely little village 30
miles northwest of Portland, right on the
New Hampshire line. 1t is easily reach
ed by the Portland 81 Ogdensburg rail-
road. Besides being, as Starr King said
completely saturated with tradition, it is
surrounded with exceedingly attractive
mountain scenery, On the north looms
up old Kearsearge, with the Winslow
house in plain sight on its summit. To
the east is Mt Pleasant, also surmounted
with its summer hotel, looking out in
clear weather, on salt water. Through
the midst flows the Saco, so crooked that
it takes SO miles of travel TO get across
the town, which is six miles square. The
intervales are rich in beauty and fertility,
making some of the best farms in the
Stale. The village itself lies chiefly
along one street, deeply shaded with fine
old elms. The drives are delightful, the
air is balm, and the people are cordial.
All these surroundings you can enjoy for
So week, with board and lodging
thrown in.
Among the traditions that strangers
are expected to inquire into is that per-
tanning to Loveweil's fight. | have
taken some pains TO inquire into this
matter and take a rather prosaic view OF
it. An ungarnished statement of the
affair is about this In 1925 Massachu-
sets was paying fl00 apiece for Indian
scalps. Capt, Lovewell. with 80 men,
penetrated to this region, met Paugus
with his 50 braves on the shore Of what
is now called I.ovewell's pond, two miles
from where am writing. fought all day
| and was killed, as were most of his men.
At night the remnant of the whites es-
capped, but left on the field the dead body
of the Indian chief. with a good proper
ton of his band A brave fight, to be
sure, but at that time it was regarded as
dreadful disaster and a useless sacri-
fee. That shows that you cannot al
WAYS Judge of the effects OF a fight then
and there. The Indians never recovered
from the shock, and gradually disappeared
from this whole region so ISvewe!r 5
brave band while they got no bounty for
sealpi, undoubtedly bu;lded much better
( than drcc'ied Of at tie tine,
ali way out TO Lovewelps pond is q
somew AZ noted geological puzzle, called
from its fancied .asemblance TO that use
I full article Of head gear, the Jockey cap.
Ii i claimed to be the largest granite
bowler IN Tie wcrld. J. rises abruptly
I fro Il the level plain TO the high, OF ! 50
set. I, is certainly unique it seems to
/ |. vc no relation TO It's surrounings there
/ IS nothing in sigh; bu, sand and pine.
kroa H. su.n.ii .sasGea :, path Fan q.
ing is rugged side. i. obtained anc
view. including Lo:cwell's pond, a mile
away. While co lie nplating the latter
from the sc enc hight of the cap, one is
aBressea Viz. he inian:t,e character Of
the average guide book, one OF which a..
serts that a love. lorn Indian maiden once
committed suicide by leaping from Jock.
ey cap into Lovell's pond
The s4uwe, Tourist, lingering in Frye
burg. is bound to have his little Acur
SION. ono Of these will OF course be to
penetrate the very heart Of New England
nv running up through the Crawford
notch by railroad. |; can be done in 4
day, -ai Icing done, one feels as though
there was nothing leit Dor hin il ,i,a yly
of mountain scenery and railroad engi-
neering. It caps the climax, so far as
land can DO It. But to warm the very
core of his hear; and make him laugh
aud cry, wonder admire and applaud. let
him take the Sebago lake trip. This.
for odd surprises. beautiful scenery and
unique methods, unquestionably beats
the world. One hour down the road
from Fryeburg. or up from Portland,
brings YOU 10 the lake. A steamboat
about so fee, long by 30 wide takes you
10 tie head OF the lake, Il miles. This
alone would be called a satisfactory trip,
bu, just as YOU think you are going to
run ashore, YOU suddenly enter a narrow
river so crooked that they say j, is impos.
sible 10 cross It. The boat worms its
way along this six miles in order TO gain
two direct. You could lump ashore al
almost anywhere. Sometimes the turn
is so shoE, that they pull around with a
rope. In one place there is lock which
must be worth much more than it cost
for the additional interes, and excitement
that it lends to the trip From the river
we emerge into the bay of Naples. This
is two miles long and is well named. 1t
is not equal to the only original and gen.
uine bay of Naples but it is claimed to
be well up TO it. Through regular old
fashioned country draw-bridge we come
into Long Pond, and ten miles farther
takes US to the pretty village Of Harrison,
the farthest point, 35 miles in all price
81 for the round trip. Everybody goes
into ecstacies over this trip, and do not
wonder. Even Whittier and Longfellow
could net repress their poetic emotions.
Here is sample Of what the former says
OF the lake -
Around Sebago's lonely lake
There fingers not wave 10 break
The mirror which its waters make.
The solemn pines along Its shore.
The frs which hang its gray rock DER.
Are painted on It's CLASSY shore,
The sun looks DER with hazy eye,
The snowy mountain tops which lie
Piled coldly up against the sky.
The crookedness of the river impressed
Longfellow rather forcibly, as may be
seap FROM, tbis ayfracf from, his USopoo