The Portland daily press., 1881-08-13
SOLON CHASE.
How the Old Man "Does the Pictur-
esque."
fChase's EnQuirer,l

tCnases Enqurer.l
Maine is gem of State at this season of
the year. Left the sea shore at Portland Aug.
I'd by the Grand Trunk Railroad at a. m. for
the prairies beyond the big Muddy" We
are TO arrive in Chicago in forty. sht hours.
We have faith in the Grand Trunk. for like
"them steers they most always get there.
The salt sea breeze that comes in across the
harbor has a refreshing odor of CLANS and cod
fish. There are hosts Of people now resting on
the lovely islands in Portland harbor and all
along shore. The children paddle in the salt
water, catch cunners and grow fat and enjoy
religion. Grown people who have leisure en-
joy life on the islands and gain health and
strength. Many residents of other States are
now resting in Maine, along the shore or in
the mountains. They like our State. They
can't help it. "Board" is the word and as the
train moves out of the station Greenback
friends on the platform say good luck Uncle
Scion. Good bye to our friends, goodbye to
the city of Portland and the salt sea, goodbye
to the small boys digging CLAIMS in the mud
by hostile law if ''them steers" can help it.
The object of our trip to Kansas is to do
little OK work. The Kansas cattle are of the
Texas breed and grow good deal to horns.
Some them" Texas steers are little too
handy with their horns for the good of the Re-
publican party. The train has got outside the
city. Farms and fields are on either side.
Heaps of hay out. There will be a pile of
"black COWS hay" put in the barn to-day if it
don't rain before night. Crossed the mail train
at South Paris and then began to "crack on"
The eye never tires of the ever varying land,
the village is on one side sof the lake, on the
other side the mountain comes down to the
waters edge The black fir of the mountain
that seemed last winter to be supported with
pillars OF ice is now covered with smiling
green. Bethel is beautiful town in the val
ley of the Androscoggin. A heap of strangers
are quartered in the town and scattered among
the farm houses. The weather looks threaten
ing. Everybody is hurrying to get in their
hay. The strangers are resting in the shade.
The face of the country looks all mountains
but there are fine meadows and fer
the way from where the river leaves New
Hampshire to Merrymeeting Bay, Greenback-
ers are thick. When you cross the line into
New Hampshire you see more signs of rum
and less of Greenbackism. This wild region
was opened up by the Grand Trunk railroad.
First-class hotels have been built for the &C.
commodation of those who come round in hay
ing time but always have plenty of early cut.
hay and never eat "black cows hay"
Eleven hours from Portland, and the spires
of the ancient city are in sight. The country
of Canada after crossing the back bone that
divides the waters that run south to the coast
of Maine from the streams that run north into
the st. Lawrence, is broad fertile country
and good crops in the main. The '.long spell
of weather" has put the haying back as in
Maine. Standing grass is stout but the wheat
looks rather thin and short. The buildings are
built solid. Many of the houses ane barns and
some of the churches are built of stone. The
fields are so full of Canada thistles that when
there is breeze the air is full of thistle down
like cotton fibre in.the south in the picking
season. The valley of the st Lawrence shows
evidence of thift and wealth. Montreal is
busy city, and seems like foreign land. The
people speak wild jargon. AT 10 p. m. the
train stepped out into Conada-a long stride
before daylight. A good nights rest. The
morning breeze is filled with the irrepressible
thistle down The management of the Grand
Trunk road is most excellent The conductors
are not men of such almighty consequence you
can't speak to 'em, and the colored porter on
the pullman is not SO big man you can't ap-
proach him.