The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1882-06-14
CoRREsPoNDENoE.
Letter from Maine.
BLUE HUI. MAINE, Jun

BLUE HILL, MAINE, June 7.
MeS8y8. EditorS,-Are not you South
ern people little selfish to keep spring
so long to yourselves? But it has broken
from you at last and is spreading to-day
all over the North, with flowers, balmy
breezes, and green leaves, and if you
want to possess it longer you will have
to come to our green fields and forests
and shady lanes and cool brooks. You
have spring in our winter, and it is not
good, as Juno told the peacock, that all
natures good gifts should be given TO
few. Yesterday took ride of Is miles
to Bucksport, on the Penobscot. The
road lies over the hills, frequently show
ing glimpses of the river on the west,
while from the hilltops we look down on
rolling plains or hills of forest. There
is the pea green hackmatack, dark green
shadow, and reddish green maple and
oak, each top swelling up from the
depths below, like beds of different
shades Of flowers in garden, forming a
circular picture many miles in diameter.
The deep, blue Penobscot runs, like
thread of silver, across the picture to the
sea. A few green fields near at hand add
a human interest to the scene. Another
picture Of equal extent is spread out
above, the bluest of skies, with high,
white clouds, ships OF the air, as Schiller
calls them, sailing across. The cool wind
from the north is full in our faces, and
makes a winter overcoat very comforta-
bic. How we bask in the sunshine, and
drink in the bracing, pine smelling wind,
and study the shifting picture, changing
Ike the kaleidoscope as we roll along.
In the nearground we see more distinctly
the various trees of the northern forest;
beech, four kinds Of birch, maple, oak,
hackmatack with its twigs covered with
pencils Of green needles, dainty as a
lady's paint brush, almost dozen kinds
OF evergreen trees, as pine, cedar, fir, etc.,
and the aspen Cor popple, so-called) with
Its tiattened petioles and leaves always
quivering, hence called "quaking asp
IN Pennsylvania. The leaves are not vet
out. but about one-fourth grown. By
the roadside we see the uncoiling ferns,
the dandelion, violets, innocence, and
purple azaleas, already in bloom though
the twigs have not leaf on them. Gran
lte mountains, bare and white, bound the
landscape, and here and there we pass a
lake, as Long Pond (nine miles long,, the
A!amoosuc, and Woods Pond. At Bucks
port we take narrow guage railroad and
follow the Penobscot eighteen miles to
Bangor, passing those immense ice-houses
whence Richmond is now being supplied
with crystalised GOODNESS. There is not
IN the world finer stream to navigate
than the Penobscot for the go miles be-
tween Bangor and the sea- Deep, with
a Use OF seventeen feet at high tide, the
largest ships can come to the Bangor
wharves. This city is the eastern head
quarters of the lumber trade. and is sec
ond only to Chicago as lumber market
Bangor was named by Rev. Seth Noble
(hrst pastor of the Congregational church
here) from the familiar tune Bangor. -
There is some connection between its
name and that mythical Norumbega men
toned by Milton in Paradise Lost, book
<.
The Library Association has fine
library Of 10000 volumes. The Congre-
eational Theological Seminary has val
liable library of 1900 volumes in criti-
csm, history, etc. Many of the volumes
are rare and expensive. Prof Paine, the
llorarilan, being an enthusiastic and Judi
SSos Sio1s buyer, and spending some $500 OF
g'(vO yearly. The library owns the Mag.
GGe9urg Centuries, the Church Fathers
Ca,ivins works the British Poets, large
collection Of standard theological works
and IS very rich in Catholic literature
a5d old folios. It has a set Of histories
OF Church councils (Mansi Collectio Con-
cclIhorum), Of which there is no copy in
tne world for sale (aa immense folio in
eeoIfe twenty volumes, Venice, 1775), and
IS a Tlch collection. p DELIGHT to the efn.