Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-07-31

Ing iiic VIC" vi Vic Houhso'' $50"
upon its piazza sat a dozen ladies, in
cool toilets, sewing and chatting. There
are three or four stores, upon this street /;
stores where one can buy all the necessa-
ries, and, l judge, all the luxuries of life,
if one is not particular as to style of hat
and fit of shoe. The Hill, we learned,
has a refined and cultivated community,
Notwithstanding, perhaps because of the
cleaning white Jail, and court house
Some celebrated men have gone forth
from this beautiful town, so high, so dry,
so healthful. Near the Jail stands an
old Academy building, where school is
held, perhaps three, perhaps six months
of the year. We saw second church,
too, and the implanted walls of factory
where, a youngster told US, " they make
boss sleds." We rode about the streets,
10th to leave the prettiest place we had
vet found but the afternoon was wan
ing; and we reluctantly went on to
Shows Falls. We knew in what direc-
ton the Falls lie. so we plunged boldly
into the thick woods that allow no shade
of sunlight to penetrate their boughs,
The woods are maple and beech. with a
pretty underground and occasional stump
and messy log There are overgrown
paths, that lead in as far as the eye can
see, made probably by old-time wood
cutters. One can imagine elves, fairies
and pixies haunting the shades, wood
nymphs singing upon the boughs and
squirrels and birds making merry. But
if report be true. evil agency, human
agency, must have driven away pixies
and wood-nymphs. Helen, in slow,
sepulchral tone, told Of peddler who
was robbed and murdered in this wood.
long years ago. We pictured to our
selves his struggles his cries, and then
the dead, silent, and fleeing footsteps.
Then Fan applied the whip vigorously to
poor Susan, Helen jerked the reins persist
emily, and fed my fears by swift glances
over my shoulder into the tangled forest.
We met no one, and when we had fairly
emerged into the cleared land, we were
sorry we had not taken more leisurely
endowment of this loveliest of woods. We
asked the distance to Shows Falls four
times. The first man replied, "a just
half mile or less, ma am" And we
logged on content to be quiet. But the
half mile passed, or seemed to pass, and
where were the Falls. "About-well,
said another man, twin-brother to the
first, rubbing his chin with his forehnger'
"well, about half mile, straight road.
The road here was very sandy; our car
rage was heavy, and our speed was
slow. Him" said Helen, " these halt
miles are whole miles. don't believe
we are on the right road. Let's ask
again. wonder if he will say halt
mile, too, Good evening"" she contin'
ued, addressing blear.eyed old man who
stood by the roadside gazing somewhat
stupidity at US. "Can you tell US the
distance to Shows Falls ;" The old mar
mumbled something the termination o.
which sounded like " half mile" W.
burst into laugh in spite OF ourselves
and in the midst, little tow-headeC
boy ran out of neighboring house-"l
is lust half mile" he said very deci
siyely. And it was. For directly w
, heard the noise of the water, and the fac
tory came in sight. We drove over tint
bridge, fastened Susan, and spent half al
hour clambering over the rock, gazlnl
, into the deep, dark pools that whirled $
swiftly forty feet below, within thel
rocky walls. These walls have been wor
5 out into semi-circular shapes, huge seal
4. lops, by the force of the water, and wit
e hated breath, we climbed to the edge
: the overhapging cliff, to see more full
, Ia curious formation. They say tha
r they have never been able to reach bot
q tom in certain places and lone can readily o'
v lieveit after shuddering at the dizzy heigh
n After satisfying our curiosity in regard
d the Falls, Fan had energy enough to 8
!, through the mill in spite of our remor
n strances.
n During her absence, we led Spsa
: across the railroad track, actually puihn
! her along lest the cars might come upe
e her and she should not be able on a
l. count of her slowness, to evade then
I We seated ourselves, and when our con
% papion bad returned with somewh
II heated countenance. we started back +
- South Paris, where we were to pass Il
o night with friend Al first, we had
cross the steepest hills We had seen
4 our trip, and once we stopped in fro
ward, Soon however the way grew lev
md the setting sun glorifed even t
4 ,ath.r commonplace little town we W
:. i a,n,,ter;;n,,. / say commonplace, and Ju