Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-08-14
For the Democrat.
A TRIP TO MASON.

| Ihlf III MASON
July Ii obtained leave Of absence fol
four days and took my wife and hied to
the mountains OF old Oxford County, to
the home Of my childhood.
We LETT Littleton, Mass, by Fitchburg
II. r., to Aver, then by Portland Wor'
cester, and q. L. X. r, to West Bethel,
Maine, arriving about p. m. Here we
found one of our old neighbors, J. H..
Bean, who took us to Mason. There we
found the farmers busy getting their hay,
which Is very large crop, but the rains
have kept them back In getting it. Grain
of all kinds looks well. Potatoes will be
a great yield. Some are raising sweet
corn for canning, drawing 1t to Bethel,
eight miles.
Sunday attended church in a neat lit
tie chapel sheltered by 4 grove OF pines,
just painted and carpeted and what Is more,
all paid for. What change; when | was
boy meetings were held at the houses;
after o while they built a school house
which served for thirty years as school
house and church. The first Sabbath
School was organized In log house-the
first built In what Is now Mason. A. j.
Paine, Superintendent, also teacher. We
had no books. We children used to pick
checkerberries and beachnuts, and sell
them TO buy books. Now they have a
good library of new books or two hundred
volumes and an average attendance Of
lfty scholars. Preaching once in two
weeks. The Superintendent OF the Sun
day School reads one Of Mooly's sermons
when there is no preaching. The Sabbath
School is very interesting. The Superin-
tendent is young man, but full of the
love of God and interests the school very
much.
Monday we visited the old place where
in boyhood days, used TO climb the hills
and frolic with the pet lambs in the pas
ture. But change has come over the old
place, the old block house has gone In its
place is good substantial house of more
modern build. The old barn IS gone, and
larger one takes It's place. Everything
shows that the owner Is farmer by trade.
He has over twenty head OF cattle, mostly
Durhams, 4 few Jerseys for butter; also
twenty-five sheep. But there is change
In tue house; the wife OF our brother by
adoption IS lying at deaths door. What
sadness comes over the whole community.
She IS one of Gods children. Her delight
WAS in doing good. She joined the Meth
olist church when young, and has lived
her true religion as only 4 christian can,
ever ready for any good work, she will be
missed at the church, the class meeting
the master, for she said "If | am faithful
shall wear the crown" May God be very
near the husband In his bereavement.
May he look to Abbes God for support in
his trials and Affections, and the aged faith
er who will care for himf May he find as
good friend as she has always been. He
told me that in 25 years she had lived in
the family she never spoke cross or i'm
patient word TO him or any OF the house
hold. May God sustain him, he will soon
cross over the river where his wife has
waited for many years; she Is watching
at the ferry Father Paine.
And may God bless the sisters who have
left their homes in Marlboro, Mass, and
taken care OF their sister through her long
sickness. Such devotion will not go I'M
rewarded.
Since writing the above We learn Mrs.
Paine has passed over the river. She
died July Goth, but we will not mourn her
as dead but gone before. n.