The Republican journal., 1884-01-31
Notes by the Way.

Notes by the way.
OFF FOR WESTERN MAINE. BIT OF Ro-
NANCE. THE ICE INDUSTRY ON THE KEN
NEBEC. THE ICE CROP. AT GORHAM. GOV. |
AND MRS. ROBBIE.
Correspondence of the Journal.
GoRHAM, Me-, Jan. IS, 1884. Having little
business that calls us to Western Maine, we
concluded to start at once on the trip and so
last Wednesday morning wended our way to
the depot at Brooks to be in readiness for the
up train. We notice the air is sharp and sting
ing, and hear some one say, 500 degrees below.
How is that for cold"' Directly we hear
"Shaw's" whistle and wonder if it is the same
that he once used to let "gentle Annie" know
that it was "Charlie' coming, in those dear,
pleasant days of courtship not yet forgotten.
BY the way, that ,raS a bit romantic, and it raS
a pleasant sight to see the pretty maiden as she
stood at her fathers door. rods away, and WAY
ed her handkerchief in response to the signal of
her gallant engineer.
As the car stops at the station the windows
are covered with thick curtain of frost ami
we are led to think there is nobody on board, it
is so cold. So we at once push in, enveioped in
overcoat. scarf, and mitten>, with our fur cap
down over our ears, the clear white frost cling
ing to clothing and beard, and looking the pie
ture of a veritablc northman. only to find our
self facing a car full of people, all looking as
warm and comfortable as if it was Il May morn
ing. instead of winter. Their looks say, Where
in the world did YOU drop FROM" but we quick
ly pass to the rear of the ear and soon adapt
0urself to the artificial temperature. AT Thorn
dixie Station the frost bitten natives report it %
below, but we have suspicion that "Geradus"
must have kept his thermometer on ice 50 as to
get ahead of the neighbor> down the line. It is
cod day when he gets left. At Unity few
men are gathered at the station pcering out Of
their wrappings. while at Burnham we find the
usual crowd waiting for the morning train
which is reported fifty minutes late Here we
are entertained for time by pleasant CONVEX
sation with ID. d." correspondent of the Lew
iston Journal, who for years has devoted por
ton of his time 10 literary pursuits. lie recites
Il new poem to Us and explains the outlines of
new essay. In looking over the freight cars
we see the troltng mare owned by Isaiah
Gould of Brooks. Which is on the way to Mas
wished for train arrives and on we go.
When we reach the kennebcc River lively
scene presents itself At various places along
the route there is busy swarm of men and
teams engaged in filling tile icehouse> one
company here is reported to have some five
hundred men employed. 1t is a pretty sight on
a pleasant day to see the crowd 50 actively en-
Il, l.. l..
is the best in the world. And a> we saw the
hundreds of men 50 busily engaged in the work.
we could but think that even our cold and Sc
we're winters are not without their redetmiug
features. This business brings thousands of
dollars into our State annually and takes nothing
away When our lumber OF granite i export
ed, il is gone for good. When hay. Or potatoes.
or grain. or vegetables. or stock even, are sent
out of the State, it represents lust 50 much act
ual loss to the natural resources Of tile com
munity. Something has been removed that ma
ture cannot replace. But the millions of tons
of ice that are exported represent no dcteriora-
ton OF value in any sense whatever. The crop
can be gathered for thousands of wears and vet
be a, constantly renewed. There j. no coHdi-
ton of life without its comprnsationS. and 50
let Us here in Maine bundle up in our wraps.
stir the warm blood by active exercise. and ac-
cept the blessings that God has given. At
Deerng we meet our old friend Progress" of
the Lewiston journal and pass Il pleasant after
noon with him and his accomplished family In
the evening we take the train for "Gorham''
and soon lind ourself comfortably located at
the Gorham House. We find here pleasant
company of fifty. representing the establishment
of "OWen. Moore Il Co.." Of POr Iand who
have come out here for ten mile ride and
nice supper at the hotel. They are having a
jolly time, which of course Il, Il stranger ne
care nething for, 50 we 90 ont to see our friend.
Col. IL. X. Millett and find him bu>ily engaged
IN the organization Of Il Ct. A. Post The next
morning at proper hour we called to see GOV.
kobie and lady. We found the Governor in
his nice. old fashioned home, comfortably seat
ed with dressing gown and slippers, As quiet,
easy. unprctending. and cordial. Il, any man
that YOU v i'll meet. If | had visited The Prcsi-
dent of the [. s. | should not be very likely TO
say that he invited me to stop to dinner, for you
would hoor that it was Il Le But if | say that |
had the same invitation from the governor.
seconded in hearty, pleasant manner p} Iii,
worthy Wife, every ylaoqet in the State viii BE-
lieye it trr We had very pleasant call and
both the GOV. and Mrs. Robe materially assist
ed Us in some business in which we were suisse
quently engaged in the place. Robe for the
state. as did Garfield for the nation. represents
the common people, and does it we'll Because
il mans hands are hardened by toll and his face
stained by tan is no reason that he MAY not pos
>e>s the true qualities Of manhood 1t is the
internal and not the external qualifications that
make the man, and the time has gone bv for a
farmer to be ashamed of his aVocati0n. No
more able men exist to-day than some Of those
who have been reared upon the rugged nl.ides
in the farms of rough New England silk and
broadcioth mDH envelope supereiousncss and
imbccility; print and duck, integrity ana intel
lectual ability. '.Nll is not gold that gIitters."
That Is not always of the greatest value which
tirst and most attracts attention. The farmers
of Maine are not in general intelligence. Or
special education, Il whit behind those of any
other state. and YOU know the granger,' song
The tDmor is chief of the nation" 1t can be
made true. BRI s0I-E.
Chat with Mr. Blaine.