Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-09-20
AMONG THE MAINE MOUNTAINS
Farm Life and Trout rish,ur.
RURAL SCENES "FAR FROM THE MApprNe CROWD
MODEL FARA-A ROY AL sUFPER-FAII rTsurSe
81 THE EVENING SrAR.

MODEL PARMA ROYAL sUPPER-FAII FISHING.
correspondence Of TIE EVENING srAR.
AMHERST, MAINE. September 7th. 1874.
am a. present enjoying the hospitality OF the
Archer family In the Old homestead AWAY OF in
the WIGS OF Maine, on the stage road from Rancor
10 CALAIS am far removed from the shrek az The
locomotive or the whistle OF the steamboat. tbere
Is OUT one neighoor within two miles OF the place
ana wilderness is about me- The farm Is s,inatea
on the east slope OF Peaked mountain. ana en-
braces many acres OF fertile land surrounded n,
fences nve feet high and seven feet broad made
wnoly OF stone and powders gathered from the
ne.aS Inc view from the ledge on the upper mart
OF the farm Is truly magnificent, NON look down
on the tops OF tall pines and nrs IN the valley
below, and gaze wonder1ngS up 10 the bold sum-
mt OF tne mountain, sharply defined AGAINST the
clear blue sky. Away on IN the east Is seen RsId
mountain, one huge smooth pile OF granite with
face Far on distant hills OF paIe h,uiSb n su
piled one above the other, TIL they blend ana are
lost with the descending sky. The air Is pure and
lnVlgolatng and laden with the sweet wholesome
perfumes OF the woods-the pines. and mrs and iu-
niper-and take deep Inspirations ana III my
lungs With the life-giving element
LIVING II CLOVER
Fields OF clover are around me, tall, COOL thlckly
growing red-top clover, and lay and roll I'm the
yevety, emerald bed In the shade Of fruit trees and
fall on into delicious nap by the drowsy hum OF
the money bee, whose square tenenents are perched
on the stone wall short distance away. Rows OF
apple trees, thickly laden with fruit OF various
hues, stretch away down towards the road and the
overloaded branches bend TO the ground and are
propped by crotched sticks or planks. while the
ground Is stewn with the fruit the result OF last
nshSs oiow. Figs grunt In the barnyard, ducks
Saooie IN the shade OF the carriage house. the low
ing OF the Kline and the tInke of COW bells are heard
IN the meadow, and one little porker who has been
siiuI up IN hen-coop for being bad boy and run
nlng away, gets his head out betwexa the bars aud
sets up fearful squealing, which brings the good
lazy OF the house and the domestic 10 the rescue
and the juvenile grunter Is with difcuIy released
aiter prolonged agoniLlhg squeal ana good deal
Oh porcine eAcitemenL The huge barn is crammed
with hay and grain, men are engaged In digging
the potatoes nom the rich black earth and sven,
ty-lye OF the largest tubers picked up hap-hazard
UP the beam at seventy six pounds
Here the people live for weeks, and possibly
months, without spending cent Flour, pork,
corned beef &C, are bought by the barrel coffee
by the sack, and tea by the chest and most every
thing else Is produced on the farm, so that when
once The larder Is fed up they run along for sew
eIal weeks without buying anything. The women
spin and weave, churn and make cheese, while the
men make cider. shoe horses. do cobbng dig a
we'll or ould mouse, paint, tinker, make harness,
pdIIes, ana even Carriages The True spirit Of IN
dependence reigns there 1t was my happy lot
seven years ago TO visit this happy home. Jnex-
pecIediy pop In upon them again one early sep
telnUer afternoon, and lind the same scene OF
PEACE, COMFORT AND RURAL FELICITY
that gladdened my city tired heart and body those
years ago. Good Mother Archer gives me a ringing
welcome as alight from the all-yellow coach and
stretch my cramped limbs. She has grown fat and
possibly little lazy Ia The meantime, but her heart
Is The same as OF yore. Caddy has developed into
a tall, comely maiden, the boys have grUwI TO men
ana The KIND Old grandam Stops perhaps little
more and sees not so well as Ia times past But
poor old Bose" the big watch dog W IN Whom
nave nao many romp is no more, he having per
lshed Ia bear trap "A few winters ago. Mr.. Archer
Is the same quiet taciturn ind yldual and begins
10 show The elects OF years OF hard honest Labor
We SIT down 10 supper, aud the fare that awaits me
would grace the table OF royalty Indeed doubt
III roy atty ever giuttoniZed over viands so sweet
ana pure and fresh. Blackberies swimming In the
thlcheSt or cream, golden and crimson speckled
mountain trout rolled In yellow meal and Drowned
In broad slices OF snow white corn-ed pork; clear
transparent strained honey right from the comb,
untalnted with glucose or svlphurfc acid; yellow
eyed beans baked TO a delicate brown and banked
by The inevitable Boston brown bread; butter the
purest OF the pure and fragrant coffee In generous
cups with tempting rolls hot from the oven. The
day after my arrival spend In
TROUT FISHING
In the meadow and a mountain stream near by
with very good success At this season OF the year
trout do not rise well 10 fly, SO that the sport is
not so exciting as in the month OF June. They
keep 10 the bottom or deep holes and bite I'm dull
lazy sort Oh way, much after the manner or perch
or chubS Still they are trout all the same, and as
handsome and tempting as ever, and Will make a
vigorous hight for life when pr1cked with the hook
oTlnS and graSShopperS are the bait now which
Will be readily seized on reaching the bottom while
an artificial lily Will dance with immunity over the
Ilpples and The surface of the dark, deep trout
pools There Is great deal or comfort In fishing
TINS season OF the year, as the black flies ana mos
qutoes are all gone. " The time for trouling" said
an old sportsman 10 Inc up there ''is when the
black flies are the thckest and the MOSQUITOES the
most troublesome" which is doubtless true.
day or two after my arrival the boys arrange
trip for me to the Alllgash stream tributary ~
the west branch OF Union river, and we are 10
start at o'clock in the morning. BY O'Clock we
are up and, looking out of my window / see Gus
In the moonlight Harvesting up old Charley for the
journey. Good Mrs. Archer is up and has hot
coffee and rolls and warmed-over baked beans and
brown bread all In readiness Tor US Think of that,
We people OF the city who reluctantly crawl out OF
bed at o'clock In the morning, and then ponder
over the subject OF early riSlngi
Inc day opens cloudy and threatening as we pro-
ceed on our way. "What day for trout fshingv
we eXclailn. and my heart beats with delight in
anticipation OF The glorious sport ride OF nearly
three hours, partly over a smooth stage road partly
over rocky logging roads and through a hat DOGGY
plain, brings Us TO the scene OF action. We unhar-
ness old Charley and tie him stoutly to a tree. Woe
De TO us III We do not tie him well, as he is treach-
erous old beast, Is that Charley, and loose he
Will scamper away over the country and far away
ana three unhappy fishermen Will have 10 "hoof3
II twelve or fifteen miles home We adjust rods
ana cautiously approach the deep pool, shaded by
birch and aIders Your trout Is wary fish and
easily looSeS his appetite by any unusual hustle
near Ills resting place What
A CHARMING SPOT
TO the eye OF sportsman Dark and deep lay the
pool before us its surface unruled and dotted with
lily pads. TAN rank meadow grass affords US a
cover as we reach the edge and the soft Welding
BOG moss mules our footsteps My companions
allow their enthusiastic Washington visitor 10 have
The choicest spot and the first cast. / swing my
nook lar out into clear space, beyond cluster Of
lily pads, and IL sinks into the keep dark waters.
when, presto ft is seized, and my line goesshoOt-
ing Oh towards the opposite bank. My heart beats
with tumultuous excitement as give "strikep
and the EeXt moment land a pound speckled trout.
dancing ana wrlggIng, in the grass at my feet.
Mat beautyl His back coal black his belly a
golden hue, his sides thckly spotted with gold and
red over blush green mottle, and his laws very
large and set with rows OF fine teeth shaTp "a
needles slip him into the creel, and then cast
again Another one, but not as larle Another
and another and stand in one spot by the famous
pug" hole OF the Alligash and take out
TWENTY-FIVE OF THE sPECKIED BEAUTIES
What sport! They cease biting and have time
to stop and think OF our Washington BOYS sitting
on the Long bridge catching catfish and clubs. and
then compare that kind OF fishing with this roval
sport My companions In the meantime have gone
further up the stream, and they presently return
with goodly string OF fine fish We make our way
with dlf1culty through the tangled underbruSh
and treacherous bog TO our carriage, ana are soon
on our way 10 the west branch OF the Union river
Here we wade In TO our knees and throw out into
the deep whirling eddies and succeed In capturing
quite an addition TO our already goOdly string BY
Tour O'Clock we are home again, with true fisher
mans luck, "wet feet and hungTy-StOmach."
We change our clothes, and are soon tOasting cur
shnS by the big cooking range In the kitchen. and
fire does not feel bad, for the afternoon is cold
and raw.
Tomorrow am to take the yellow stage at g
O'Clock for Bangor, and In the cool depths of the
spacious cellar there Is a basket containing i've
dozen trout packed in wet moss, ready TO be taken
in TO my city friends, and In my satchel ] find
large bottle OF strained honey, and on my table two