Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1885-06-18
Tender Memories.
BILL NyE REvIsITS HIS BIRTHPLACE.
THE rRoDICAL's RETURN TO THE RAGING
fISCATAQUIs.
Bill Nye in Boston Globe

Last week visited my birthplace in the
State of Maine. | waited thirty years for
the public to visit it and as there didn't
seem to be much of rush this spring,
thought would go and visit it myself |
was telling friend the other day that the
public did not seem to manifest the interest
in my birthplace that it ought to, and he
said | ought not to mind that. "Just watt"
he said, "till the people of the United States
have a chance to visit your tomb, and you
will be surprised to see how they will run
excursion trains up there TO Moosehe ad
Lake, or wherever you plant yourself. 1t
will be perfect picnic. Your hold on the
American people, William, is wonderful, but
your death would seem to assure it, aud
kind of crystalline the affection now ex-
istlng, but still in nebulous and gummy
state"
a man ought not to crlticise his birth
place, presume. and yet, II were to do ii
all over again, | do not know whether
would select that particular spot or not
Sometimes think | would not. And
yet, what memories cluster about that
old house There was the place where
first met my parents. 1t was at that time
ripened IN later wears into mutual respec;
and esteem. 1t was there that what might
be termed a casual meeting took place. that
has under the alchemy Of resistless wears,
turned to golden links, forming pleasant
but powerful band of union between my par
ents and myself. For that reason, hope |
may be spared to my parents for many years
to come.
Many old memories now cluster about
that Old home. as | have said. There is, al
so, other old briC-a-hrac which has accumu-
lated since | was born there | took a
small stone from the front ward as kind of
"memeuto" Of the occasion and the place.
| do not think it has been detected yet.
There was another stone IN that ward, 50 1t
NAV be weeks before any one finds out that
| took one of them.
How humble the home, vet what lesson
1t should teach the boys of America, Here.
amid the barren and iuhuSpltabe waste of
rocks, and cold. the last place in the world,
that a great man would naturally select to
be born IN. began the At, Of one who bv his
own unaded effort, in after years rose to the
proud height of postmaster at Laramie
City. Wyoming Territory. and with an es-
innate Of the future that was almost pro-
phetic, resigned before hi could be charact.
erized as an offensive partisan.
There on the banks of the raging Piscata-
quis, where winter fingers in the lap Of
spring til It occasions good deal of talk
there began career which has been the adj
miratlon aud wonder Of every vigi-
lance committee west Of the turbulent Mis-
souri.
There on that spot, with no inheritance
but a predisposiiou to premature badness
and a bitter hatred Of rum with no person
al property but miStit suspender and a
stone brulse, began life history which las
never ceased to be warning to people who
sell groceries on credit.
II should teach the youth Of this Young
land what glorious possibilities may lie CON
cealed III the rongh and tough bosom of the
reluctant present. 1t shows how steady
perseverance and a good appetite will aIway 5
win IN the end 1t teaches us that wealth
is not indlspe nsable, and that if We live as
We should, draw out OF politics at the
proper time, and die n few days before
the public absolutely demand it. the
matter Of our birthplace Will not be con-
sdered.
Still, my birthplace Is all right as a birth
place. ne old nelghbors sand that Shirley
wa, very quiet place up to the time | was
born, and when took my parents BY the
hand and gently led them away in the
spring Of j3, SAVING, Parents, this
quiet.
1t is the only birthplace have, however,
and hope that all the readers Of the Giobe