The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-08-13
THE HISTORICAL MILL.
In Which Most Everything Is Ground and
the Gospel Is Preached.

AouAtlOu " view DtUIOTu, dDOuG IuEto
miles from Taunton green, at the head
OF large pond. stands building whose
history is so peculiar and whose uses
are so many that it can properly be
clasSed among the wonders of the old
colony. 1t was erected about fifty
years ago by Josiah King for a fork
works. A few years afterwards it was
sold to William Pierce, who now owns
it. In appearance 1t is no more pecu7
liar than the ordinary run of country
saw.mills. Its age rests lightly upon it.
and. barring accidents. it is likely to re-
main landmark for at least fifty years
to come. Its history. told by one who
lives near it, is as follows:
''On the lower floor of the building
are three rooms. In one is q grist-mili,
in another machinery for saving and
splitting wood and cider-making, and
the third is used for church and for
holding various kinds of entertair.7
ments. Grain is brought here from
miles around and ground into meal for
fodder and cake-making. On any
day during the late fall you will see
half a dozen old farmers gathered
about discussing things in general, and
waiting for their little grist to be
ground. Meal made from corn of their
own raising is thought far superior to
any that can be bought at the store.
81 asked an old man one day why he
did not use bolted meal. I've used
meal of my own and fathers raisin' for
over sixty year an it's good enough f
me. / don't b'five in s. many new
tangled notions just gut ip t git money
out NV us poor farmers Of course he
must have his clumsy joke on the end:
L en- bolt my own meal fast enuf when
It's made into cakes
''In the early fall the old mill is kept
running night and day making cider
Hundreds of cart-loads of apples are
ground up and the juice squeezed out.
An upright barrel with one head out
stands always full of the fermented
juice and cup near by invites every
one to help himself. One day a small
boy wandered in. He could not reach
over the top of the barrel to the cider,
so he made an inclined plane of a board
and crawled up on it. He reached down
to dip cupful of the coveted liquid.
The board tipped up and the young man
went in head first. Luckily some one
heard the splash and rushed into the
room Just in time to save the youth from
a cidery grave. This boy has now
grown up to be an active temperance
worker. Cider-drinking parties are
often held here and the person who
drinks the most is voted the champion.
once saw young man drink ten
glasses in rapid succession. When this
part of the mill is not in use for cider
making wood is sawed and split here,
and the same old farmers who bring
their own corn to have it ground to
save money will bring load of wood
and have it reduced to the proper size
for stove-burning. Years ago this part
of the mill was used Cor saving box
boards and shingles, and more recently
as a furniture factory.
I'm all the years the old mill has
been running there has been but one
accident. One day the mill was saving
shingles. when a young man with a scarf
about his neck came in. He got too
near the shafting. and it caught him by
the scarf and began to throw him
around and around. Before the mill
could be stopped his boots and stock
ings were torn from his feet in shreds,
and four of his ribs and an arm were
broken,
The room used as church is such
as the old Puritans worshiped in. Ex-
cept in midsummer and midwinter
meetings are held here regularly Sun
day evenings and on week day even
iDgs fairs. festivals and sewing circles
often make merry in this room. Not
infrequently in winter a dance draws
the young people to the old mill.
Il distinctly remember one evening
prayer and praise meeting that l at
tended here. The minister was an old
man and very near-sighted. In the
course of the evening he began to
cough. and not being able to control it
he asked for some one to fetch him
glass of water. 1t was early in the fall.
in cider-making time. and in the second
room beyond stood the full barrel and
Il glass near it. A young scape-
grace quickly responded to the
ItIucSl OI illc IulHlSOcI. DuJ luSlcdu
of bringing water he filled the glass
with cider. and with sober face took
it up to the preacher. The audience
discovered the trick and reached for
handkerchiefs. The unsuspecting old
gentleman raised the glass to his lips,
and. without stopping to taste or smell,
swallowed the whole of it. Such look
of horror as came over his face when
he realized the trick | will not attempt
to describe. The audience smiled and
Uttered. but the minister Immediately
regained his composure and said not
word.
Zone of the most pathetic scenes /
ever witnessed was the funeral of a
little child in the church-room of the
old mill. The parents were poor, hard
working people. and the dead baby was
the only one God had given them. 1t
was a beautiful little girl. as fair as
though its parents had been of royal
blood instead of being too poor to pro-
vide coffin for the little thing. Kind
neighbors had bought a little white
casket and made little white robe of
some cheap cloth and trimmed it with
blue ribbons. They put flowers about
the room in the old mill in rude vases
and cups. and gathered reverently about
the mourning parents, while the min
lister said few kind words and prayed
to God that the father and mother be
given strength to bear their grief"
Surely. like the mills of the gods, this
mill grinds all.-Tauuton ( Hass.J Cor.
Boston Globe.