Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-08-25
A Bad Beginning, Blu. Good Ending

sor, and the second to their visiting brother
and sisters. One was in the morning pro
gramme, the other in the afternoon 1t cam,
about in this way
The morning was cold and rainy. 1t hat
rained hard during the night, the roads were
heavy, and the indications for fair day were
not at all promising. Changers are not dis
couraged by bad roads or stormy weather
and although they usually get an early start
1t was as late as 8 o'clock in the morning
before there were any signs of clearing skies
Then good many good patrons must have
harnessed their horses and put on their Sun
day go-to-meetin' clio hes in the double quick
for about half past eleven o'clock they "cr me
down" on the fold at Windsor like the As
syrians of old upon their opposing host-in a
regular avalanche. Why, the Windsor
grangers were perfectly surprised. Not
three of them were on the spot. The hall
was not open. There were no pots of beans
and steaming coffee pots about on the stove.
Indeed. there was on FIRE in the stove, And
everybody was cold after a ride of from ten
to twenty miles, that cold, damp morning.
This was surprise number one. But it didn',
last long.
Soon it got circulated round those beauti-
full farms on the Windsor ridge that ''the
grangers had come to town"-the first time a
Pomona grange had met there. And there
was running to and fro, and hot haste after
brothers and sisters, and in a most incredibly
short space of time, the lower hall. or dining
hall, was swarming like a realm of bees.
Every body was there. The Windsor patrons
and their wives were on hand. 1t began to
look like business. Didn't think you'd
come" said everybody. you don't know
US, replied everybody else.
SO it was deemed best at about high twelve,
to call the Pomona members to order. There
they were good hall full, the highest officer
present being the Lecturer, Bro. Samuel L.
Boardman of Augusta, who organized the
meeting, putting ''subs" in the vacant stations
and calling to the chair Bro Otis Meader of
Albion, former Master, to preside during
the day, which he did most acceptably-
After the formalities of opening and the dis
patch of regular business, a report from sub
ordinate oranges was called for. 1t was
found that delegations were present from
eight oranges in Kennebec county, and one
in Lincoln county, these delegations number
from ttVn Ia tUa fTbia did
not include Windsor grange; for when the
roll was called no response was heard from
Windsor. Where were they? Aye, on duty
in the lower hall The tramping of busy
feet the rafting of dishes, the fragrant
odors of delicious viands gave evidence that
the sisters and brothers of Windsor had
heard that there was to be grange meeting
there, that the members of Pomona were on
hand, and-unusual thing for grangers-that
they were hungry, SO when, about 10 p.
NJ. recess was called, there was spread out
play of choice food upon the heavily loaded
tables, as only the oldest and best regulated
oranges in the county can ever expect to rival
or even approach. Here was where the first
half of the Second surprise" to visiting pat
rons came in. How did they get up so splendid
a dinner on so short notice, out of one small
pot of beaus-for this was all the food visi-
Bile when the journal man reached the
spot
A late dinner gave short afternoon and
business was resumed as early as possible.
The grange opened in the Fifth Degree AID
gave instructions to class of sixteen in the
beautiful lessons of the degree of Pomona.
After this the meeting was opened to the
public. and the last half of the surprise
dawned upon Windsor's visitors. 1t was
in the goodly number who had
come together to listen to the
proceedings. The sky had become clear
during the forenoon, and although a shower
occurred in the afternoon, the day was not
entirely unfavorable, and the patrons and
farmers of Winthrop evinced their interest
in the subject of dairying by attend
ing the meeting in large numbers. But to-
gether with the surprises were some disap-
pointments. Those who had been assigned
to read essays were not present, which must
have been source of disappointment to the
large audience. But had they been, there
would hardly have been time to have called
the regular programme, for it was nearly
1 O'Clock before the private session
of Pomona Grange was completed.
Bro. G. II. Pierce has been selected by
Windsor Grange to read an address of well
come, but he generously gave his time to
others, and the meeting at once proceeded to
discuss the question of dairying, particularly
with reference to the private or cooperative
method of butter manufacture.
This discussion was offered by Bro. J. II.
Yeaton of Capital Grange, followed by Bros.
Meader, Cobb, Sears, Carpenter, Kennedy,
Anterior, Lapham, J. and Frank Colburn,
Barton, Gray and others 1t was an interes-
ting and practical dicussion. Among the
speeches Bros. Cobb and Meader are certain
" among the most successful private dairy
men in Kennebec county, and they were able
to present good plea for the making of
choice light grade private dairy butter,
which they are able to sell at Boston and
Bar Harbor at fancy prices. The speakers
all advocated the establishment of the cream
cry system as one which would make good
home market for hay, relieve the vie
and daughter from hard work in the handling
of the cream and making of butter, and re-
suit in goods of a uniform quality for which
a high price could be received. Several of
the speakers were so well acquainted with
the working of the creamery method that they
were able to give much information upon the
establishment of creamery, which cannot
fail to be help to those farmers in Windsor
who are contemplating the object of butter
factory for the town. The discussion was
one of the best that Pomona has had for the
season. and it was continued till a late hour.
In the evening the members of Windsor
Grange gave an entertainment to their visitors
which was highly enjoyed the programme be-