Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-07-11

But Il Il Written From the Town Of Mon
mouth, Me.


But It IL Written From the Town Of Mon
mouth, Me.
NEW YORK MEN GOT HERE, HOWEVER, TO RE-
cUPERATE IN THE SUMMER TIME-A NOTED
CLERGYMAN AS FARMER-soME FISH STORIES
APPROPRIATE 10 THE SEASON.
Special Correspondents of The Evening Star
New YORK, July 8, 1891.
In July New York spatters over most Of the
United States, not to say Europe and Asia.
Hence 1t il proper at this time TO write New
York letter from anywhere. A it happens,
however. HAYES second excuse for using New
York date line, though am 400 miles distant
from the roar and heat of Broadway. This ex-
cuse is that write under the inspiration Of .
spot that has had a marvellous influence in
shaping the intellectual life Of New York and
the nation. for find myself, a. a summer waif,
where for eight years the impulse was given to
the North American Review and to the Forum.
What true and pregnant fable that was of
Anteus, the Greek god, who, whenever thrown
to earth, found in the EARTH his parent, fresh
strength with which to renew the struggle.
We are all children of the same nature and find
in contact with her O neyer-failing refreshmeut
and tonic. This is as true of editors rs of other
mortals, and SO 1t came about that for several
months each year the hard work OF
conducting two great metropolitan magazines
In turn was done in plain little shed in
country pasture in the heart Of Maine. 1t is a
unique spot in the world, this bare. tiny out
buillng. whence issued the best contemporary
thought, spot all the more striking for its abb
solute lack of the picturesque, spot that
speaks of plain living and high thinking" as
no wealth and taste Of upholstery and decora-
ton could do.
We haven't any too many literary Meccas-
scarcely enough to go around, as it were,
among people that are anxious to indulge in
worthy hero worship-and hence this bare shed
on Mr.. Metcslfs ancestral farm in Monmouth,
Maine, deserves the reverent steps of the pill
grim.
Then I've another reason for the New York
date line. Everybody knows that these sturdy
hills are quarries of men, and example may
be found just across The little pond at the rear
OF the summer and autumn Office of the North
American and Forum, in the shape
OF the old homestead and summer resi-
donce of Rev. DR.. Day, the stalwart
Methodist minister who breaches to the
largest Methodist congregation in New York
city, If not in the United States Up here DR..
Day is not the divine, but the horny-handed
farmer, six feet four in height and broad and
thick to match, blowing, driving his score OF
horses and attending to the ''chores' OF .
genuine and not simply play farmer.
Finally, third reason exists in the old red
school house. passed yesterday on a ramble
another OF those quarries of greatness. One
OF It's many graduates of national eminence
stands with drawn sword before New York
ready to defend her if the need arose with all
the force and valor of the government, for here
Gen. o. o. Howard conned his school boy tasks.
And so we see it's difficult to separate New York
and its suburbs, especially in the summer.
A MAJESTIC SUMNER BoARDER
But there are other summer visitors Of dis
tinction at Monmouth. am told at the village
store and we all know that this is the very
treasure house of truth, that while the little
brook which turns the mill is barren of trout
ordinarily, every autumn there swims up to
the dam monstrous trout, weighing four
pounds. His arrival is coon noticed and
noiscd abroad, aud then the citizens go
down to the mill en- masse to pay their
respects. They don't take brass band with
them, first, because trout don't like brass
bands and, secondly. because Monmouth hasn't
any. But the tributes Of respect ere none the
less sincere. 1t has been years since any man
or boy was sacriiesious enough to seek to catch
the famous stranger. We're any one to do SO
now he would be ostra cised as is the hateful
hunter who shoots the towns eagle OR the
woodman who doesn't srare the tree This
is the tale-as cautious old Herodotus would
say, SO at least / am told. But it would be
interesting to see the male population of Mon
mouth lining the banks OF the stream in
admiring silence while the majestic front
gravely showed himself off. swimming from
pool to pool with the dignifed grace of a 10, 600
ton Atlantic greyhound passing through the
NarroWs.
FISHING WITHOUT MURDER.
The fishing here is apt to be quite humani-
tartan and considerate. even when the lines are
cast in tho pleasant places OF pond or stream
and the fish are invited TO rartake. Yesterday
two fishermen wot of went trolling for bass
in the lake. They toiled manfully up to the
n ia tlA Ill
distant. then got out their line and toiled back
Not bite rewarded these conscientious labors.
however. But this result was not wholly unex-
pected nor unprecedented. Hauling in the
line however, one reason for the lack of spoils;
Tor 1t then appeared that the fishers had ne
elected to take the bits of cork off the hooks
before they threw out the line.
LEARNED AT THE POST OFFICE.
There is time for one more fish story before
the mail goes. 1t is vouched for at the store as
correct. 1t seems that fisherman left his line
and rod for an hour and when he returned
both were gone. He hunted the lake dill
gently, but they were not to be found and he
came to the conclusion either that whale had
swallowed the whole outfit or that some boy
had stolen it. -Four days afterward, however.
pole was seen floating on another pond five
miles oil. Its twitchlng motion attracted at
tention and reused curiosity. skiff put out
and 1t was captured, when a mammoth bass
was found well hooked at the business
end Of the tackle. The identity of the
outfit with the one recently lost in the other
pond was soon established, and then the cues
ton arose how the fish could have got into the
further water. some of the post office losicians
hold that the bass Topped over the inturning
mountain dragging the POLE as the Name bears
sometimes traverse long distances dragging
trap; others incline to Rider Haggard
theory of an underground channel, and
instance the recent mysterious Lake in the
wild west in coroboration still others think the
boy lied. ltwould not lie modest for stranger
in these parts 10 decide where local doctors
thus disagree. Suffice it then to saw that
strange facts may be learped at village store
in the quiet twilight hour or when it is too wet
for haying. HENRY Il. ELLIOT
The "Typewriter's Knife"
From the Chicago Mail
l stepped into cutters shop in South Clark
street the other day to rurchase a ra,,lc,,ifa