Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-05-11
THE OLD MILL.

"Do know anything about the ruins
Of this old milli Well, yes. stranger. !
should say did. " any one docs. II be-
longs to me, or rather to my wife. VIVA,
there Il Of 1t. ! tell you owe much to
this old mill"
The speaker was dressed IN homospun.
and appeared to BE- thrifty farmer Of
fortyfyc. had taken walk before
breakfast ono morning rs m appetizer
ont from Joneaboro. where | was attend.
Ing court, and was standing by the ruins
Of the old mill when he came mp. The
roof had fallen In. windows and doors
disappeared. The old water wheel had
crumblod TO decay aud green Ivy covered
the ruinA The dam was now lcveled TO
a road. and cabbage patch had taken
the place Of the mill pond.
We took o seat on moss grown log
by the side OF tho ruin. and ho contin.
ued,
II WINS with s,oncwall during the
war. and had some pretty tough times,
some narrow escapes aud some hard
tramps, but the Gloss call aud hard
tramp that this old mill once caused mo
made all Of my war experience seem. at
least for time. like u pleasure trip.
This wns tho first mill built on Cedar
creek. and wns built many years ago by
old man Ben White. who lies up yonder
on the hill.
"After the surrender our army was
disbandcd, and the most on IA was pref.
ty close run. We had nothing. and no
way TO get anything. was only about
twcuty.onc then. was strolling round
looking for something to do. and hap-
pcned along this road one morning.
Well. that morning the wheel was In
action. Tho gate was histod and tho
water was skurrying through. Old Ben
White was standing In the door. | says.
Morning, sir. Can | get a job hercy
He took oil his spectaclci, wiped 'eln,
put 'cm back On aud looked at me.
"'Soldicrf says he.
81 was. ays |. Till the surrender
"Luckicr than my boys says he.
One Of them ataid behind down 1T Stone
river, The others ling up there ON the
hill-shot in front Of Richmond and
come home 10 die. and the old man tool,
out his handkerchief and wiped his oyca
Did YOU ever work In millg
"'No.'
"'Well, that don't make much differ
onco. said he; business IL picking up
and you can stay. I'm getting old IN
pay you what can afford 20. We can
tell batter in n woois or two. Have you
been 10 breaklhs,y
81 have not, said.
"'woll, 30 TO tho house, said he.
Tell Kitty that's my daughter. the only
ono the Yanks didn't kilD TO give YOU
breakfast, and como back. you can work
on tho dam to-day. There's some lcaks
that need stopping
$50 ] went over the hill 10 the house,
18TH had my Confederate uniform on,
and Mir. White met mo on tho piazza,
saw tears ON her CHECKS, and suppose
the uniform reminded her OF her own
boys. | told her was going To work for
Mr. White, and that he sent me over for
breakfast. SO wo went In, and she called
Kitty, who soon had my breakfast ON
the table. Kitty was about four wear,
younger than !, tho picture OF health,
checks aa red as roses Her sparkling
eyes nndled spark in my heart thnp
has never gone out. After breakfast
went back. and Kitty went with mo
tend the mill while her father went
breakfast. llo showed me the leaks IN
the dam before no went.
'ln fact, worked a week patching IN
the old dam, and after that / worked in
the mill and ON the farm and In the Rar.
dehi drove the produce to town, and
became moro and more attached 10 the
place and 10 Ben and Martha White and
To Kitty How did love that grill
was never 40 happy as when listening TO
inc music OF her voice. shall never
forget the evenings spent In the big front
room before the open fireplace when 1
was Bon Whites hired man-Bcn and
Martha, and Kitty and I. used 10
crack hickory nuts and butteruuts ON AN
old Hat Iron, aud Kitty popped corn.
while tho winter wind was whlsling
outside. s
"ln summer Kitty and used 10 90
hshing' Sometimes we would 80 Up the
pond IN the boat, and sometimes when
inc mil was not running we'd 70 down
there and get inside the big wheel and
hsh In the deep hole. There's where we
generally got tho finest fish. One day
we had just got our fishing tackle ont ~
Inc mill, and was hesitating whether 10
20 up the pond or down In the wheel
WHEN neighbor came over and asked M
To lend him the boat He took n nnd
W. went down in the wheel. We'd been
hAhins probably an hour, and caugh,
sV'ne hhe ones, when all OF sudden
uown poured the water from the flood.
gate rboye, md the wheel commenced
hlnlns The sudden start threw us both
Town igot on my feet in an instant
aha helped Kitty up, and we commenced
~uauip IN the direction onnasit. 10 I'm.