Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1891-04-16
FOR the Ellsworth American.
Old Miser Ellis.

'6randi amer, you promised to tell US
the story Of hos Old Mscr Eli. came by
his large property. which every body claims
he possesses spite of his pretended power
Is, Now the evenings are long. Kate and
have decided to hold you to your prom
ise"
This long speech-long for her who was
seldom known To make so lengthy sen
tence in the whole duration OF her eighteen
years of maideuhood-was delivered by
pretty, piqusnt Martha McFarlane to her
grandfather, Uncle sam" Hitchings, as
he was usually called by neghbors and ac-
quaintanCes. II often happens that a man
who has large number of nephews and
nieces is continually called "uncle" by
them until il becomes second nature to
others TO call him uncle whenever speak
ing to or about him, though not in the
least related. know of a msn who long
sailed out OF Frenchman's Bay, who,
though scarcely forty years of age. was
uncle to many men old enough TO be his
father. 50 many of his. relatives were
amoug the sailors and fishermen of that
day that at last nearly every one dropped
into the habit of calling him uncle Tn
der similar circumstance the cognomen
of Uncle Sam attached to Mr. Samuel
Hitchngs-as | shall call the narrator of
well-known facts tnat are even now fully
remembered by some of the older residents
of the locality where my story is located.
well, Martha, | feel pretty tired to-
night, and you must know that cannot
stand a hard days work as we'll as | could
| sixty years ago when | was nearly out OF
/ my time, As We boys used to say ;but | will
overhaul the rubbish in the attic OF my head
on which the dust of many years has accu
mulated, and see what can find interest
ing. | have before related that when IN,
father first came to this locality the Who'll.
region was one boundless forest He built
log cabin on that knoll just this side OF
the creek where the old apple-trees still
stand. You remember the big tree from
which you picked the apples which you de
clared must have caused Mary Havey to
be SO sour. Well. that tree stood near oul
front door. and was planted by my mother
soon after her marriage. Bushels and yes
sci loads of apples have been gathered
from that same tree, and they were gooC
apples then, before the tree run out"
"But what has that to do with the prom
ised story?'
"A great deal, Martha, great deal, fol
on that big branch which extends TOWARD
the creek man grew one autumn"
ga man grew" exclaimed both girls il
breath.
"Yes-grew pale in the face; then grew
black, then unconscious"
what do you mean, grandfather?
said Martha. Although she well knew tn,
joking propensity of the old man, which
had become famous in the locality, ant
was also we'll aware be would not be guilty
of falsehood, yet she could not comprehend
his meaning in this instance.
Il mean that Captain Gilbert Ellis
though never believed that was his rea
name-the father of old Miser Ellis, a
you all call him, was hung on that tree fo
piracy and other crimes"
Captain Ellis commanded a rakish
dark hulled brig of some one hundre,
tons. Sometimes he was away from her
for long time-often for months-trad
ing among the West Indies. as he report
ed. He owned substantial house built o
logs, as were all the other houses here
abouts, in which lived his wife, alone, saw
the attendance of an old negro man an
woman. His wife was a beautiful, educat
ed and refined lady; but the sad look al
ways upon her face, and her longing, wisi
full eyes, told plainly that her lot was
hard and unhappy one. Their house wa
situated in plain sight of my fathers, NOR
than mile away upon the side of the bill
toward Blunts Pond, and about half. wa
from the shore to the pond.
Often Captain Ellis came here and ar
chored just within the creek-the waite
was deeper then than now; indeed, hi
vessel being light could come well up int
the creek. The action of the tide in tn
bay aud the water from above have dlle'