The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-01-07
SATURDAY MORNING. JANUARY Z 1893

the bucket would be attacked and
rather than lose all he would give up
the chase. If, however, he still con-
tinued the pursuit some little fellow
would overturn the bucket. / upset a
bucket, kicked it over once, and when
saw how hard the man took it was
cut, and afterward we never lost a
chance of persuading our parents to
buy from him., So you see, there were
some bad boys in those days, and was
one of them. We were little towards,
too, to impose upon helpless slaves who
dared not strike us, and who could not
prosecute us. However, according to
the customs of the times, I guess we
were not worse than the average boys
of the present and rising generation. In
the days of Ramesis, Joseph, Pharaoh
and Confucius, I presume boys were
boys, just the same.
''This city has changed, in fifty years,
more than the customs have changed.
When I was boy there was plenty of
fresh air out of doors. To-day. the
houses are so close together, the yards
are SO small, the streets SO concerted and
glaring that the whole town seems
'stuffy' to me. Fifty years ago Penpsyl-
vania avenue was dirt road with two
rows of poplars in the middle from the
capitol to Fifteenth street. There werei in
this distance two wooden bridges-one
the well-known Tiber bridge at Second
street, which was replaced by a brick
and stone arch few years before the
war, and the other wooden structure
over the run between Ninth and Tenth
streets. This run, which had it's source
at the springs in Franklin square,
coursed down between Ninth and
Tenth streets and emptied into the
canal. 1t was about 1888 that the ave-
nue. was macademized, and for this
work the district is indebted to num-
Der of our German families who came
here to work and settled down. The
avenue was not concerted until 1877. /
remember the event very well. The
work was pushed along in order to
have the smooth surface ready for the
parade when President Hayes was in
augurated and for the ball given upon
the avenue that night. 1t was unique
affair, and you may readily understand
what an impression it made upon my
mind as l gazed with my aged eyes
upon the old dirt roa of my boyhood
translated into a floor for fairies and
brownies to sport upon.
~ remember a church scene which
will illustrate to you something of the
kind Of religion we had in those days.
The Sabbath-school of church in the
upper part of the city had, during the
preceding summer, held picnic not a
great distance from the church. 1t so
happened that about noon Johnny K,
one of the small boys, started home,
and seeing handsomely bound hymn
book lying loose Carried it home. When
he returned, the owner of the book had
been informed that Johnny was seen
with the book and he was terribly put
out, for besides its value-it being hand
somely bound and his name appearing
on it in gilt letters--it was priced as a
gift. As soon as he saw Johnny he
called out: Go straight home and fetch
me the book you stole, and Johnny left.
When Johnny informed his. mother
what had happened she placed the book
in her pocket and with Johnny APP
peared on the ground. Again the book
was demanded, and Aunt Kitty, as she
was called, refused to give it up, say
ing: You accused my boy of stealing
the book, and you will get it when you
apologize for it and not before, for my
boy is no thief The old gentleman
pleaded for its return, but, being stiff
necked Christian, he obstinately re-
fused to acknowledge his error, and the
result was that Aunt Kitty returned to
her home with the book. This incident
made bad feeling, but finally the old
gentleman, under the advice of the pas
tor, offered to apologize. This offer the
old lady repealed, saying: No, sir; the
accusation was made in the presence of
crowd, and an apology will only be
accepted when made before a crowd
equally large
''Thus the matter stood until the
Sunday-school Christmas entertain
ment took place, when the church was
filled in every nook and corner. The |
opening piece had been sung and the
old lady having told the owner: Now
is your chance" he at once walked out |
upon the platform, made a little adj |
dress on the use of hasty words and |
their evil results, closing by relating |
the incident and doing what he could |
to recall the words. Just as he closed |
the old lady called little Johnny, gave
him the book, and he at once ran TO the |
platform and placed it in the hands of |
the old gentleman. To say that the
applause was deafening is drawing it
mildly, and for time the many friends
of the parties felt more like rejoicing
aloud than quietly sitting in their seats.
for it was the end of what seemed at
one time to be an irreconcilable quar-
rel" SMITH d. Fry.
Physical CuAsure in Wemen's Colleges.
Tho xx-bo1n opc1rny. +o tho r,Jacfi0Y1 Tc