The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-07-08
MAINE TOWNS.
Items of Interest Gathered by Cores.
pondents of the Press.

THE RESCUE OF AN OLD PLACE.
May we borrow the title of Mrs. Rob
bins's charming book and describe VIVA
happened to the old family home. 1t il
| situated within short distance of Casct
Bay in one of the most delightful ant
typical New England villages that it has
| even been our lot to see. Tall elms Dor
der the streets, the houses are all neat il
appearance and give evidence of belong
ing to well-to-do folk. Three manufac.
turing, companies only betray their pres
ence by the Increased appearance Of
thrift which they give to everything, and
factory tenements are unknown. A tidal
river with three picturesque falls OF
water, runs through the town, its sides
bordered with pines, willows, NAPLES.
and ash. A winding path along the
river leads through clumps of alder,
Rustic bridges and seats have been SIN.
piled by a large-minded and generous
donor, while at the end of the walk one
can refresh himself with water from a
delicious spring. But this is only one
feature OF the village attractions.
Inc drives from it in every direction
are unsurpassed in beauty and variety.
NOW one passes through grove of trees.
now we see long stretches of undulating
meadow lands, now a vista of elms now
a glimpse OF water through the shrub
berry, now the expanse of beautiful Cas-
co Bay with it's wooded islands. it's
sparkling blue water.
But how did it happen that there was
an Old place to be rescued? In the MANY
changes and vicissitudes of life. it had
passed out of the hands of the original
owners. The old people had died, the
younger were called to other places of
activity. The house, like so many in
our New England towns was allowed to
fall into decay. 1t became the home
of many different families, some of
whom were interested in keeping up the
old traditions, others having no thought
for them and allowing marks of neglect
and want of care-taking to be plainly evil
dent The house was so thickly popu-
lated as to earn for itself the name of
bee Hive, and it became somewhat of
reproach to the Deighborhood, and no
one would have grleved if some accident
had caused it to bedestroyed.
But still, among the elders there lin
gered memory of the old time hospi-
tality and of the large lives that had been
lived in the old house.
-~~-~f7
stopped in the town, and it was snr
gested by kind friends that change was
about to be made in the ownership Of the
place which had been our grandparents
home. The idea was preached as to the
possibility OF its return to the descend
ants OF the original owners. AT first it
looked like a scastle in the air. but af-
ter consideration it seemed feasible,
and 1T became an accomplished fact.
In the beginning of this century which
is the date of the old house, men builded
perhaps, better than they knew. At all
events, we found the old timbers and
frame work sound, the open fire places
with their suggestions of comfort and
cheer IN every room, the two brick ovens
in which had been baked so MANY ioaves
of good brown bread and SO many
custard and apple pies, were apparently
ready again to be used and in spite Of a
few modern conveniences which had
crept In, we found that the grandchildren
could sleep in the same rooms which had
been used by the grandparents and that
the cubby holes and tuck-away places
were still as fascinating to this genera
ton as they had been to the past.
And now we call in our workers for
needed repairs. Good, strong Maine
men, men who, some of them, knew the
grandparents and who were all,s except
perhaps the youngest. familiar with The
history of the former jewellers and inter-
ested to have the home restored. Much
as we value the services, as working
people, of our foreign class, give us stout
New England hearts and strong New
England hands for real work and inter
ested labor.
AS we drove to and from the scene of
busy activity our driver informed us
with stories of how ''Uncle William
and AUNT Olive drove to meeting in
the OK sled in the winter time and how
the men who brought load of wood to
the lumber yard always had glass of
rum when they had finished unloading
and that, too, from good Baptist dea-
con What would Neal Dow say to that
But the new shed is built, the old barn
is reshingled, the caves in which weeds
have sprouted have been repaired, the
rooms are fresh with new paint, the
paper with its clover blossoms and honey
bees as well as with the many beautiful
reproductions which modern art has put
within the reach Of scanty purses is on
the walls and the old home is ready for
occupancy.
VII JIG new IlIe winch is TO be lived
there be as rich as the old which has
passed away? Will the memory of good
deeds done ard the lives which have been
encouraged and cheered by the examples
Of the older generation, continued in the
new and will this old place, which has
been rescued, really become again tour
home" A. w. S.
Sanford.
sPRINGvALE.