The Portland daily press., 1894-10-06

here is no twinkle i'll the players
gray eyes, no change in his solemn coun-
tenance. Only his big rubber boots
give evidence that he and his bagpipes
are sympathetic within, though different
with out.
just up over the hill from the mills
and bridge of Perham, is the farm Of the
late Hon. James Nutting, State Senator
in 1891. 1t was only to be expected,
as one of the many great contrasts in
Aroostook, that on that farm in this
little town with the wilderness and log
cabins all around, should be located tie
largest and best orchard in Aroostook. 1t
is a characteristic Aroostook orchard;
that is, the trees are small, but very
fruitful. There are 1000 of these small
trees, none of them over six inches in
diameter at the butt and most of them
less, and only ten or twelve feet high,
yet most of them SO laden with large
fruit that the branches had to be proped
up and several were split down and lying
on the ground. The orchard was started
by Mr.. Nutting but seven years ago,
and his widow now takes charge OF it.
1t was beautiful sight to see these
small trees fairly red with their burden
of A lexanders and Wealthys and Duchess
apples. There were some other kinds,
but these prevail largely. Apple trees
of these kinds seem to flourish in Aroos-
took soil like everything else. Trees of
that size aud age do not bear so we'll as
that in any other part of the State.
However the apples that are SO valuable
in Oxford and Androscoggin counties
the Baldwins, Greetings, etc.. that are
shipped to England do not flourish in
Aroostook. Mrs. Nutting's orchard
bore about 600 barrels this year.
n AroUstook people are very social, and
already the winter season of dances and
sociables has begun in Presque Isle. A
series Of weekly assem- blies began fort
night ago, and the ether night there was
"pie sociablen alder the auspices of
one of the churches Whether Hpie
soclables" are peculiar to Aroostook or
not we cannot say, but that they ought
to prevail everywhere We can positively
affirm. There was dancing at first, and
all the time that long table in the corner
of the hall laden with delicious looking
pies of every description, served as veri-
table tonic in the waltz and quadrille;
at least to the novces of the occasion.
1t WAS good to think of the future. lit
made the feet fly faster and merrier. 1t
you don't believe it then there is no
rial blue blood of the Yankees in 20 II
veins. Finally the auctioneer took his
some and jolly. as they always are at
church sociables. He began by announce
ing that the good people had assem- bled,
not only for their own pleasure, bnt for
the benefit of the Lord. For the latter
purpose he would forthwith proceed to
sell his pies. On each pie was a number,
corresponding to number carried by
the lady who brought the pie. The gem
tleman who bid the highest secured the
pie and the company of the lady in eat
ing it. Of couse it was secret as to
whom the lady she ud be, and purely
a matter of luck as to whether she should
be just the right one or not. The pies
sold rapidly at prices ranging from 40
cents to dollar. There were some Skin
mishes for certain pies, but whether due
to the pie. per Sc, or clue to its owners
identity didn't appear on the surface.
One novice had made up his mind that
only pumpkin pie should tempt his
pocketbook. Hadn't he seen the pump
kins all around in the fields looking
good enough to bite right into, and
hadn't his soul been yearning and un-
satisfied for a weary time. Besides a
conviction took POSSESSION of him that
there was such Il general similarity of
attracti veness between a certain plump
brown pie and certain young lady on
the other side of the hall that the one
must have brought the other He lifted
eer's, and the pie was his-but the young
lady wasn't. He ate his pie with nine
year-old maiden, and reflected upon the
uncertainty of convictions.
> The auctioneer had officiated on previ-
GUS occasions. Once there was spirit of
rivalry rampant, and the pies sold for
as nigh as So and 81 apiece. He partook
of the prevailing sentiment, and after
he had sold all but one pie declared that
he wanted to buy pie, and that his
place must be- filled. 1t was filled and
then some of his former friends resolved
that he should buy pie to his neart's
content. They "whooped" himalp in the
bidding aud of course he wonldn2t back
down, and when the pie WAS finally his
it had added $500 to the fund OF the
church.
Last spring as two passengers were rid
ing together on the Canadian Pacific
railroad down the ST. John valley, the
one who Was a Canadian said to the
other. who was from Maine, that Aroos-
took had exhausted its resources in get
ting the road through from Bangor to
Houlton, and that it would stop there.
!he talk about reaching Presque Isle by
fall was all nonsense. The great and
powerful Canadian Pacific would never
allow the Aroostook river valley to be-
taken away from it. This man was not
a good prophet. The new road was all
Srdueu lung ago IRON dOulGOn TO. EfoSQ u6
Isle. and the twelve miles down the
river to Caribou ION the opposite side
from the Canadian Pacific will be ready
for the rails very soon now. That the
rail layers will reach Pesque Isle before
the snow comes to stay Is practically
certain. The country has proved very
easy for grading the road Much of it
has been what the contractors call mere
"hen scratching;" that is, simply
levelling the unevenness of the fields.
much as one would pillow up pasture
into rows of potato hills The $4,000
n mile su bscribed by the county has more
than paid for the construction from
Houlton to Presque Isle. At the latter
place it has been decided that the road
shall pass directly through the business
section of the town, just between the
buildings on the main street and the
stream in the rear. At first ii was to 90
through the outskirts near the G. P. rail-
way, and some grading was done there.
Several buildings on cross streets must
be removed One Frenchman's little
house and lot that was worth very little
proved worth $4,000 to him in damages,
and besides that he still has the house
after he has hauled it away. On the
line to Caribou tbs track passed through