Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-04-04
G Correspondence.


"Reminiscences is long word. 1t means
to recover ideas. and bring to mind what
is past. VIII it help any way-worn
traveiie,, or any young friend just start
ing out Of life's port, for me to speak OF
the way the lord our God has led me
these seventF--ix years lin the wilder
ness. Tor life, journey is through the
wilds9
Every young person sees hour. and
days when life seems like tangled forest
where not a footprint or broken twlg Is
found to direct him out into cleared lana.
1t was so with me, born not rich. but to
struggle with poverty. 80, said one,
chad been born rich instead OF hand
some. but being neither as the world
goes there is q poor show for a young
man or women unless there Is large
amount of faith and perseverance.
Baked beans, brown bread, pumpkin
pies. and brick ovens, are very at
traetive to young people, yet the chances
are that they cannot stay to enjoy them.
Home is a good place to begin to do
things but all cannot stay long at home
The first work l remember of doing was
to drive the cows to pasture about one
mile. and go for them at night. There
was long hiilto climb each way, and l
still thank old Line Back" for kindly
loaning me her tail TO help me up the
hills.
The first money ever earned Wa Tor
making bow for boys in M young days
were taught To bow to strangers. Men
no and wished
me to take pitcher OF Water to the
shore took it to them. They drank
and gave me back the pitcher, when /
bowed At once they said, "A boy that
bows like that shall have his pay, and
passed me two whole cents. bowed
again They rummaged all their pockets
and found nineteen eoppers. They gave
me one or two each time. These | sand
WICKED with bow, and went home, i'm
agine. feeling a. rich as some men who
have a million and not puzzled half SO
much to know what to do with it.
/ never was fighting boy, but once |
fought. when at the summer school boy
some two years older than myself said to
me. s.My mother is the best My young
blood began to boil with indignation, and
/ said to him, ut is not So! He then
affirmed again My mother is the best
Said l, you lie; and if you say that
another time I'll knock you down" see
to-day the very spot where we We're stand
ing, near steep bank behind the old
school house, and when he last said My
mother is the best" with all my power !
put my little fist into his face, and pitched
him down the bank; heels over head he
went, but scrambled up with cries, 'Ill
tell the mistress We soon We're friends
again and this ended all our fighting.
Like other boys l had a strong desire
to ride a horse, but was no: allowed to
ride alone A gentleman came to cross
the ferry and left his horse in care of
John, my brother. 1t was early spring
and our cattle yard was dishing like
deep soup plate, and full of what is often
seen in country COW yards, both deep and
softened, and well mixed by the tramping
of the cattle. John proposed giving the
horse some water. Hi words We're inspir-
ing In a moment we We're mounted and
driving through the yard to the place of
watering The drinking over, John refined
IHe morse toward llt Ndiu, anu Vii
his open hand gave him slap across the
ears. What happened can better be
imagined than described The horse flew:
my hold on John was tight, and when ne
cow-yard bars were fairly passed, in the
middle and deepest place of mire, pulled
John off, and well besmeared we We're
from head 10 foot. One might suppose
my zeal was cooled for riding horseback;
not 50, like ii still; but soon learned
that riding in world like this. and in
life like mine was he exception not the
rule
Thoughts of other days crowd in upon
me. The finder box half filled with cot
ton scorched, and brought 10 use with
flint and steel if fire went out. Our old
farm had tongue of land which pointed
seward. The water washed the north
and south. The sea birds played around
the beach.
There too, the Indian made his home in
early days The bank shows their
work. You see it thickened with the
shells. Here they lived before the Pill
grim Fathers came across the sea. Around
they padded in their birch canoes.
They shot the seal, they cooked and ate
them. Their huts We're on these sunny
banks. There they died and passed on
to the Great Spirit
This point of land, covered with spruce
and birch, was world to me when | was
young There / learned to swing the
axe; chased the squirrel to his hole, and
in the chase l caught one, when quick as
fash it pressed its long sharp teeth quite
through my hand; flung it down and
found the squirrel mad the better judg-
ment of the two.
| tried to catch the fox with baited
hook hung on tree, and had he jumped
and bit, and string had held, I'd have had
him-but the fox, be did not come, the