The herald., 1895-07-02
HALSTEAD'S PADDY'S RUN PAPERS

on the other side Of the Miami river and
beyond tho county line! There was somo
thing that touched the Imagination to go
over from Butler to Hamilton county, to
be occupied for IS weeks and paid for 1t
out Of the county treasury
Colcrain had two distinguished features
the stillhouse with hugo hog pens, that
were on an island in the river, COM
binod with a gristmill managed by the
proprietor Of the distillery to grind wheat
and corn-that is. mako -four and meal
ard q woolen mandatory constructed by
q man of education who had been around
tho world and was hero and an adven-
turer in my eyes. gentleman whose
brother met long afterward in Paris, ono
of the most important Of tho American
bankers thore during the empire. There
were about half dozen dwelling houses.
In tho Immediate neighborhood were
two or three prosperous farmers, ono in
particular highly respected citizen, pres
ident of the board of directors of Farmers
collegc-Giles Richards, Esq. Mrs. Rich
ards was lady of refinement, accused Of
aristocracy, but was gentle and interest
ing because she was interested and kind.
Down tho road beside the river were other
farms, on ono of which, with an old bach
elor, public spirited and energetic, and his
admirable maiden sister, living hand
somely but plainly in tho midst Of or
chards and watermelon patches ard corn
fields, boarded. Taking boardcrs was
irregular for my good friends the John
sons, but they graciously made an excep-
'tion for which was grateful In my favor.
I found Mr.. johnson on jury once long
after, jury that had thought was pack
ed against me by dark, designing persons,
for was practicing law then as defond-
ant, charged with libeling my fellow
citizens by telling too large percent
age of truth. Since l have mentioned the
jury I may say my friend would have
found verdict for or against anybody,
according to the law and the evidence, but
l knew the jury was not packed against
mo as soon rs 1 saw him, and his appear
Gnce in the case was an utter accident. 1t
was funny, though, that my Oldest friend
in the county was right there, for 1t was
hard fight and lasted long.
The Colerain schoolhouse was a little
brick perched on n hillside that sloped
sharply toward the river and overlooked
the village. Beyond the house and still
higher or the hill was the Cincinnati
turnpike. Below IL was another road fol-
lowing the river to Hamilton and forking
from the Cincinnati pike, n stones throw
westward The Colerain bridge was few
hundred yards further along, heavy
frame resting on solid stone abutments
and single pier. This structure was we'll
boarded up and always dusty and fire.
quented by cattle fond of shelter. knew
the place WELL for my duty as a mill boy
had often taken mo with bags of wheat or
corn on horse to Colerain mills, where 1
would wait for the grinding and fish un-
til the grist was ready. Once I caught
big yellow catfish and had such horrid
task carrying tho Shiny thing, with the
sharp prongs at its gills, that was sorry
it swallowed my hook. Ono of my ways
of getting few dimes had been to savo
the toll money given to pay for crossing
the bridge by fording the river, but 1 was
broken of that trick by finding my horse
nearly swept away, because brush had
been thrown and weighted to change the
current so as to spoil tho ford for the ben
eft of the bridge.
This was my introduction to the meth
ods of "grasping corporations. - They did
not seem to think drowning boy or so
would make much difference My first
day of school was less trying than some
that followed, for l did not insist upon
of the names and ages Of the children, who
had assembled to the number of about 35.
l was glad to SEQ there were no big boys.
1t was not the season for them. There
were several nice girls, who looked as
though they meant to be good, and indeed
they turned out so. The bigger they were
the better they behaved asked n sturdy
youth Of IA what his namo and age were,
and he answered with sharp, high voice,
"Sidney Pinney, IA and going on 49,"
and he added, speaking to q companion
with an unnecessary word or two that
were prohibited by the school rules, "Ho
doesn't look 100 years old himself. does
hep"
did not hear the remark Officially. +"
was still in my toens and had a very
youthful appearance, which justified some
surprise. Sidney Pinney was the son Of
tho principal man in the business of the
village. Pinney's Mills were a celebrity
in part on account of an iron wheel in the
machinery that, when it was going to
rain and the wind was from the southeast
could be heard all over Paddy's Run, five
miles away; and when the wind was from
the southwest and there was rain in the
air tho Shaker bell" Of the White Water
village announced the dinners and sup
pcrs and the hours of worship over the
greater part of two townships, and tho
township was six miles square.
MURAT HALsTEAD.