Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1896-04-23

the recitation room, but the pro-
iessors and students all acknowledged
MS superiority in Latin and English
composition. Hawthorne said OF him
self: 81 was an idle student, negligent
OF college rules and the procrustean de
tails OF academic life, rather choosing to
'''..e, ".s uv. ioneios .AL.. - dig into
Greek roots, and be numbered among the
49, = ~ -'-.ls."
He never acclaimed in the old chapel, as
the students were obliged TO do on Wed
nesdays. lie paid fines regularly, rather
than go through witt that dreaded ordeal
lie was notably deficient in musical tai
cnt, in fact he often declared that he
never could distinguish between "Yankee
Doodle and "iIail Columbia.
Hawthorne was not a regular attendant
upon the Sunday services, As shown in a
letter to his sister Louise. My health
this term has been as good as usual, ex-
cept thet sometimes | nm afflicted " tn
the Sunday sickness; and ms hat happens
to be the case to-day, ! employ my time
in writing to you" 1t is remarkable
fact hat the students of to-day are af-
iiicted with that same sickness.
That he was typical college boy, We
have no doubt. He played cards, had
wines in his room, and went off fishing
and shooting with Bridge, when the
faculty thought he was Mt his books. He
cared but little for the usual athletic
sports OF college. Base ball and foot ball
had no charms for him; though he occa-
sionaIly took part in the rough and
tumble games. He disliked running or
jumping his favorite exercise WAS walk
ing, and in that he was untiring. He
loved to wander along the river and
through the woods, sometimes alone, but
more often with his chums-Pierce,
Longtellow and Bridge, " here they talked
over the trials OF college life, and dis
cussed the probable future OF each one.
paradise Spring" one OF the favorite re-
sorts, A beautiful spot not far from the
college buildings, is now better known as
"Hawthorne Brook" in memory OF the
great writer of romances, who as a young
dreaming lad spent many hours in that
lovely place.
Horatio Bridge in his Personal Recol
Iections OF Nathaniel HAWTHORNE says:
another of our favorite stroils WAS in
sparsely settled street by the riverside.
There after tea, Hawthorne and often
walked, silent or conversing, according to
the humor OF the hour. These rambcs
sometimes ended at the implanted cottage
OF AN old fortune teller, who from the
ten leaves i'll n cracked cup, or from a
soiled pack of cards, evoked our re-
-pectyo destinies. She always gave us
brilliant futures, in which the most at
tractiye OF the promised gift. We're
abundance OF gold and great wealth Of
wives. Lovely beings these wives OF
destiny were sure to be. some OF whom
the old cronc prophesied would be dark
complicated and Others light complicated,
but all surprisingly beautiful
II may be OF interest to the reader to
know That the house OF the old fortune
teller is now gone, and that Il railway
track occupies its former site. Gradual
ing in the illustrious class OF 1875, Eaw-
thorue became before many years
Americas greatest romancer. a fact of
which Bowdoin is duly proud; and
Brunswi lex people never tire OF telling
the new corners what Hawthorne did
when hc was student in Bowdoin col
lege.
In the preface OF the SNOW Image
dedicated to IIoratio Bridge, Hawi horne
gives some pleasant glimpse OF his col
lege lie. III anybody i responsible for
my being at this day an author, il is
yourself. | know not whence your faith
country college, gathering blue berr=ts
in study hours under those tall, academic
pines or watching the great logs As they
tumbled along the current OF the Andres
coggjn, or shooting pigeons or gray -quir-
rcls IN he woods, or bat towing in the
summer twilight, or catching trout IN
that ,hadoWy little stream which,
suppose, j. etill wandering riyerWard
through the forest, though you and Mil
never cast II line in it again; two idle lads
in short ,as We need net fear 10 acknow-
ledge now doing hundred things tlat
the faculty never heard Of, or else it
would have been the worse tor Us still,
ii was your prognostic Of your friends
destiny that he was to be writer Of
fiction. And a fction-moHger he be-
cHme in due season.
SARA SARGENT ABBOTT.
Brunswick, 1895.
RAILROAD IMPROVEMENTS.