Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1897-06-15
TALK OF THE STATE.

The Whtneyville family whose Chin
ney is blocked by chimney swallows
every spring, with the result that the
house Ia filled with smoke and the fire.
place with dead birds, regard 1t all as an
omen Of good luck and don't mind the
inconvenience.
In launching a schooner at East Harps-
well the other day the ceremony of
breaking n bottle over the bow was
omitted, consequently not until there
had been good deal OF lifting and
grunting not to mention other demonstra-
tions, was II discovered that the hawser
had not been cast OIL.
A Richmond bicyclist carries a paddock
to secure his wheel when he leaves ii on
the street. When two miles from home
the other day ne locked the wheel only
to find that he had left his key at home.
By the time he had walked the four
miles necessary TO get his wheel re-
leased he decided to buy key ring and
paddock that to his person.
The editor Of the Madison Bulletin re-
marks that she rarely allows her doiDgs
to appear in its local columns, but she
makes an exception In the fine catch OF
trout she recently made. Such an ex-
ception is entirely natural and no doubt
will be generally excusable. But what
are common everyday fish yarn mar
rators to do when the editors begin to
relate their own experiences?
A good story is told in the Dexter
Gazette OF meeting between DR.. o.
Fitzgerald with his mustache shaved of
and an old citizen who didn't recognize
the doctor In that disguise. The CONVEX
sation turned upon the doctor and the
bystanders we're greatly amused. But
the Gazette doesn't relate what was said,
though 1t doesn't intimate that the doc
tor failed to enjoy the recital Of his own
life from the lips Of an old neighbor.
Wiscasset boasts in the person Of
Silas l.. Young, aged 30, the Oldest store
keeper In Maine, and the boast Is not an
idle one. He Is still active behind the
counter of his little store, though In
September he will have passed the 9lst
milestone. His recipe for longevity Is.
Take good care Of yourself. Don't
smoke. Don't drink. Don't eat too
much, and get plenty Of sleep" Al
though born in 1906, Mr.. Young remem-
bers the early years following the slate
war OF 1872" vividly. He was postmaster
for seven years, being appointed by
President Buchanan in the fifties. Public
life didn't suit him over-well, and he was
only too glad to go back to his place be-
hind the counter. Since then he has
seen the rise and fall of Wiscasset, and,
to quote his own words. "You needn't
tell me this harbor Is going to be left to
rack and ruin. Ii is the finest harbor on
the coast and some day 1t will be again
the centre of commerce. These old
eyes may not see 1t, but the day is surely
coming"
The editor Of the rod and gun column
In the Courier-G Gazette has timely word
respecting the bobolink. He says: ~
am very sorry to say that this beautiful
songster Is growing less In number every
year, and unless something Is done to
stop his wanton destruction we shall
soon lose him forever. A few years ago
YOU could 90 out in the morning and lis
ten to concert fit for the angels-may-
hap thirty bobolinks In one tree, every
one q glorious singer, and every one
dressed in his best suit of black and buff.
Sousa is not to be compared with It. For
Jolly, rollicking song give me the bob
oiink. A fortnight later the females ar
rive. Then the grand chorus breaks up
and the love season begins. Who saw
them when they came? No one. You
90 out into the field, you hear the robins,
the sparrows, the twitter of the swal-
lows, but not q bobolink. They swept
down amid the silence Of the night when
you were sleeping, and In the morning
hours rises that great and unmistakable
gush Of melodi0us song, which neither
nor any man, nay, not even my mocking
bird, can initiate. Now, II the b0bolinks
are disappearing so fast, where are they
going tor Do the hawks and owls catch
them? Not to any extent. Do the foxes
and skunks eat them? No. I'll tell you
were they 90 to, and blush for my race
to tell it-they 70 into peoples stomachs.
Think Of it-that darling, gay, r0llickiDg
prince Of singers TO be eaten and digest
ed like common victuals!" He 10 proud
OF the fact that the birds are not killed
in Maine. It Ii when they get south that
the slaughter begins. We presume,
however, the rice grower Of South Caro-
lima feels that he has . right TO protect
bis crops and this excuse IL made the
pretext Of Wholesale killing for another
purpose.