Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1899-03-15

very little left, after all, to remind the
Oldest Inhabitants OF those pioneer Bar
Harbor days.
sam Hodgkins VAS, in lis day aud gem
Grafton, much-respected citizen Of
Hancock, and like his SON Dudley, better
known as Uncle Dudley, WIS well known
all over the eastern portion of the county.
An amusing story is told by some of his
old acquaintance of how he once made
his Will. 1t happened to be done at a
time when the Old man was in one of his
happiest and most generous moods, and
realizing, no doubt, the uncertainty OF
human life, concluded that he would be-
queath TO his seven sons, Dudley, Zacha-
riHh, Moses, Shem Sam, Gee and Elliot,
all his worldly goods and possessions
He was very anxious that the will
should be legal, and was careful lest any
OF his children might be left unmen-
toned in some way. So the old muu
drew up the instrument, in part like this !:
"iIalf to Dud, half to Jack and all the
rest to Moses. Shem "a blind, Sam is
poor, Gee has moved to the falls Sullivan
Fails and Elliott IS the baby" AS the
viii was never proba5ed it answered tine
purpose just as wei as any.
Uncle Du.ley itodEEins always liked to
boast that he was named for Poor paut
pa3Iey Sargent. Uncle Dudley made II
temperance speech in the old schoolhouse
one night, in that part OF Hancock called
Marlboro, that just brought down the
house. Us it were. Rev. Mr. Gray, now oi
Otter Creek, got up the meeting and in
vited all the leading citizens to be present
and say word for the good OF the cause.
Mr.. Gray in those days was celebrated
for his loud preaching, and his lecture on
this occasion could easily be heard for
some distance away from the schoolhouse,
which on this night was filled to over
flowing. In rather bombastic speech
the Rev. Mr.. Gray told the people of the
evil OF drink, giving brief description of
his own career. When young man he
Was fisherman and went to the banks
and drank great deal of rum. When
| was cold" said the good man, 81 drank
it to heat me; when warm | drank it to
cool me. When | had slight cold |
usually took pint to cure me, but when
my cold was quite bad, bless God, it took
Il gallon"
And so he went on in this strain, and
called upon others to speak until the
evening was well nigh gone. The last
man to be called upon was Uncle Dudley,
who had no idea of saying word.
Everybody began to shout for Uncle
Dudley Hodgkins, but the old man paid
no attention to the call. He happened 10
be sitting ut that time between All
smith and All Hodgkihs, who for mis-
chief, took Uncle Dudley, who was a
very short man, and stood him up on one
of he desks. Then the old man began:
"Iaasmuch as these two kind gentle
men have stud me on my feet, pose Is
my duty to speak, though I'm no public
speaker, as you people will soon 'arn.
Having Travelled pretty much considerable
in my day, which is all the way from OTIS
to MilbrIdge by land, and having sailed
from Cape Roster to Schoodic pint by
water, | have drank all kinds of liquors
from the fourth proofs Of brandy down
But for my favorite, l must say, give me
Old New England. / have taken that in
several ways, in three ways lm sure on:
Intarnally, extarnally aua etarnalIy every
time | could get it," This speech closed
the meeting. The boys yelled and the
very ratters groaned with merriment.