The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1900-07-12

It down in the valley of Rapid river,
1t was a lovely place, with fine view
to the south and west along the val
ley and sheltered by mountains to the
north and east. The fields which
stretched along the valley were level
and fertile. Near the house they were
black with crowds of men and all sorts
of teams were hitched to the fence.
When we were nearer we saw that
a crowd of spectators formed an out
side circle. These were the inhabitants
of Sandrocks who had refused to help
raise the barn and had now come to
laugh at the expected failure of the
teetotalers. Their conduct in those
friendly days was considered most I'M
neighborly, but the chatting on both
sides was generally good natured, and
when my eldest brother Silas, who
stood six feet two in his stockings and
was extremely muscular, got out of
the wagon, and in answer to Joke
that he had come to sign the pledge
gave out that he wasn't convert.
but a teetotaler born and bred, he
was treated with great respect, and
as our two hired men were strong
personable fellows, no one objected
to our entering the inner field, Eben
and l following the three others. My
father and the parson had already ar
rived. | was told that | must not get
in the way or be any trouble, and 1
was quite satisfied to watch the pro-
ceedings. But I was of some use after
all, as behind the barn was a beauti-
full spring of pure bubbling water,
which l, with some other boys, passed
about to the workers.
THE temperance people must have
been clever men who knew what they
were about, for l never saw any job
done more neatly than the raising of
that barn. A famous carpenter, who
was also from a distance, gave every
man his place and all his orders were
obeyed without question. What a
cheer there was when the timbers of
yited to a feast in the new barn. which
of course was not yet clap-boarded or
shingled. But no work was left except
what could be easily done by Barstow
and his men. Cold water was still
the beverage at the dinner, but as l
was the smallest there, l was asked if
l would have milk, which was kindly
procured for me by ose of the Bar
stow daughters.
THE scoffers outside had nothing to
do but to dispense, but some of the
remains of the feast We're offered to
the loungers. think they must have
felt pretty mean. Nathan Barstow's
barn raising was great event in
those parts and from that time the
temperance people took holder stand
and there were many more converts.
"a few years ago when returning
to the old place, thought | would 90
round by way of Sandrocks, for | had
much curiosity to see if the cold wa
ter barn were still standing. 1t was
more than 70 years since 1 had been
there as boy. Many of the hill farms
in that region have been deserted for
the western plains, and | feared that
the beautiful Barstow farm might be
deserted too, which l thought would
be great pity. But, TO my great JOY.
from the top of the hill saw the old
farm looking as fine and pros p-Iuus
as my memory painted it. And when
l reached the valley there was the
cold water barn, as neat as when it
was raised and fairly bursting with
hay and grain.
81 knocked at the house door and
asked if any Barstow still lived there
and found to my delight grandson
of the old Nathan, also named Nathan,
who received me cordially. The fam
lily still keep the old place, though
some of its members have gone out
into the world and prospered there.
All that are able return every sum-
mer to the old farm, as good New
Englanders alwsys should, and every
September they give a family party
as it is their custom to have harvest
home and a feast for their neighbors
in the cold water barn. When | saw
how well the house and place looked
and how prosperity seemed to have
followed the family, [ could not help
thinking that the spirit in which the
foundations of the cold water barn
We're laid had brought blessing with
it."-Lucy T. Poor, in UniversalAt
Leader.