Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-08-28
ueuoales or MANY veARs.

Thu following "Meuorise" were written by
Joseph Chandler, nhelve OF Frye9urE, nelnc
and read q the celebration Of Bic nineeleef
birthday last November
Four score years and ten by reason oi
strength and yet TO me this evening they
are not filled with labor aud sorrow
Ninety years when one looks forward II
long, long journey, but short, short
road when one looks back. The changes
In nation, stats, arts, science and letters
mark the PEARS ~ surely ~ the sun
stamps the hours on the dial, and by
those alone am able to realize that we
near the dawn Of . new century.
When I WAS born In 1909, Napoleon
Was ut the zenith OF his power and Eng
land, with our old enemy George III on
the throne, was Inundated by his
armies, while Austria, Spain and Portu.
gal we're prostrHte ct his feet. Since
then the map Of Europe has been many
times reprinted. James Madison was
the president Of this country, and the
nation was suffering from commercial
restrictions, resulting from the great
European conflicts, 70 remove which the
United States declared the war OF 1912.
I plainly remember one event connected
With those gloomy times. There was
great excitement among the country
people over tho threatened destruction
Of Portland by the British ships that
were lowering about the harbor. Ny
father, Who had been soldier In tie war
OF the Revelation, went ~ surgeon 10
this second conflict with England and
can recall the parting with the family
and how the troops looked As they march
ed by the house on the way to defend
the city.
have lived through the four wars OF
this century, by which have heen pur-
chased freedom Of the seas, great extern
sion Of political boundaries and the
liberation OF the southern slaves. In
deed I may say I have seen the great
gift Of freedom bestowed upon those
held In bondage throughout the civilized
world. In my lifetime the slaves OF
Brazil have been freed by law; 12,00O,-
900 bondmen made free men by an act Of
parliament 10 England and 50,0O0,OoO
serfs liberated BY the stroke Of . pen
held by the autocrat Of all the Russiss'
I cast my first presidential vote for
the hero of New Orleans, Andrew Jack
son, nIcknamed "Old Hickory; and |
well remember the early campaigns
when coffin hsndbills and veto coins I'LL
ed the place now occupied by our great
Illustrated papers, buttons, flags and
medals. The rallying cries had their
own peculiar communication or denun-
citation: "Tippecanoe and Tyler too
"Ios cabin and hard cider" preceded
1.-The Rsllsplitter" and "Blaine, Blaine,
the man from Maine" And 80 have
seen nv country grow from 1000, 900 70
700 1000 OF people and organize gov.
ernment under q constitution As wise AZ
Il 10 singular, but whose excellency and
competency the experience OF more than
4 hundred years has confirmed; while
by treaty and purchase the confines
have expanded from ocean to ocean, the
vast West yielding its wealth OF mines
and prairies and the south putting on
beauty and fruitfulness, until In the
words of holy writ "Our gamers are
full with all manner Of stores and our
sheep multiply by the thousand and the
tens Of thousands and our oxen are
strong to labor
Until Was eleven years OF age Maine
was part Of Massachusetts, but In ls20
II Was admitted To the Union with all lbs
big forests, strong rivers, great lakes
and three thousand miles of seacosst,
following all the indentations OF the
shore, and have seen II give back to the
Union the brains, honor and statesman.
ship Of such men rs Hannibal Hsmlin,
william 7. Frye, william Pitt Fessen-
den and Thomas b. Reed.
When my grandfather, Mr.. Pau
Lsngdon, q graduate Of Harvard and 9
son Of one Of Its presidents, petitioned
the General Court for an endowment OF
land for Fryeburg Academy In l792, il
Was not dreamed that Maine should re-
turn to the Commonwealth John A. An.
drew, who served ~ the famous wal
governor, and John d. Long who Ia al
present directing the victorious navy Of
the United States.
I remember when II was an event 10
be told to the neighbors that my mother
had received letter from New York,
which had cost quarter OF dollar u
transmit. Now one can be sent for five
cents to the farthest country In the
world, while the bell of the telephone
and the click Of the telegraph invite
communication with absent friends over
lands and seas aud round the earth
Since Was born steam and electricity
have snnihilsted space and put girdle
about the world.
remember the old school house with
its dilspidated benches, warmed OF
rather chilled by q big fireplace, and
presided over by master who believed
sincerely In not spelling the child by
spsring the rod. The school-books, few
and worn, were taken home at night and
studied by q single tallow dip or the
light of = pine knot on the blazing
hearth. Now training schools, normal
schools, seminaries, and colleges give To
the world teachers, professors, survey.
ors, engineers, at simple turn Of the
wheel.
II may be pardoned to an old man II
these ready m ide articles do not suggest
better quality than the courteous,
cultured men Of the past generation who
made their life work 10 the country
towns. taught school many years 10
my own and neighboring towns, and
among my pupils were several who after
wards rose to prominence. Alvah Stone
became distinguished educator In this
state, and Dexter Hawkins, well.
known jurist In New York. Mr.. Hsw.
kins used to say that gave him his frat
public whipping but not his last;
think, however, that he received very
few after he entered the legal profession.
Our library was very small In those
days and contained only meat for strong
men. Paradise Lost, Pope's Essay on
Man, Junius' Letters, Psley's Evidences,
with Pilgrims Progress and the Bible
were our chief books and we're read over
and over. Naturally our religious con-
versation was principally augumentstive
and hinged upon some doctrinal point.
The warfare between the Orthodox, as
they were called. and the Uuiversalists
was long and bitter, but through 1t has
come love and federation, and faith In
the fatherhood Of God and the brother
hood OF man that Is the hope Of the
future ages.
remember the good old times when
four horse loads Of liquor were brought
from Portland to Fryeburg and sold at
the stores by the glass among the
necessaries Of life. At weddings and
funerals, raisings and musters every
body drank. built the first house In
Oxford County, so far as known, with
out any liquor being given to the men
who volunteered to put the huge timbers
In place. One man said 1t could not be
done, but 1t was done, and well done,
and when all was completed invited
the men to partske of q bounteous sup
per Of baked beans, brown bread and
Indian pudding prepared by my wife,