Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1900-07-13
!; Maine 00ss1aa
Preface.

I don't know how to weave a roundelay
couldn't sing Il signing song of love;
No mellow Tyre that ON which | play,
| plant a strident lutte without glove.
The rhythm that is running through my
Is not the wisp of maiden's trailing
gown;
The metre may he. gallops rather rough.
Like riVcr-drivorS StorminS down To
town.
! Its more than likely something from the
wood.
Where checking axes scare the deer and
moose;
A homely rhyme ana easy understood,
An echo from the weird domain of
spruce.
or else its Just some Yankee notion
In h-and-ready Uncle Dudley"
Some honest thought we common folks
Some trickey mem'ry flash from boy
hoods days.
l cannot polish off this stilted rhyme
With all their homely notions of my
brain.
\ sonnet. sir. would stick me every time;
Let's have chat bout common things
in Maine.
Holman +. Day.
press of the publishers, that little vol
ume of verse for which lots of us have
waited SO eagerly, up in Maine" by
Holman l.. Day
1t is the Maine book of the year, the
Maine book of several years, for that
matter, and its place in our literature
is as certain as the place held by its
author in the hearts of all who know
him. And everybody in Maine knows
Holman r. Day. the popular good fell
low, the hustling writer of specials. the
peerless story teller, and the author of
those inimitable. free and easy rhym-
ing yarns of Yankee life, in the Lewis
, ton Journal which have been copied so
widely all over the country.
up in Maine is a dainty little VOL
ume Of 200 pages containing g. poems
In itself the volume is a striking ex-
ample of artistic modern bookmaking.
An appropriate cover design, embodieS a
pine tree. in black. on green cloth. On
the back binding is a pine cone. The
edges of the volume. which are nearly
flush with the covers. are stained green.
In Typography the book is also attrac-
tive 1t comes from the press of Small,
Maynard & Co. Boston.
Mr.. Day dedicates his book ITO my
friend and fellow worker in the field Of
letters. Winfield NJ. Thompson. to whom
l am indebted for more than one of the
stories told herein" Mr.. Thompson is
Maine boy who has won success in
Boston journalism. The introduction is
by Congressman Charles +. Littlefield
| who, after dealing in a breezy style
with books in general and this book in
particular. says: 1.-THE sufficient fact
which warrants the collection of these
, unique sketches in book form is that no
, one can read them without being inter-
ested. entertained and amused. as well
, as instructed and improved. The stub
| horn strength of Plymouth rock is no.
| where better exempified than on the
Maine farm, in the Maine woods, on the
Maine coast or in the Maine workshop
From them the author of Up in Maine
has drawn his inspiration. Rugged in
/ dependence. singleness of purpose. I'M
: swerving integrity, philosophy adj
, e0uate Tor all occasions, the great reall-
! ties of life and a cheerful disregard of
, conventionalities are here found in all
their native strength and vigOr. These
pecuiarities as delineated may be
rough. perhaps uncouth. but they are
characteristic, picturesque. engaging
and life-like. His subjects are rough
diamonds. They have the inherent
, qualities from which great characters
are developed and out Of which heroes
are made Through every chink and
crevice of these rugged portrayals gilt
ters the sheen of pure gold. gold of
standard weight and fineness, gold
tried in the fire.
! The sketches of Maine life, scenes