Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1902-11-29
THE Oil MILL.

| time he had been within 20 miles OF the
! mill in 20 years, but all that time II had
filed green and pleasant spot in his
| memory. Often be let his mind drift
| about in a fat-bottomed scDv on tie
/ smooth waters Of the mill pond above the
| dam. That was an enormous mil pond.
| As he remembered it one could hardly
zee from the fringing willows on one bank
to the green pasture lands which Hoped
| quickly down TO the other
| And the dam! Possibly somewhere has
been built a more-tremendous engineering
work, but certainly the Grown Up Boy
had never seen it. He knew just how the
| great head OF water gathered behind
the dam came sweeping down on to the
epron in sheet OF green and white wa
ter that was almost empowering in its
magnihcence. Below the dam, where the
big powders lay in the path Of the stream,
lay bass and pickerel-better and bigger
fish than the wis lakes Of Wisconsin or
the rivers OF Canada had ever yielded to
a more sophisticated spoon hook
He remembered that the road to the
old mill was hilly-almost mountainous, a
sort Of en- Illinois Switzerland, 1t took
hours to climb one of those hills, partic
ularly when you had "stun-bruise" on
your right big toe and you were Juggling
a sack full Of fish and other trophies
Considering the length Of the road and
the terrifying size OF those hills as they
doomed up against the horizon OF his mem
CRY, the Grown Up Boy considered that it
would be wise to make an all day trip Of
it. Possibly il they started early in the
morning and drove couple Of good horses
they might get back to dinner, but it was
no light undertaking.
The Grown Up Boy had told Her what
to expect. OF course he could not hope
to Go justice to the grandeur of the seen
cry, but lie had done his best. For in
stance, when they had stood looking at
Niagara Falls he had said. only half in
joke: But wait till you see old man
Atkinsons mill dam"
And now they were on their way. The
two white horses went over the springy
uirt roads at a swinging trot. They crossed
the river and that stream, which poured
a wide and tumultuous flood through the
level plains of memory, looked strangely
shrunken and quiet.
Water seems low" said the Grown Up
Boy-and then he was reminded that, on
the contrary, it had been an extremely
wet season.
But where were the hills? Pleasant,
generous rolls and swells of land there
We're in abundance but those towering,
mountainous crags, and peaks of memory
ban vanished. The horses scarcely stopped
to breathe on the steepest of the slopes.
An old German farmer, riding with his
hausfrau, two daughters, and a small son
in a green farm wagon, came along the
road, driving pair of big gray Normans.
In the pleasant country fashion greetings
were passed as the Grown Up Boy pulled
up beside him.
Must have been cutting down the hills
hereabouts,' said the perplexed visitor.
Nein," said the old farmer, with a
slow grin. 'Dey bin yust tie same dey
always was"
The white mares swung around corner
out Of the main road down into narrow
lane, bordered with hazel and sumac
bushes and tangle of young underbrush.
Keep your eyes open now" said the
Grown Up Boy, "and in a minute you'll
get your first glimpse of the old mill"
There" he said, pointing ahead as the
fash OF something big and red caught his
eye, what in the world is that?'
That" was soon seen to be big bill
board. Below a huge Ion with bright
crimson mouth ard a bushy tail advised
everybody to wait for the big show"
While above was a design calling peonles'
attention 70 The imnortance Of saving
1'vonr che1virc tobacco taos The mil
had enfirely vanished
The Grown Up Boy was almost ready
~ frort 81 I'll 80 b',tl5;r, a,5 800
IN ~ al, vr5at ba3 heoor,a ~ tbat cres
s+ono I'm ,ra;ch La IA ief. % yaars ha.
fore towering nm above all thn Surround.
inc handsome
s.sSa,s 80 ao,rr +hora hab;,,l 4bo h;n
hoori ro,,n- ltlre -',l,~ ~ IT,.
bUa4 80, o5a;e;I,, an - Eer L.. 80
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"'t M -, - ~ g. ~ IA - 80
f,.-l;,r. liz - ilh - t,.;,r P 80
rn,,tLl 81 naor 80 tba+ 10 I adS ;nst
Ieg ,r,,'- VIC, tFe Gro5yn In Rov had left
bi1, % vears before Al anv rate + he
va not ~. same miller M effor+ was
n,ads "a corracf the error A man NAV he