Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1902-10-01

The fall elections In Maine are past and
gone, and the next "great eventn upon
the autumn programme OF the Pine..Tree
state Is the annual advent OF the sturdy
hunters OF the shy partridge, the bound
Ing deer and the mighty moose.
In these last few weeks Maine has sure-
ly had its share of excitement. Only a
short time ago the President OF the United
States, upon his tour through the State,
drew the living stream OF humanity In
such crowds from every horseback" that, :.
as he fseetiously said in Bangor, at the
fair grounds, 1t looked from the spea ker's
stand rs though that great numbering
event OF the year, the log drives of the
east and west branches of the Penobscot,
had both come in.
When be left the state the lesser politi-
cal celebrities and spell binders became
audible, but now the ballot boxes are
once more packed away, and the guides in
the woods are painting their canoes and
making paddles aud snowshoes In prepa-
ration for the annual torrent of sportsmen
that representations based upon the tx
periences OF other years predict infallibly
When the winter has come, and toward
Christmas time the "city folk" leave the
woods with their 1.-TWO deer and one
moose" stretched out in the baggage cars,
the guide at tue station platform smiles,
no doubt, quietly to himself, for be knows
1t to be ten chances to one that they are
firmly inoculsted with "WaIdweh", that
craving for the woods, the bow OF the
canoe, the rocky carries around the falls,
and the thousand other unique features
OF the Maine happy hunting grounds.
Dnring the year TO come they will often
pause In their daily grind, he knows, and
thrill again at he memories Of the trout
that rise swiriing for the dark brown fl es,
"just as the sun goes down." or at the
recoIlections of the deer that crash into
the woods as the canoe steals silently
around the bend OF the stream.
The knocking cry OF the loon in the
sombre night; the campfire over W hich he
jet black coffee pot hangs from iorked
stick the Irizzling fish and the venison
steaks; the soft give OF the snowshoe in
the light snow above the crust that some
times cracks with the explosion OF
distant cannon; all these recolect ions
are indisputabie symptoms of that home
sickness for the woods that briBgs the
men In thousands from their offices and
homes at this crisp, brscing season Of the
year TO the eastern jungle in the Pine
Tree state.
No wonder they shout with glee and
run to embrace the indian guide at the
station where they leave the train; no
wonder they stand with quick breath aud
with Joy in their hearts as the little
steamer noses in and out OF the ponds,
and bears them with each chug-chug OF
the tiny engine nearer the slopes and
rocky sides Of grand old Kstahdin.
Aud when the upper pond is reached,
and the canoes lie before them, drawn up
upon the bank, and the same cracking
fire, the same guides, the same tin cups,
the same quick water in the falls at the
inlet come into view, Is not the wonder
rather that they do not fall to the earth,
like Brutus OF old, and kiss the soil that
draws them from hard psvements and
noisy streets, from the east and the south
and the west to the ali-em braeing woods?
The railroads and the stea mship lines
that are be means OF transportation from
the outside world to the woods issue
with each year more attractive pamphlets
and books upon the wide stretching
fishing and hunting region lying 80
close to us "down east". The amount
and accuracy OF the information con-
veyed concerning favorable sport CEN
tres, boarding places, camps, tourf, ex-
penses, guilds, outfits, etc, are notable.
But after all these fascinating pablica-
tions that make the blood tingle and the
stops the Cough and Works of the Cold