Daily Kennebec journal., 1902-01-11

Peleg Sprague took a great interest in
the boy and gave him the option of
going to school or learning trade. He
chose the latter, and Mr. Sprague Sc
cured him a place with Morris Cava-
nagh. then doing a brisk tailoring
business in Hallowell.,
When he was 20 years of age he got
his time. He had been planning on go
ing to New Orleans, where he thought
re could make fortune. In fact, he
had his trunk all packed and had it
aboard a small schooner in which he
had engaged passage for the Southern
city. He had a number of friends in
Augusta whom he wished to see, so he
came to this city the day before he was
to sail for the purpose of bidding them
goodbye. At that time a man named
Virgil H. Hewes carried on a tailoring
business in building located where the
Augusta Savings Bank now is. Mr..
Hewes was sick in bed with broken
leg, and he had no tailor to run his
shop. Mr.. Chisam's friends spoke to
him about going to work for Mr..
Hewes, but he insisted that he was go
ing to New Orleans to seek his fortune
and that he would not stay in this part
OF the country. Finally, however. they
prevailed upon him to enter Hewes'
employ and from that time, 1880, until
today, he has been a citizen of Au-
gIsta. He afterwards went into part
nership with Mr.. Hewes. They pros
pered for several years. Afterwards he
was in business alone and in the early
part of the war carried on an immense
business in the manufacture of cloth
ing for the troops At one time he had
100 hands in his employ. He sent the
work to the homes of his workwomen
all through this section. He accumu-
lated considerable property for those
from active business, believing that he
had acquired a competency, and was
succeeded by his sons. John Henry and
w. Frank. During the past 40 years
he has lived calm and quiet life at his
home on the corner of Summer and
Bridge streets. Today. his mind is as
clear as ever. and there is no pleasure
more enjoyable to him than to be Wis
iteG by old friends. On such occasions
ne will go over the story of his long
and eventful life with careful attention
to detail and with remarkable men,
ory.
The writer called upon him the other
day and for a couple of hours sat and
listened to the "reminiscences which he
recalled.
when l was child, residing with
my parents in Winthrop" said the
major Il came very near being
drowned. OF course don't remember
the circumstances but 1t was SO often
| told me that have come to believe
that ] do remember it. l was only
about 4 years old at the time. A little
CIR. and myself were playing near the
mill canal when l fell into the water.
| She ran screaming into the mill. where
her father worked, shouting: Baby is
i'll the water" They shut down the
mill and stopped the machinery. l was
ting to save my life. If the mill had
not been stopped I'd have been
crushed in the wheel.
Another time when was years
old I had a wonderful escape from
drowning. I lived in Hallowelf then.
They used to fish through the Ice a
great deal in those days. One time my
father and a man named Gershom Cox,
lwho afterwards became a Methodist
minister and presiding elder of this
district. were out on the river fishing
and was with them. They had holes
cut in the ice few feet apart. A house
made of boughs to keep the wind of
was nearby / went out back of the
house and fell into an open hole out
OF sight. held my breath, Of course
and dragged my hands along the ice
till 1 suddenly came to another hols
and l appeared to Mr.. Cox who wa'