Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1904-07-12
My Hebron Visit and its Sad Ending.

(Continued)
After stopping in Mr.. Keene's famil
an hour or SO, in the mean time bein
treated on Roxbury Russell apples SCUM
and fair as when picked from the tire
last fall, resumed my journey, Mr.. Ke
BIRTH accompanying me as far as th
post office, during which time he gave m
some very interesting personal histOr!
| About mile farther on reached NJ
Pages residence, which was recognize
at once by photograph sent me fe
years ago. His family now consists of hi
wife and an unmarried son who runs th
farm, and also his daughter, the wido'
of the late G. w. Howe of Woodstock
and her three children. When Mr.. How
died, seven years ago, those childre
were hardly more than little tots; Will
now the oldest is young lady, talle
than her mother, and the other two,
son and daughter, soon will be, providin
they keep on growing.
Expressing a desire to see anothe
chum of long ago, Mr.. Page hitched u
his team after dinner, and in due tim
we found him in the person of Eliza
Berry at Mechanic Falls. Here, then
were three old schOolmates, born an
brought up in the same neighborhood
and in the same class for more than fiji
teen years; but had not all been togethe
before since away back in the fifties.
Mr.. Berry has seen family trouble II
common with the most of us, having
buried three wives, the last one in fiv
days after marriage, and the most of hi
children. One son was killed by light
ing while at work in telegraph Office
Manifesting still further desire t.
call on the family of A. A. WoOdsum
who lived a fraction of mile up thu
street and where stopped over nigh
one year ago on my way to Togus, W.
were soon at the house, and there fount
the family the same in number as before
consisting of the widow of Charles COT
fin. her daughter, Mrs. Woodsum ant
her four little children, three sons an(
a daughter, the father, Mr.. Woodsum
being absent.
After about thirty minutes of lively
chat, giving the home news and explain
ing how providentially happened to bt
there, again babe them goodbye, and
soon we were homeward bound. Later
on and after supper we were in the door
yard and | was making inquiry for the
residence of my cousin, the widow Ce
lestia NJ. Howard, when her daughter
Alice, who is living at home, drove
along; and being introduced and inform
ed of our relationship, she took in the
passenger and in due time we were al
her home.
Celestia NJ. Alley was the youngest
of family of seven children belonging
to the late Otis and Eunice Durham
Alley. Forty-thfee years ago she mar
ried Russell Howard of West Minot, the
union being blessed with four children,
three of whom are living, two sons and
one daughter. A few years ago Mr..
Howard passed away, leaving large and
valuable farm in the care of his widow
and daughter, which they have since
managed by hiring labor.
But although it had been so many
wears since we saw each other, some
time before she was married, the recog-
milton was simultaneous; but OF course
both had "waxed old as doth a gar
ment;" and gray hair and spectacles
were much in evidence. And consider
ing the amount of history that has trans
pred, since those long ago days, it is no
wonder if we found good deal to talk
about during my stay, which was until
the next morning.
Miss Alice Howard has gone to raising
cotton on a small scale, somewhat as
Mrs. J. w. Cummings of Albany is rails
ing oranges. She planted cotton seed
in a box in March, which soon germi-
mated, grew to maturity during the
season, about three feet high, and in
October it produced the usual number
of bolls, just as though it had grown in
Texas.
Miss Howard presented me with one of
the bolls, and next spring the seeds will
be sown with view to raising some of
our own cotton; nor will there be any
danger of ravages from the boil weevil.
But kind fortune did not forSake me
there; the next morning this young lady
harnessed her horse again, took in
another lady and myself, and in due
time we were back to Hebron again and
ready for all that was to follow.
The weather was cool and pleasant
during my eleven days of absence from
home, not drop of rain fell during that
time; and had it not been for three
recent deaths of persons l knew in
former days, DR.. Donham. Rev. S. d:
Richardson and Charles E. Trip, all
would have been first class enjoyment
throughout the whole celebration.
A supplement, containing a few in
o;lont, Il, ,nnnaotion VI ith NV visit NAV
be given next week. l.. ID.