Casco Bay breeze. [volume] (South Harpswell, Me.) 1901-1917, 1905-08-24

aauon stone for Kearsarge Mountain
uuouse; OF the sad story OF the Wiley
siouse avalanche and how, upon
seaIng the dread news of the
Gn OF those he knew SO well
ndtatner Eastman (called Col
onei), enunciated his familiar express
sion, Alas! a day." and enjoined ALI
.ue cnlidren To put their feet upon
the chair-rungs, and prepare for any.
thing. '' any
In those days, flint and finder was
the only means Of preserving fire. and
sne familiar phrase, I've come for
nre' was then the most common of
All. Many's the time" said Mrs.
Weooer, have found our fire gone.
ana torn an old piece from a dress.
ioioed IL. and ran to the neighbors a
mile away to make finder for fire."
Coionel Eastman learned to write
on birch-bark, the convenience of writ.
ing paper being an unknown luxury,
ana the children well remember their
own constant use of the quill pen.
When 1 got my first Dutch QUILL"
SAID our reminiscent. ''all prepared in
OIL. and clear and transparent. 1
next one.''
AS a young girl. Louisa Eastman
came to Chebeague. when the popula-
ton was almost nil. There was a soil.
tary horse on the island and one or
TWO little general shops Everything
was as dry as woodpecker's nest"
said she.
Back In North Conway. a friend OF
the E.astman's set out one day with
his little eight-year-old son. for tn.
next town. to get him some new boots.
he selected a stunning pair, of the
style OF the period. heavily nailed.
and with mighty soles and tops. They
started back little before dusk and
mad gone about half the distance home
ward when our friend bethought him
OF a pure spring nearby. and being
thirsty soul hied himself thither. the
little boy holding his fathers hand
AS ne neared the spot and stopped
down to drink. "woof. Wool" came
the great cough of a bear within
foot OF his head, and he started back
seasonably to escape a blow from the
great paw. He had no gun, but sud-
denly thought of the new boots. Then
ensued battle royal. Our plucky
friend swung the priced footwear aloft
like battle-aXe, and thump. crash
went the heavy heels into the very
snout OF the now furious bear Stimu.
ated by his little sons cries of PUT
1t to the old devil. pop" he swung
and lodged again and again, until
Bruin lay stunned and seemingly dead
beside the spring. Such were the
perils and the courage of our Now
England forbears. and this instance
shows II was bred into the very bone
OF their children. Often have Louisa
Eastman and her brothers and sisters
soh a.
apple-bee. lighted by pitch torches, for
they had no lanterns or oil lamps
and heard the chilling "snuff" of a
black bear in the forest by the road.
side And in a more horrible connec-
ton do We learn of the onrush of
the Indians upon that New Hampshire
town. and the seizure and captivity
OF great-grandmother Eastman, wruns
from her home. after seeing her eight
weeks-old baby dashed against a
nearby tree. Such experiences raise up
the spirit of overcoming. and the reso.
Lutte character of these men and wo-
men of their family today
Indeed, as the writer listened to
these tales, and gazed upon these
strong but kindly faces, he felt true
thrill Of satisfaction at the generous
share of Eastman blood which he him.
self had inherited. and. however small
or great the part which the unknown
forces OF heredity play in our lives,
he felt the universally of human ex.
perience and the real heritage IL
brings to all of whatever blood. as
the past was here linked with the
NOW by these who have lived. suf-
fered and passed on through the well
coming curtain to their unbroken and
continued soul-unfolding.
So. au revoir. sturdy race of East.
man-may these lines carry some lit
tie part. to those who read Of the in
SEPARATION your warm welcome and
simple. human sympathy did to us.