Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1906-04-25

90 received a telephone message from
~ aloe" is longtime friend OF
-. living in the West; but, like my
a il ON visit to his old home in an
s,',,,rg town, which is separated from
,,;ne by a beautiful river and a short
..s,eh Of country, wooded in part and in
~. consisting OF fields and pastures.
sr.o river is salt waterways long arm
,.bsautiiul bay. The tide rams out and
,~.sss brown, seaweed-covered hedges and
-. and long stretches of flats and
.,,r, beds. Flood tide covers what the
abide lays tSsfe, so that every day we
s.ves change II scenery very pleasing to
,hs eve in the river valley.
mi. river with its changing moods, at
.,,ssd me great deal Of delight and
consolation in my boyhood days upon the
,.,m. Farm work was so irksome, so
,,ssrisonne, so trying to my impatient
0o,urc. sought relief looking away from
a I locked upon the river with keen
ipierss, and noted with pleasure objects
Aoatinr upon It's surface carried by the
cvrrgnts. i saw that some objects of
arIft-s,uff were pushed aside, as 1t were,
from the direct sweep OF the tide, and so
were caught in whirling eddies, going
rouud and round, and gaining nothing,
while those In the on-sweeping current
sailed proudly on.
Bound down as | was to the routine
work Of the old farm, felt that was
osught in the eddies, and longed for ad
venture that would throw me out into the
main current OF life where could go on
unhindercd. Nothing seemed grander,
sells, with all canvas spread to spanking
breeze, sailing out of port, showing teeth,
A. il we're, and seeming mad, ready and
anxious to give battle to storms OF ''old
ocean"
fused TO debate this question of farm
ing with father, with a great deal Of
emphasis and enthusiasm, always taking
the negative side OF IL, and one OF his an
swers was: 80, you think when you get
10 be your own man you can sail through
the world like a shaving" And, when he
found it was getting pretty hot for him
with me around, he let me get a taste of
the outside world, and must confess that
many times my experiences led me to the
conclusion that home was ''Sweet Home,
and wished myself back to II. Neverthe
less, do nov believe that young men
should not hang around home in country
like ours, so full OF opportunity for one
10 measure his own qualities of a man
among men in active life's great drama.
Nothing will develop young man like
struggling for himself.
Looking beyond this river, at all seasons
Of the year, had seen sunsets that pa inted
the western sky IN splendor that cannot
Be expressed in words; walking along one
Of Its banks at times, In evening twilight,
when calm lay the waters, had heard
elsarcr and swceter notes of the bell on
the belated COW than at any other time of
day. had had the pleasure OF sailing on
this river In skiH and scow; and on
schooner and raft. Gunnors upon hedges
and In boats, dropping ducks and coots
while they were going In and out OF the
river awning, attracted my attention with
no little interest. Now, on my visit here,
leould linger by this river for some time
and re-liye my boyhood upon It's shores.
But this will do for this time.
My message from Joe" was an invita-
lion to meet him at picnic to be held on
aeertain day, at a beach near what was
known 70 US as the s'Point".
On that beautiful summer morning of
Inc day appointed, nephew of mine
hfched the family nag to two-seater,
taxing one of has sisters and me along
down the stretch of pretty country road
toward the place.
We had not covered much more than
one-third of the distance, charmed with
the landscape view and entertained by
pfdA singing their sweetest songs, when
we came upon a spot very dear in my
memory, that looks out ON a stretch OF
sea and land scenery hard to match any
where on the coast of New England.
ionder are mountains and iowlands
bounding the waters OF the bay on the
southwest, while south and east, lie nu-
merons green forest-elad islands resting
In silyery shimering sea. There is
neither storm nor calm upon the waters,
ou' gentle breeze fans the bosom OF the
aeep into ripples or wavelets that gently
zap al the PROV and sides of the boatman's
aAN as she glides over the surface like a
'hlng OF life, proudly and stately walking
upon the brine.
MY point of view is where once stood
'ne little red schoolhouse OF my young
sohool days. And here / am inclined to
'oaer awhile, at least in memory, and call
up lew Of the scenes and acts of the
Doys and girls in and around this hall of
.eafhing; and they come to my bidding
''He regiments of men to bugle-eall.
Inc building was small, so small that
We used to say OF it that 1t was only 7x9,
whatever that meant; and yet had seen
1o"ded within its walls, many a winter
sfin, as many as sixty pupils, among
'nem young men home from sea, seizing
upon The opportunity afforded for the i'm
movement of their minds along the line
Vi the studies Of common school.
n II.