Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-29
A Fragment Of My Late Visit.
FROM BEAR POND TO BEAR MOUNTAIN.

FROM BEAR POND TO BEAR MOUNTAIN
(Chapter8.)
Leaving Mr.. Fuller in good humor AM
with an invitation to call again, ] starte'
out on the Liveralore road for tho pun
pose of "doing" the old mountain neigh
borhood, so called, because 1t lies direct
~ north of great Bear Mountain. Thi
territory Is Q high tableland containing
several hundred acres, and when 1t wa
all occupied contained some half dozel
good farms and a. many families; ant
while none of them were rich neithe
were they very poor.
One of the most prominent men Of hi
day, and the one who owned the mos
valuable farm was David Mason, who
on the approach of old age, sold out ant
went to live with one OF his children II
Massachusetts,.
The farm was purchased by Edward
Haggett, who, in addition to managing
the place, dealt in stock or almost any
thing in which there seemed to be {
dime of profit. More than this he was a
preacher of tho Advent persuasion, anC
on the Sabbath would dispense the wore
as he understood it. He was we'll versed
in theology, and rather an interesting
speaker.
After living on the farm several years
he sold out and moved to Brettun'i
Mills, where there were better facilities
for prosecuting bis business. Some
years later his death came very suddenly
and wholly unexpected. he was return.
ing from an Advent campmeeting and
died before reaching home. He left a
widow but no children.
Although Mr.. Haggett was always
cheerful and ready for o trade, there
was nothing that savored of the Jockey
about him; on the contrary he was an
honest, square man in his dealings and
always respected in the community in
which he lived.
The farm was finally abandoned, to-
gether with some Others in the neigh
borhood, which caused it to depreciate
in value, while at the same time the
buildings were getting out of repair.
Such was the condition of the place
when, year or two ago, 1t was bought
BY a man who seemed to know good
thing when he sees it.
And now, the better to understand who
this person is, we will 60 back to the
early sixties and take glance at some
thing which occurred about that time.
We were then living in the eastern part
of the town and had q neighbor whose
family consisted of wife and five small
children, the oldest and youngest of the
flock being daughters.
A few years after we left town the
diphtheria got into the family and took
away the father, together with the old
est girl and one of the boys, thus leav-
ing the widowed mother with three chill
dren on her hands and none of them old
enough to earn much of their bread and
butter.
When the oldest boy arrived at man.
hood, or old enough to paddle his own
canoe, he took Greeley's advice by going
to South Dakota, where he resided many
years, and being handy with mechanical
tools, and there being large amount of
building at the time, he soon learned to
use the trowel and plane equal to the
next man.
Recently he returned to his native
town, bought the farm in question, and
considering the length of time, has
made marked improvements on the
place and buildings. On learning my
name, and that his parents and myself
were neighbors in the long ago, he SEEM
ed to take pleasure in showing me over
the premises, including every room in
the house and ell, not emitting the open
chamber. There were several curiosi-
ties of rye olden times" consisting in
part of loom already set up, warping
bars, o spinning wheel, and in fact near
ly all the implements for making yarn
and cloth that our mothers and grand
mothers knew 80 we'll how to manipu-
late, and they did 1t to perfection.
Going into the barn he showed me
some corn in the fodder which must
have stood nearly eight feet high In the
field and grew from seed which he
brought from South Dakota. 1t was
we'll matured and under favorable con.
ditions he said it would ripen in ninety
days. A sample was brought home for
the purpose of seeing what 1t will do
here.
1t has perhaps been noticed that /
have said nothing about his wife, and
the reason is he never was married but
does his work in the house with the
same ease that he does out doors.
And I have also omitted to give his
name, not for the same reason, since he
has q name much older than himself,
which Is John Charles Fremont Doten.
IN l. L. - k6n xuhn n
left an orphan when little boy, but
now is nearly 80 years old, has recently
bought a farm, and to all appearance
Intends 1t for future home. After liv-
ing q widow while his mother married
Augustus, youngest son of the late
Capt. Joseph Tobin. They are living
on the next farm towards Livermore,
and there put up the following night.
L. D.
ITO be continued)