Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-04-17

only - character study but a. repre-
sentative OF the eastern Maine society
half century ago. He was reared among
people Of some culture, literary attain
ments and OF true pride OF birth. He was
. true type of the best and most influen-
tial class OF eastern Maine men.
When Mr.. Freeman first began the prac-
tice OF law, the country was still in 4
primitive state and the customs and man.
ners Of the people were conspicuously
provincial. Individualism was excessive
and men passionate and hard to control.
There was . great deal Of litigation in
the courts but the kind that would not
Be desirable to our modern practitioners.
Men quarreled over boundary lines, and
over other petty disputes and sought re-
dress for injuries actually received or
imagined in the county count. The writer
well remembers two neighbors who, hav-
Ing quarreled over line fence, carried on
an almost endless chain Of litigation for
thirty years, or until one Of them died.
The distance from Cherryfeld to Ma
chiss, the county seat, ID about thirty
miles. In the early 90 the country was
mostly forest and very spArsely settled.
The journey to cosrt was INSIDE over .
narrow, billy road and there was little
travel. II ono happened to travel BY
night he could hear the howl OF savage
wolves in the forest through which he was
Obliged to pass. The writer has heard
Mr.. Freeman relate how he was
once followed by wolves when returning
late one night from Machiss. They fol-
lowed him for miles, lurking in the un-
dergrowth near the roadside ready for an
attack, and keeping up an ineessant howl
ing until he approached civilization.
In those primitive days bears and wolves
were abundant and often made great havoc
among the farmers hocks and herds.
Then the farmers would organize for mu-
tual defense against the intruders and hunt
down and kill all the wild beasts in the
neighborhood. With the coming Of civili-
ration the wolves left Maine and have
never returned. They have become quite
extinct.
The villages were small and nestled be-
tween the hills where water power was
ample or overlooked some quiet bay where
shipbuilding and fishing were the prin-
cipal industries. But beyond these were
large fertile farms dotting the country
and making wide openings in the forest.
The farmers lived in plain but comfort
able houses, many Of which are still stand
ing with the marks OF great age upon
sv,
over 100 years old are quite numerous.
They are OF that architecture now called
colonial, story and half, and are heavy
and square in plan; others, now gone, or
built over, were Of two stories and had
sharp, slsnting roofs. There were double
with q spacious hallway between the two
sections. A peculiar and most interesting
feature anent these downeast houses is
that nearly all were built facing the water,
as the bay or river was the only highway
at the time OF their construction. Over
the front door grew a honeysuckle
or . lilac, and not far away
was the orchard. There were but few
gardens. The average farmer kept no
lawn, but allowed the grass to grow under
the very window sills, believing that q
few stacks OF hay would add more to his
comfort and happiness than q beautiful
lawn. The women kept few flowers, but
they were confined to q small space usu-
ally in front OF the house. Mr.. Freeman
was an exception toeths average farmer,
for his flowers thirty years ago were ia
nous throughout the State. In horti-
culture but few men have since excelled
him.
The houses were fairly well furnished,
though they contained nothing OF an
elaborate or extravagant character. Com
fort and not show was the farmers ideal.
The STORE room" was cosy and attractive,
though it could seldom boast Of a carpet
or mahogany furniture. The spacious
fireplace was there and the usual pair of
brass andirons. The old-fashioned clock
towering from floor to ceiling and which
would now be the envy Of some OF our
modern homes, stood against the wall.
The parlor was well furnished, with its
haircloth and mahogany furniture, but
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minister or some other dignitary called.
There were no rich men in the country,
but all lived like kings and enjoyed life.
Everybody kept open house and hospital
ity abounded in every town. No people
in America were ever more generous or
hospitable than the people OF eastern
Maine. None were ever more industrious
or economical. Every farmer kept q we'll
filled larder. In his cellar were vege-
tables, cider and perhaps barrel of old
New England. He had at all times Of
year plenty of meat, and il he wanted q
fresh fish for dinner he had only to go to
the shore and catch it. The rivers and
bays teemed with Holsters, salmon, shad
and many other kinds Of fish. The neigh
boring brooks swarmed with speckled
trout and the woods were overrun with
game of all kinds.
His surplus products the farmer traded
of at the village store for articles of cloth
a. ~ - 70 v,ocoasitios He hQ6