Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-19
A Fragment Of My Late Visit.
FROM BRErrus's MILLS TO HARTFORD.

NNuoPsok W.
Making It Q point to stop but ono night
In place, unless to avoid travelling on
tho Sabbath, I left Brettun's Mills for
Canton, that being the next place on the
program to visit. The travelling was bad
on account of the recent snow storm and
warm weather which followed, but one
cannot expect to find everything pleas
ant and favorable continually In Novem-
Der.
Travelling in that direction q mile or
more came to road leading west over
Campbell Hill, 80 called, and through
the neighborhood where Thomas and
Viola Stickney first saw the light of life,
and where put In my first summers
work In 184S. Having desire to see
how the neighborhood looked, and the
Stickney farm in particular, after lapse
of nearly 90 years, 1t did not require
much time to change my course, a.
though 1t meant two or three miles of
extra travel, but soon became satisfied
that no mistake had been made In doing
30.
At the time spoken OF the neighbor-
hood consisted Of some eight farms, all
occupied and all apparently In comfort
able circumstances. OF course I did not
expect to find many there that l knew at
that time, but was surprised TO see the
change that had taken place In nearly
all the farms, some Of which were no
longer worthy of the name.
What was once the last farm in Liver
more and considered full an average had
been abandoned for years, 30 that bushes
were growing up In the fields, and tho
buildings had so completely disappeared
that not 30 much as an old single or
brick was to be seen. The only thing
that showed where the buildings once
stood was the cellar which It seems was
not considered worth moving away. One
fact more might be added before leaving
the place; some time In the fifties the
barn was burned, and the owner being
somewhat destitute Of means, crew Of
men got together and put up frame for
another, myself among the number.
In due time I came to what had been
the Stickney farm, and there met with .
greater surprise than the first. The
summer worked there a. before men,
toned, that farm cut . forty foot barn
full of hay beside big stack that could
not be got In. Now the whole farm is
turned Into pasture, the buildings NOV
cd away, and nothing to indicate where
they once stood except the cellar, like
the place first mentioned, and few ap-
pie trees.
On the whole 1t IL now poor and for
saken looking neighb0rhood, two or
three other farms vacated and no free
mail route nor telephone line. Now I
find myself once more on the old county
road, within mile Of the old homestead,
and hurry on toward Canton. Travelling
along mile or 80 to well-filled ceme-
terry my curiosity led me up to the fence
and the first inscription I read on .
gravestone was this
Sarah B. Lucas.
Died Nov. %. 1855.
Age 81 Yrs, 8 ms.
There was the resting place Of some.
what remarkable person whom / we'll
knew all through my boyhood days, was
present at her funeral and yet It is doubt
full II line Of her obituary was ever writ
ten. The fact Is there were very few
local correspondents at that time com.
pared to the present, and consequently
but little Of that matter was ever pub
lished. It 10 not my purpose to give
biographical history of that person here,
but q more flashlight 10 show who and
what she was, thinking 1t may be inter-
esting to some, even ut this late day.
Miss Sarah Bennett Lucas, but general.
~ known as Aunt Sarah, was an timer
ant tailoress by trade, and a. long ago as
v,,v q, asrn orx, roa haa hooI-or1 oka 40 ~,
into our family In the fall and there re-
manned long enough to cut and make up
. stock of clothing for the following
year. She was lover Of children and
consequently We little kids always look.
cd forward with pleasure to the time
when Aunt Sarah would come to work in
tho family, we'll knowing she would treat
us on stories and vocal music, since she
was fine singer.
Ny folks were Baptists of what might
be called tho old school, and - she knew
what was called Q Baptist hymn, some
one would always get her to sing It while
stopping In the family. Only one whole
verse of the hymn can be recalled at this
late day, which ran nearly thus:
John was Baptist preacher,
he preached unto the Jew;
Go read the1third Of Matthew.
And there you'll ind Il true.
In addition to what has been said, Aunt
Sarah taught common and Sabbath
both Of which I attended to
some extent. and the first lesson she
gave me in the latter school to commit
was q part Of the first chapter Of st.
Johns gospel, which 10 still fresh In my
mind.
Aunt Sarah lived In the family Of her
brother-in-law, Lamuel Cole, until . few |
pears before her death when she went to |
i've with another sister, Mrs.. John Rob. |
|ns0n. In person she was somewhat |
above the average In stature, we'll form.
I'd, With light complexion. and in brief |
vas fine looking person, and It il hard.
y necessary to add that her life work |
,orresponded In every particular.
To be continued.