Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-01-22
Johns Lettoe.

There came to hand paper from At
lanta, Mount Hope township, ILL.,, con-
tanning m account of the golden wed
ding OF Mr.. and Mrs. Thomas Bennett
Pumpelly, who we're married Dec. Q,
1859. The paper contained their pic
lures also. They were married near
Maysville, Kentucky. He married his
second cousin, Harriet Pumpelly, who
Is An own cousin to Isaiah Pompilly, the
well-known horsemsn of Lewiston.
Bennett is an own cousin to US.
We quote. "The day throughout was
one of pleasure for all. A big dinner
served to put all in good humor, and
Mr.. and Mrs. Pumpelly were showered
with congratulations and wishes for
many years of health and prosperity,
and were the recipients Of many pres
euts suitable to the occasion. Their
entire married life has been passed here.
The farm was purchased three years
previously by Mr.. p, he paying $500
an acre for the land, this price being the
highest that had been paid up to that
time for land in this section. During
the half century Mr.. P. has witnessed
almost the entire development OF this
section. He is thorough and system
attic farmer, and his efforts have been
we'll rewarded, his farm being consider
cd one of the best in Mt. Hope. he Is
man of sterling integrity and upright
character. Through all the years his
estimable wife has been an able assist
ant. Aunt Harriet as she is 80 famil-
iarly known, is one of Gods noble
women, and enjoy large acquaintance.
She is generous, kind and true, ever
ready to offer helping hand to the
suffering and unfortunate, and justly
merits the high esteem in which she is
held by ALL"
We have met with her both here and
in Rumford, and we belive that to be
true. We know her to be agreeable and
a good, easy talker, and 1t 10 easy to fall
in love with her. We did, at first sight
Bennett was born in Turner. He spent a
few weeks in Buckfield in 1858. We
have not looked upon his face for more
than half century, but the sound of his
voice and the last words we ever heard
him speak come to us across the inter-
vening years.
We recall those who we're waiting
with him at the Packard Crossing for the
down train drawn by the Virgil d.
Father, Uncle j Frank Spaulding, Rip
ley Tuttle and your scribbler. We re-
call that Grip" was under cloud, as no
hankered for smoke and he had no
match. A match was forthcoming-the
cloud was lifted, and the sun came forth,
and the smoke arose. The train came
"Hurrah for Old Kentuckr'- echoes
died away and Bennett had vanished
from our life for all time, like those who
die and are no more.
We have spent many happy hours in
"Aunt Harriet's" old home near Sardis,
KY. Her fathers name was Benjamin,
and he was brother to the elder Isaiah
Pumpelly. A sister married Merrill
and another sister married Lewis Record,
both of this town. Uncle Ben was a
large and powerful man and social,
opeu-handed and open-hearted gentle
man. The young people there at home
were Caroline, Dexter, who afterwards
was lieutenant in Kentucky union
regiment, Susan and little boy Ben.
The pleasant home was broken up on
account of union sentiments, his neigh
bors being southern sympathizers.
They moved to Illinois. The father,
Car oline and Susan have passed beyond.
Cousin Allen had an excellent farm at
POe's Mills" beautiful for situation on
the North Fork of Licking River. The
money crop in that section was tobacco.
He had eleven acres the year we were
there-1S5S. There were two slaves
that fell to his wife from her fathers
estate, and one he bought. POmp and
Ned were brothers and Jane was cousin
of theirs. Pomp got bewitched by a
mice little yaller gal" in an adjoining
county and wanted to be sold. Allen
let him take horse to 90 and hunt a
purchaser. There was much weeping
10 the family when Pomp went; he didn't
stay with his new master long but skip
ped for Ohio. Jane also ran away.
They have both crossed river ESQ call
ed) that in no wise resembles the "placid,
soft Ohio"
Ned waited for Lincoln's edict of
freedom, and when told that he was
free his strength departed and he fell to
the ground. He stayed with Allen a
year and then went to Kansas, married
and prosperous. Allen visited him
there, and he claimed that be had no
relative anywhere that could express
more joy at meeting him. Ned hadn't
the skin of sweet girl graduate, but
he had a heart as tender. We recall
that starlit night in April when we took
his hand and said, "Good-bye" If he
didn't cry we were mistaken in the
symptoms.
The negro quarters drew us frequent
ly. A new experience to US. Perhaps
they were equally amused. Their part
on the programme was singing and dane
ing, and ours speaking frivolous bits with
which our head was crowded. Any
thing particularly ridiculous revealed
rows of ivory set In ebony.
Well, we'll! We have had some good
times, and on the whole are rather glad
we happened to have been born-glad
that we entered into the thought Of the
Infinite. If he mapped out our course,
we don't see how we could run on other
lines. It looks as II the devil pushed
out some by-ways that we have blunder-
ed into. But
We are writing just to kill or cripple
time this stormy evening. If your read
ers have no time to waste, kill or cripple
they can skip it. No compulsion.
JOHN.
Piano Recital.