Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-03-04
Correspondence.
From the Sunny South.
SOUTHERN PINES. n. C.,
Feb. y. 1905.

FEB. e, lNe.
To the Editor Of The American:
Perhaps your readers will be interested
to hear something of this part Of "Dixien,
which is a place Of refuge for New Eng
landers. =
This winter north has been till quite
recently SO mild and comfortable that the
need Of immigration to this place has not
been SO necessary as other winters; and as
q natural consequence there are fewer peo-
pie here than for several years past. Still
goodly number is here, especially from
the Pine Tree State, as from Eastport,
Lubec, LAmoine, Bar and Seal Harbors,
Rockland, Springvale, Norway, Portland,
ETC., etc. Most of these return after the
first or middle OF April. Pinehesrst, seven
miles from here, has for its guests people
from Massachusetts, New York and Penn
sylyania, mostly.
This winter here is said to be more
severe than usual, although there has been
no snow or ice. To those OF us " no are here
for the first time, it seems almost para
disc i'll comparison with the rigors of our
northern winters. There has been no day
since the last of December but that flowers
OF different kinds could be gathered, while
the magnolia is heavy with folige, and the
English ivy, climbing up over the walls OF
buildings and piazzas, is as fresh and green
as it can be at any season Of the year.
There are bird songs everyw here; and
now, at this date, the planting of gardens
is about completed. One lady assured us
a few days ago that she had eaten straw
berries raised here in April and peaches
in June.
Sitting out in the open parks in January
is OF frequent occurrence here. There is
an organization OF the 'Sons and Daugh-
tiers OF Maine" here, who held their meet
ings once month, and similar one OF
Vermont, which has just held its first
gathering, and a move is on foot for
another of the children OF New Hamp-
shire. And so the clans gather, each feel
ing that mis- or her state is the best in the
Union. After the weather becomes warm.
they all fly with the birds northward,
rather like deserted villages, although the
former has its permanent homes.
As one would naturally expect, there are
invalids here, and several deaths have oc-
Cured in the last month, among those
who came too late for the benefits OF the
miider climate. Among these was one more
noticeable than others, Mrs. Sawyer, wife
OF the jeweller at Bar Harbor, who had
spent much OF the last three years here,
and made such a brave fight for her life,
and who by her gentle, patient and hope
full spirit gathered to herself many friends
from those about her; prominent among
whom were Mr.. and Mrs. Stanley, in
whose house she lived, and who to the last
extended the kindest offices to her and her
husband, even when the last sad DAYS
came, and Mr.. Sawyer took her body
home to the North for burial. Mr.. Saw
yer's devotion to his wife through the
long struggle has been marked, and he has
here.
This town does not thrive aside from
the winter sojourners) as in former times
when the trade in pitch and turpentine
was at its height. The town OF ManIey,
one and one half miles from here. ten
years ago furnished more OF the above
commodities than all the rest OF the State.
Now il is deserted and forlorn place,
showing few signs OF its former activ-
titles. Its decay is owing to the fact that
the pines are all exhausted, the pitch all
drawn from them, .sscaried or boxed,' as
they term it. Still the grand old pines
live, stripped of all their virtue, which
never returns, and it is a long wait for the
young growth to come to the front.
About this section are still to be seen
the old plantations of former generation,
pla5 h showing that there has been
CO. ia the lives and the living of the