Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1908-12-30
Correspondents.


E0YPT, Mass, Dec. n, 1903.
TO tAe Editor Of TAs Amertcan:
In recent issue OF THE AMKnIcAN the
writer noted an item entitled Memories
Of Esstbrook," by X. y. Gerrish, and he
feels that Mr.. Gerrish cannot Be CONVEX
SAINT with all the facts relating TO the sub
icct he treats. That he states correctly
many facts there can be NO doubt, but it ID
equally true that he mentions other things
Of which he had mo- personal knowledge,
or be looks Through glass darkly."
The memory has . way Of casting .
golden glow over the past, and sometimes
we lose sight Of the reality = . conse-
quence. When We attempt 70 compare the
past with the present We should take care
10 pierce tbs haze that obscures our vision
and see only the reality. The writer would
mot attempt to destroy any OF the back
ground Mr.. 0srrish has Drawn for his
picture, bat would endorps most heartily
his versiou Of the efforts Of thoss pionesfs
who were bold enough TO clear ths roagh,
rugged hills:des Of the township. That
they were hardy men thsre can be NO
doubt, and that they raised large and
likely families Is equally true; but that
they had large farms stocked with
"bioodcd" cattle, and that those farms
were well kept, Is questionable.
Az matter Of fact. nearly every one Of
those men got their living by numbering,
and farmed when there was nothing to do
in the "woods'. They hewed their homes
out Of the forests and likewise their liy-
ing. Farming was of secondary import
ance, to be resorted to when other things
permitted. There is and I trust always
will be tender spot in the heart OF every
American for the man who shoulders his
AZ and hews his home out OF the forest.
That il ~ it should be; but the question
is the present status OF the rural town OF
Maine, for, as Mr.. Gerrish says, what il
true OF Eastbr Is true OF many other
Of the State, and in fact ef
many other states of our Union.
That the successors OF these pioneers are
balf-interested" citizens is hardly true;
that they are less earnest, hardy men or
less intelligent is hardly true. The writer
happens to be among the many who have
the large ccnters OF business, but has re-
turned to the little hamlet year after year,
and has most certainly failed to notice the
signs Of deterioration mentioned.
remember only too well the homes OF
the families mentioned and something Of
their condition. can see them Is write
low, one-story or one-xnd a half story
bau 90 - -
by out buildings that hardly
sheltered the stock from the rigor OF the
New England winters. At each home
there was large family OF children, and
even with the abundance OF timber at
hand, it took ali the efforts OF the master
Of those households to provide food and
for these families. That there
were exceptions to this is true, but where
we find one 'swell-fixedn in this worlds
goods, we found more miser.bly poor.
To-day those same houses, almost with
out exception, have been repaired and
painted, the outbuildings improved until
the stock is housed comfortably. In fact, |
the whole town presents much better
appearance than in the days of the OK
team. Instead OF those ORLEANS, every
man has one or more horses; whether they
are an improvement over the slow oxen
the writer does not attempt to say.
Personally the writer has not noted that
look mentioned, aud has
noted no overwhelming desire to leave
their present homes on the part of the
citizens. The schools are far superior to
those Of the old days, and the children OF
to-day get about twice as many weeks of
instruction during the year.
To-day there is . telephone line stretch
ing the entire length OF the town, thus