Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-07-09

| oNtt'N VII IL u dCh SitOt WouIi ttlhC IllS
place between the thills of the pung
as s.eerer, and on his nerve, good judg-
ment and skill in steering depended
| the physical safety or even lives of his
| mates. Once started, the pung rapid
| ly gained Roadway, and by the time
the foot of the hill was reached few
railway trains would exceed its rate
of speed. Its weight and momentum
would usually carry it over the plain
| and down to the river. On one such
| coast Charles N occupied the place
| of honor. Now, to properly apprc-
| ciate his experience, you must know
| that the place where the Sled came to
| the river known as the town landing,
| was very apt at high tide to be COW
| cred from Il few inches to Il foot or
| mere i'll depth with water which over
| flowed the ice. In order to steer the
| pung it was necessary to sit aStride
| the sled, with feet projecting in front.
! Charles successfully steered the party
| down the hill, across the plain, down
| the second hill. made q sharp turn and
| struck the river. The tide was up.
| His extended legs, acting precisely
| like the scoop on the Pennsylvania
in the center of the track, the tank of
| the tender is filled while the train is
| at full speed, entered the water and
scooped it up until it fairly flowed out
| beneath his chin. However he
pluchily stuck to his post and guided
! the rung for a goodly distance on the
| ice. Do you think we had any fun
| that evening? Since then, with the
! Unborn versatility of the Yankee,
| Charles has figured as sailor, captain
| of his own vessel policeman, sowing
| machine agent, and president of an in
surance company, and during the sea-
son often appeared as the skipper of
! his comfortable yacht for the pleasure
OF his many congenial friends. Time
bieached his locks but never robbed
him either of his capacity to enjoy or
his pleasure in comforting "a good
time"
The spring was always q pleasant
season FOR us boys. Then there were
many places covered with thrifty
growth Of alders, brchcs and hemlock
long since drained off and the land
laid out in house lots or turned into
cultivated fields. There the WOodcocl
and partridge and the gray squirrel
were successfully sought, and there the
mayfioWerS and early spring blossoms
abounded. At that time, also, on the
borders of the village, it was no I'M
common thing for the henroost to be
visited by some marauding fox or
skunk, and the farmers boy often got
his first lesson in taNidermy, and a lit
tie welcome income, at the expense of
thar fox WhnSn nnlt tn
dry, ornamented the sunny side of the
barn. About this time of year, we
sometimes in our rambles came upon
the camp of some genuine Indians,
peaceful, but far from picturesque
Here, for several weeks, the tribe
would give their attention to basket
making and selling by the suuaws,
with accompanying beggary, and the
making Of bows and arrows by the
men. And sometimes the men would
build a genuine birch bark canoe-a
thing which, quite common. then, is
new rarity except in the wilds of
Northern Maine or Canada, where the
hunters and guides still utilize them
The Indian boys, too, under the slim
illus of a big copper cent as Il target,
would show their skill in archery, but
as there was no penalty for missing,
and the target became theirs when hit,
it may be understood that they had de-
cidedly the best of the financial status
About these days nourished the "lit-
tie red schoolhouse," and the mysteries
of the three R'S-rcading, 'riting and
rithmetic-Wcrc duly and thoroughly
impaired and drilled into the pupils,
whose attachments ranged from the
primer to the First Glass Reader, in
reading, and from simple addition to
the rule OF three, in figures. Each
class in it's turn took its place on the
floor, tocd a line, and rccited their les
sons The place of honor was the head
of the class, and the competition was
usually the Sharpest in the spelling
class. Here the one who held the head
on Saturday took his place at the foot
on Monday morning, and not seldom
made his way well back toward his old
position in the first recitation, by go
ing above those who failed to properly
spell the words given out to them
Several times during the term we
Would have spelling matches, when
each half, headed by the best spoilers.
would cndcavor to spell down the
other SIDE the victory often won only
after q long and stubborn contest be-
tween two or three of the champion
spoilers ii the school, and finally decid-
cd, perhaps. by some common word,
while the crestfallen victim declared
he did not know why ne should have
missed that word"'
The present generation of pupils can
have little idea of the schoolroom Of
those days. and of the lack OF modern
convenicnccs and what arc now con-
sidercd Indispensable educational
equipments. Steel pens, for instance,
We're then first coming into use, and