Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-17


was in Washington for while during
the war as lieutenant Of the 18th
Maine, and occasionally saw Mr.. Lin
coin. He gave the assembly in the
New York Avenue church ripping
good talk, which was thoroughly en-
ioyed all around. It Will add TO MS
popularity with Washington people,
Edmund j. 'Brookings, veteran OF
the 10Th Maine, now living in WASH
ington, D. c. writes US the following
interesting letter:
Editor kennebec Journal:
l was pleased to read in your issue OF
the Sth inst. a poem by Jean Baptiste
Trudean, entitled 1.-The Blankets Ihey
Wore" referring to the 10Th. Maine VOL
unteers in their early experience in the
late Civil war.
AS member Of that regiment l can
confirm all that was related in the pro-
logue. 1t doubtless will bring back 70 me
few remaining. both officers and enlisted
men, the hardships. privations, suffering
and sickness endured during the ran ana
winter of 1923, and in spite OF winch.
the noble proof of their courage ana Nalor
following in their first battle. that Of
Fredericksburg.
The poem is one of merit. yet l am
rather sorry that the author las 1t would
Scefll) HAS, lililOCeHllS pei ilhP''
the force. rhythm and sentiment, especial
" in the refrain, of a poem written by
the late Ri. Rev. George burgess -; -,
Bishop of Maine and rector or Cnilst
whose poem was published in 1852 or 1863
and entitled THE Coat the Soldier
Wore" 1t gained wide reputation ana
circulation at that time The refrain OF
the poem, one verse lana the otnefS were
similar) is as follows:
s,nr1,o .,.o,, ,oot
The sky-blue coat,
The blue great coat
The soldier wore.
1t is possible that this later poem did
not draw it's form, rhythm and lnsplra-
ton from the earlier one, but compari-
otherwise.
notwithstanding. the old 18th Maine
boys of the blanket period especially,
will be grateful for this effort OF Mr.
Trudean to commemorate in verse that
peculiar and ever remembered incident
connected with the proud career OF their
EDMUND J. BROOkINGS.
The Wilton, Washington u. Z.
Preparation is now going on in the
old First Parish church in Portland
for the reception of the ashes of the
late Hermann Kotzschmar, which are
to be placed in a niche near the great
organ at which he presided for so
many years. A memorial urn ana
tablet will mark the spot where all
that is mortal OF the great musician
is to rest in the midst of the surround
ines which were so familiar to him in
life and with which his musical career
was so closely identified. The kotz-
schmlr memorial will be the latest of
a remarkable series of tablets which
have. during the past few years, been
placed in the auditorium of the First
Parish to commemorate the virtues OF
those who were identified with the
paris from its earliest days. There are
probably few churches in New Eng
land richer in tradition or more sane
tilted by hard and self-denying exper-
fence than this frontier parish winch
was founded more than two centuries
ago, and which has had as it's stead
fast supporters in adversely and in
prosperity some of the strongest men of
this community at every stage of It's
career.
Close by the windows of a home in
Bowdoinham is a bird nursery where
all through the winter months the
apple and cherry trees are filled with
blue jays woodpeckers and others,
eight varieties of birds having been
seen here this season by Mrs. w. +.
Kendall. In the trees the kendalls
place long strips of suet suspended by
wires, and farther down in the branch
es of cherry tree is a big box fas-
tened securely and always well filled
with corn. eve never use cracked
corn now" said Mrs. Kendall. "as the
English sparrows get it all away from
the others. Some days the box is blue
with the blue jays There are two
kinds of woodpeckers. Morning is the
best time to watch the birds, though
they come in great numbers for their
breakfast. When it is very cold the
Canadian sparrows or winter chlpples.
come down from Canada. Then there
are the pine gros beaks. big fiocks of
them, and that red-headed woOdpeck-
err you see swinging away as he hangs
to that piece of suet is very tame. I
60 out and talk to him often and he is
never the least bit frightened. Last
week 80 birds were here one morning.
One chckadee family. father, mother
ana baby. is very interesting. We have
tie hairy and downy woodpecker the
nut hatchers. chickadees. Canadian
sparrows. and the English sparrows,
the blue jays and the pine gros beaks
and sometimes the shrike or butcher
bird makes his appearance. The other
birds are frightened of him for he kills
them when he gets the chance"