The Republican journal., 1910-05-26
out Of the sailmaking business since Feb

siderable, the Philadelphia centennial,
Buffalo, Niagara and other places. Ny
wife has always been with me on these
toots, except to California. We were in
Washington, D. c., on our 5Oth wedding
anniversary. About 25 years ago took
a trip across the country, sightseeing. I
got to San Francisco the day after Christ
mas and visited two of my sisters, Mrs.
Herendeen and Mrs. Josephine Collins.
l was there six weeks, arriving home
the first of March for spring business.
While was in San Francisco my brother
in-law, E. P. Herendeen, who had spent
the two previous winters at Point Bar
row in the Arctic Circle, was at home
and went around with me. We went to
Stockton and visited the insane hospital,
where had brother who had been re-
ceiving treatment for years. His head
had been terribly injured when he was
IL years old by the collapse of building
which he was helping raise. His skull
was SO badly injured that the doctors
considered his case hopeless and no at
tempt was made to mend it. But the
skull grew together again and he got
well. AS he grew older he became SUBJ
ject to dizzy spells and mental disturb
ance, during which he wandered about,
until at last in one of these spells he got
aboard ship and went around the Horn
to Frisco, where he was placed in the
insane hospital. He died about year
after saw him. Mrs. Collins died about
the same time. The hospital had about
1900 patients at the time saw it.
We also went to Sacramento and where
the Legislature was in session and where
l witnessed the greatest sight Of my life.
1t was at the time of big flood or freshet:
The guide took US up into the belfrey OF
the Capitol building and we could see land
in only one direction. All else was a
sheet Of water as far as we could see. |
was down to the Golden Gate several
times and at the Cliff House. We could
look out onto the Pacific Ocean and see
the sea-lions at play on the rocks nearby.
I tasted the water of the Pacific and it
did not seem as salt as the water Of Pc
nobscot Bay, but l suppose it was.
l went to several Masonic meetings,
and my companion was former Rock
land man, Henry Burns, brother of
Col. Burns, who once lived on the Point.
Henry Burns was s~nember of the health
committee and he took US through China
town, down three stories underground,
and the sight was understandable.
California is a great country. | saw
Rev. Isaac Kalloch, formerly of Rock
land, several times at his desk in city
hall. He was mayor at the time. l
came home by the Union Pacific. 1t
was Just before the Southern road was
open for business. l got home the first
of March, we'll satisfied with what l had
got for the money spent.
AS to politics, l never had any. l
have always believed in voting for the
best man for the place without regard
for the parties | did vote for John c.
Fremont for President and went with
his party about 20 years, when theNran
off the track, and I've been Mugwump
ever since. | had seen John c. and
jessie Benton Fremont. They used to
be rusticators at Bar Harbor.
I joined the Masons in 1852, then the
Chapter, Council and Commandery, and
taking rs degrees of the Rose Croix
order. was charter member of Rock
land Lodge and Claremont Commandery.
Levi NJ Robbins of Massachusetts is the
only other charter member of Claremont
Commandery row living, | am now the
Oldest past master of Rockland Lodge.
AS to the religious part, | never had
any settled faith. | believe if a man
does as we'll as he knows how that is
enough. When ! commenced business
more than 60 years ago, I traded in Bos-
ton with Albert Fearing, Thatcher 4
Written, then with Wittens, Boyntons
and about all the ship chambers there.
Now the older one, and lots Of the young
er ones, have dropped out like blowing
out candle, and what does it all amount
to? | have lived long time, worked
hard and padded my own canoe, and |
can't see as l have been any benefit to
this world, and if that is so think life is
about as near a failure as you can find it
Now my bodily health is good for a
year or so, but my feet and legs have
been failing. can sit on my bench and
work all day with ease, as have done
most of the winter, but when | get up
my feet and legs refuse to do their duty.
My wife is 81 and her health is as good
as mine She does her own Homework
and would not have hired girl around
in her way.
wish some good, live sailmaker would
come along and buy what tile stuff |
have in the loft, and take my place. |
shall soon leave sail-making and every
thing else forever | am willing, and
would not like TO go over the same road
again. l have prepared a good resting
place for myself and wife, with the stone
all set and our names on it.
We have one daughter, who is the wife
of William H. Kittredge a Rockland
druggist. They have two sons. My
prayer for the last rs years has been to
live till they were old enough to care for
themselves. My prayer has been
granted, for both are now capable of
taking care of themselves.
] was always half military man.
belonged to the Rockland Rife Company
and just before the Civil war did escort
duty for jefferson Davis at muster in
Belfast. When the war came 1 was
drafted, and offered captains billet.
wanted to go, but there were those de-
pendent upon me here at home and |
thought best to send substitute, which
| did, and one after that. 1t cost me
about $500 and did not begrudge it.
Times have changed since Hannah
died! am afraid this country is coming
to some kind of crisis before long. I
remember when Andrew Jackson was
President. At that time the country
was run in business manner; now you
seem to hear of graft everywhere.
Under Jackson things ran smoothly and
the Treasury was so full that he caused
the surplus to be divided, every man,
woman and child to receive So apiece.
Ours was large family and we got a
good-sized dizzy. Now the country is
cpopdiner oho,,t q WILTON dollarc n dow