Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-07-27

vicinity. In one his written manuscripts
he left these lines:
when l was eight years old my mother,
with her three children, took M her resi-
dence on the banks OF the Sebago lake. in
Maine, where the family owned large tract
OF land; and here ran quite wild and would
doubt not, have willingly run wild TIL this
time, fishing all day long, or shooting with an
old lowing piece. although reading q good
deal on rainy days. Those we're delightful
days, for that part of the country was then
wild, with only scattered clearings. and nine
tenths OF 1t primevai woods.
would skate all alone on sebago lake with
the deep shadows OF the Icy hills on either
| hand. When found myself far away from
home, would sometimes take refuge in log
cabin, where half o tree would be burning ON
the open hearth. would sit in the ample
chimney corner and look at the stars IN
through the great aperture while the flames
went roaring up. All, how well I recall those
summer days when, with my gun, roamed at
viii through the woods OF Mainel How sad
middle life looks to people Of cratic tempera-
ment Everything looks beautiful in youth,
for ali things are allowed to it then.
What splendid picture of life in the
wilderness OF Maine in the long agol
Julian Hawthorne says that his father
was an excellent hunter when boy, and
wherever he went his gun was taken
along. One day he followed black bear
with persistence worthy Of hardened
hunter, but was unable to capture his
quarry. In letter written by Nathaniel
Hawthorne to his friend, James T. Fields,
in 1853, he says:
"a lived in Maine like bird in the air,
SO perfect was the freedom enjoyed. But
1t was there that I first got my cursed
habit Of loving solitudel'
THE HAWTHORNE HOUSE.
The Hawthorne home is just over the
Casco line and situated at the mouth OF
the stream known as Dingley brook.
Dingley bay, so called, has fourteen
islands, and all OF these were thoroughly
familiar to young Hawthorne. The brook
is but little over one mile in length, and
is the outlet for the waters OF Thomas
pond. This is one Of the chain OF lakes OF
which Sebsgo is the largest and most
famous.
The Hawthorne and Manning houses are
situated on opposite sides OF Dingley
brook and not more than twenty rods
apart. Here is waterfall OF fifteen feet,
furnishing an excellent power for mills as
well as making the spot exceedingly pic
turesque. Just where the brook leaves
Thomas pond q huge boulder rises from
the water, and from the fact that Hsw-
thnrpa ynt,la ust ~ lad tar
at time when fishing, it has always been
known as "Nat's Rock".
In the rear OF the old house and but q
short distance away is Lake Sebago, with
its Pulpit Rock, the Images, Frye's island,
Muddy river and the far-famed Songo.
Among these the image rock has become
classic. This huge cliY rises perpendicu-
lar to height OF more than ninety feet,
and at its base the water is almost 100 feet
deep. When the pioneer, Capt. Frye, was
pursued by the Indians to the top Of this
rock, he boldly leaped into the dark water
below and then swan the lake to the land
now known as Frye's island. Here he
built a strong cabin, the ruins OF which
may be seen at the present day.
In the old days this cliff was covered with
Indian characters known as hieroglyphs.
perchance they may tell many wild tale
OF love or war, but their true meaning will
never be deciphered as time and the
elements have worn them down until now
they can only be dimly traced. At the
base Of this cliff is the entrance to dark
cavern made by cleft in the rock, and
now known by the name OF "Hawthorne's
cave". Into this cavern young Haw-
thorne frequently penetrated, and it is
said that the opening chapters OF 1.-THE
Scarlet Letter. were written in this re-
treat. Another fsvorite resort OF Haw-
thorne was the iarfamed Songo that
empties its waters into the lake. OF this
stream Longfellow has we'll said
"Nowhere such devious stream,
Save in fancy or in dream;
Winding slow through bush and brake,
Links together lake and lake"
The Hawthorne home is very capacious,
and has the same style OF architecture as
that OF the Manning place. 1t was built at
the expense of Mr.. Manning, and here his
sister kept well-trimmed lawn, large
flower garden and fine orchard. The
building was never owned by Mrs. Haw-
thorne. and after her return to Salem it was
used as a village tavern. Its actual
owner, Richard Manning, had left a
clause in his will that church should be
built at that place, and after his death it
was decided to remodel the house into
church. This was accordingly done and
the building has since been used for that
purpose.
PLAYMATEs OF HAWTHORNE.
As early as 1870 it was said that there
was no person in Raymond that remem-
bered Hawthorne, but nothing was
further from the truth or, for that mat
ter, is to-day. 1t was not many years
ago that an old playmate OF his wrote
as follows:
'One reason why many people in Ray
mond fall to connect Hawthorne with the
novelist is the pronunciation of his name.