Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-07-13

midst. Today we are to honor the
bravery and daring OF our esteemed
citizen Theron Bassett. killed on the
Geld OF duty. A year hence we hope
to erect q suitable monument to his
memory
There vas rustic OF excitement on
the outskirts of the crowd where the
vehicle that had crawied up the dusty
road had halted. A woman's voice.
rising high above the tumult. angry
and expostulating. interrupted the Sc
lectman's speech. II tell you I'm 60
ing up front! This thing has got to
be stoppedr'
A murmur of indignation followed
the speaker as she pushed her way
through the crowd and finally emery
ed into the open space about the grave.
She was a tall, rawboned woman.
with strongly marked features and
iron gray hair drawn tightly back
from her forehead.
what do you mean by this disturb
ance. madam asked DR.. Liscom Sc
verely.
MY names Bassett." she replied.
with a little clicking movement Of her
teeth.
The reporter took a notebook from
his pocket and refectively sharpened
q pencil.
"Bassettr repeated the doctor at
fably. Then | am sure you are a
-~,.et~~ - ,ho hor< rrhora duut tifn
under this mound We would have
included you among our honored
guests had we known there was iiv-
ing descendant Of Theron Bassett.
who
"Fiddlesticksr' interrupted the wo-
man rudely.
The reporter scrubbed busily in his
notebook The first selectman's mouth
hardened.
what do you mean. madam asked
DIR. Liscom patiently.
''I mean that just heard this morn
ing that you Pond Point folks were
going to hold celebration over this
grave, and l came over here from my
home In Leetown to stop these sacri-
legious proceedingsw She looked tri-
umphantly about her, while the people
gasped. Leetown was mine Of his
toric wealth: Washington's headquar-
tiers. noted taverns where he had slept.
birthplace OF a hundred heroes-Lec-
town had more than its share Of honor
what do You mean by 'sacrile-
giousY" There was utter silence as
DR.. Liscom asked this question.
I'll tell you. sir! Theron Bassett
was my ancestor-he wasn't anything
but drummer boy, anyway, and be
deserted from the army before the
battle Of Long Island. He lived to be
ninety years old. and he died from sun.
stroke. He's buried over to Leetown,
and they're holding some kind Of q
powwow over his grave this very min.
ute, l do believer She snorted con-
temptuously as she faced the dismayed
throng.
I'VE were misinformed. them" cried
the first selectman. glaring angriIy at
DR.. Liscom, who In turn fixed an
accusing eye upon the discounted En-
rights.
The reporter chuckled gleefully as he
scrubbed. and for few minutes there
was no sound save the sharp breath.
ing OF the committee and the rustic OF
turning pages. jefferson Foster won.
dered helplessiy what the scribe might
be jotting down against his future
peace and dignity.
Yes. you are misinformed." returned
the woman sarcastically. This grave"
indicating the decorated mound with
sweep Of her mittened hand. does not
contain the dust Of any Of my ances-
tors. though it is the grave of a
HERO. This first grave with the
weeping willow on the stone is Great
grandmother Bassett's. the next IL
great-grandfather's.a and this one under
the wall. which you have made so gay
and this gentleman has been declaim
ing over-this is the grave Of HERO.
great-grandfather's favorite dog. The
old man thought sight Of him. and
when the dog died he buried him here
under the wall. and nobody knew any.
thing about it. He always said Hero
was as good Christian as lots Of folks
he knew
She went amid dead silence. and II
was not until the dust from her car
rage wheels had settled again that q
faint chuckle from the visitors broke
the constraint. DR.. Liscom covered the
situation with few words spoken
with twinkling eye.
Pond Point seems fated to play a
passive part In the history Of her coun-
try. So be it. Let Us be content to be
good citizens. heroes in our humble
way. and perhaps we may so conduct
ourselves In time of national distress
our descendants may honor our men,
cries even as we would honor the mem
DRY Of some great man! In the mean
time | move that we adjourn to the
picnic grove"
Amid loud apnlauso tho potharipo