The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1911-03-23
Across the American Continent
III,

= Starting from the home OF my childhood
for my present home March l, 1911, l
now leave only two of the old neighbors
in distance of more than five miles
north and south of my old home. Along
the same road eight of the neighbors l
left twenty five years ago have died and
four have moved away. Some other
much. Though my mother is enjoying
good health for woman seventy three
years old, have been unable to convince
her that New England's rock-bound
earth's beauties.
Iwould measure earth and skies all by
the same rule and gather health and hap
piness from each alike. Shakespeare
and St. Paul stand before me as men, as
the productions of creative energy.
Those who refuse to look and live, lose
something valuable out of life. Most
men are interested in only one little
phase of life. But men like Emerson,
scientists like Darwin and Huxley and
poets like Longfellow and Whittier trav-
erse the ground pretty thoroughly, if
we will but accompany them. Right
here person remarks that Sunday
school superintendent usually hold posi-
lions for life. Every one should have
enough love for humanity to retire when
another person is found who can do the
work better.
At Vassalboro l could not see over the
bluffs to see the seminary where l used
to go with my parents to visit my aunt.
Tonight 1 am writing this in the same
house where that aunt drew her last
breath about year ago. What is human
breath? Just the movement of few
molecules of matter.
Just here remember have not spok-
en- of my visit to the old farm; of the large
apple trees which l rails I'd from the seed
more than forty years ago. AS we passed
through the barn door told Mr.. Hasty
of the last time | saw my father standing
in that door: how l warned him of the
danger of being out in cold mid-winter
dav with a bad cold, He said, "We must
work while we can" Bad logic. If he
had gone to bed and taken good sweat
and cared for his body with the same de-
gree of intelligence that the engineer
uses in guiding his engine across the con-
tinent he might have been here with me
tonight, as rugged and hearty as his
brother, A. J. Cole, who says | have to
visit New York with him before I leave.
At Augusta l saw on building the
familiar name of R. W. Soule, who was
steward at Kent's Hill about thirty years
ago. At Hallowell the ground slopes out
gracefully, instead of steep bluffs. Gar
diner and Bowdoinham are respectable
looking towns. But the country, as seen
from the train, partially covered with
bushes or very light forest, does not look
very enticing. We pass over long
bridge after leaving Portland, or it look
ed long then, but it might look short if
seen after seeing the several bridges we
passed under before reaching New York
city. At Old Orchard saw tie Atlantic
ocean for the first time in many year.
Saco and Blddeford are close together
and contain many large buildings.
North Berwick occupies level coun-
try. More than half century ago my
grandfather used to come here from
Waldo county with his horse and sleigh
to visit relatives and friends, and come
home with his sleigh loaded with white
oak for his shop. l know this more
from hearing father tell about it than
from memory, as grandfather died when
was quite small. We see piles of saw
dust, showing the work of movable saw
mills. The forest consists of a small
growth Of pine, fir, oak and white birch.
We see some large brick buildings at
Salmon Falls, but do not stop. Some
orchards before reaching Dover contain
lots of houses. There is about six inches
of snow in the Kennebec valley and two
inches in New Hampshire.
In Haverhill, enquiring for Merrimac
street, | was told that it was one square
up street. / told the man l supposed he
meant one block ap street as had never
heard the word square used in this way.
No." he said, sit was one square. l
found the street all right but was sur
prised to find the end of a street in the
middle of the city, as street always
crosses city out west. Haverhill is
one of the greatest shoe manufacturing
towns in the world. 1t has three men
constituting a Board of Government to
take the place of the usual city officers.
1t is proposed that the city shall furnish
both gas and electric lights in the near
future. The city is building up quite
rapidly. 1t is surrounded by fine scenery
and abundant means is furnished for
travel in all directions. DR.. l. M. Luce
is one of the most prosperous of the
eighteen dentists in the city. Taking
an electric car for Boston, via Lawrence,
saw some beautiful homes on the
heights overlooking the city. noticed