Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-03-05
FORT FA1EFIKLD, ME-, Feb. II, Isl;

FORT FAIRFIELD, ME-, Feb. IL, 1913
Dear Aunt Madge and d. B. Friends:
When 1 began to study music Aunt Madge
was my teacher. She told me never to re-
fuse to play for body who asked me, be-
cause. said she; IF they really want to hear
you, it will give them pleasure. and if they
ask simply for the sake of politeness they
should be punished"
Now recently have had a number Of invi-
tations to write letter to the II. B. column,
so am hoping that those who really want to
hear from Aroostook and me will enjoy it.
while those in class B will just have to take
their medicine as they did years ago when
favored ~ them with a solo on the piano.
AS / have only been keeping house six
months, am sure there is nothing In the line
of household helps and ideas which will be
Of use to you that would be ableto offer.
! could mention few such brilliant items as:
"Too much soda biscuit yellow or 4" too hot
fre-cake is black, and so on down through
the whole rainbow alphabet, but instead l
will tell you something of the country and Of
our Grst winter in Aroostook county.
You people down the State can have no idea
Of the vastpess, growth and resources of
northern Maine until you come up, as did,
and see for yourselves. The land is almost
entirely cleared in the eastern part Of the
county. There are no woods, as potato
fields are everywhere.
In spite of the fact that we are SO far away
from coal mines. coal is much cheaper than
wood. Dry hard wood is - per cord.
The potato. as you know, is the root Of all
good and all evil in this locality. Fort Fair
field sends out more than any town city in
the world. 1t is nothing unusual for farmer
to clear $4,000 or $4,000 in one year, but one
| thing seems strange to me-that IL, that
! nothing is raised but potatoes. They send
outside for everything else-corn, beans,
butter, eggs, ETC. They keep very few cows
and it is almost impossible to get milk and
cream anywhere. At present eggs are 4oc and
butter A5c; the farmers come in town and pay
| it, and we all pay it.
| This potato business is q big gamble-whai
| is made one year is lost the next, perhaps
and one hears avail Street" and quotations
talked about up here, as much as any Other
subjects. The people are very fond of spend.
! ing this easily-earned money. The stores are
very good, and anything that can be pur-
chased anywhere can be found in Aroostooi
: stores.
We are only a mile and half from the Ca
madam line. Just over the line are thres
hotels with bars. where "6re-water" OF al
/ descriptions is sold. II would make dea
Dell and some of the other union-wor
sigh deep, deep signs, and then rush into thu
conflict more heartily than ever, II the,
could see the procession, rather shaky AND
I wabbly, going to and from the "pen". as the,
/ call the line hotels.
l was going to tell about our winter too
| wasn't II But we have had none, tina
! won't take long. l was prepared for abou
| nine feet of snow and for the mercury in tn
thermometer to be frozen at 5oidegrees below
zero from October until May. On the con
| trary. we have lad the mercury register be
low zero only a very few mornings, and tn
snow. though deeper now than at any othe
| time during the winter, measures only foot
1t seems much colder on the coast when tn
thermometer says Is degrees above than her