New-York tribune., 1914-03-29
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR MARCH 49, 1914


men. The Sunbeam stopped at Boothhav
tarbor and took in tow the schooner Abdon
kecne, which was TO bc used as a lighter.
When the tow arrived at Musconpus mon
women, and children turned out. 1t was n
gala occasion. Everything had to be RATED
ashore, as there is no wharf at Musconrus:
but there were willing hands, and every
beast of burden on the island was pressed
into service, There was Nathan Carter's
single OK team, Cal Prior with his lame horse,
Elsie OSier with his steers, and Ed Carter
with BenSon'S blind mare.
With all this building material and with
lew hundred dollars since raised through
different channels the church was assured
lhe cornerstone was laid with appropriate
exercises, and by another summer Muscon-
gus viii probably have a modern house
OF worship, with an audience room. lecture
han, and even small public library. So
the passing of Malaga brought JOY to one
community, even though the degenerate
inhabitants were Sorrowtul at being dispoS-
SSeSSed from the only place they ever had
known as home
SCATTERED here and there along the
coast TO the eastward few settlements
of not more than half dozen families are to
be found living under equally dcplorable con-
ditionS Ii was one of these latter colonies
that discovered when on yachting cruise
The distribution of a few cigars, a box of
cheap candy, and perhaps a dollar i'll small
change, made me welcome enough.
The warmeSt, suggest shack on the little
island was the cabin top from a lumber
coaster wrecked a few years ago on a nearby
point. BY raising it foot there would have
been full head room. But that would have
entailed eXertion; so the seven men, women,
and children, to say nothing of three mongrel
dogs, four cats, and hen or two, lived in it
as it was The adults had become Stoop
ShOuldered from keeping their heads bowed
that they might not bump them on the cabin
CarlineS
Mandy was a not unCOmely looking young
Colored woman. She wore mems trousers,
and her ShiftleSS white husband watched her
unConcernedly as she picked up clam hoe
and basket and started for the flats to dig
their dinner.
In another shack was a woman aged al
most to the point OF Senility. She paved
over a string of dirty beads, mumbling in
Cohcrently TO herself. She took no notice of
me-
\ robust but not over bright looking man
of fifty or thereabout sat in a chair con
structed from a flour barrel and knitted
socks.
Il kind O. like to do it, We know he ex-
planned. Cant go a fishin, cause it's
BLOWN too ALFRED hard f'r my dory; so
thought I'd knit a spell.
Two women clad in filthy wrappers pat
tered about the dirt floor in their bare feet;
while sickly looking children amused them
selves by pulling cats tail and chasing a
NANCY dog round the place.
What do YOU do when it comes winter:
inquired. There were holes in the walls
big enough for gulls to fly through.
WAL, It's durn chilly sometimes. Las
winter we stuffed ol rags in the cracks; but
We see | didn't chop nough wood to last,
n there was a few days when the ole woman
n the kids he'd a powful hard time OF It:
Think of existence in such a hovel! No
fire. and winter northwester bowling over
he grav waters and sitting the numblng
shows into every nook and Granny on that
barren little bit of Maine rock and soil
| gave the man money and asked him II
he would get some shingles and at least make
the place tight before another winter.
BLESS YOU. Mister, sure | will Ill get