The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1915-12-30
Belmont Corner Memories.

Belmont Corner Memories.
To THE EDITOR OF THE JOURNAL:
wrote you last from San Jose and since
then have visited the Panama EXPOSE
ton In San Francisco for four days and
am now in Los Angeles-Spanish for the
City of Angels. Father Seriepta Juni-
pore built the old San Gabriel Mission
here and there might have been angels
among the Indians, but l don't think
there are many flying around here now.
of crimes committed l am almost con-
strained to think perhaps the devil and
some of his imps now dwell around here.
l suppose you all know tina. Los An
geles is now the largest city on the Pa
cifc coastal least $4,000 population.
The largest of Oriental ships land car
goes and passengers here at the largest
dock in the United States and soon this
to be the great Pacific naval head
quarters.
You are having cold winter weather
and we have fine summer days, the tenn
perature ranging from 80 to 80 degrees
in the shade. We have had nice rains
and the farmers are busy putting in
their barley and oat crops. My mission
to you is not to tell you of this great
fertile Southwest. That would have a
tendency to give you Western fever
that would take some OF you away. l
think Maine is now we'll represented in
Los Angeles. They have a Maine S eli
ETY. with upwards OF 3, 600 members. 1t is
wonderful how soon they forget how to
bake beans and brown bread. | don't
know but my taste has changed, but
used to think knew good beans when |
saw them.
l will open up again my diary book of
memory. Belmont Corner seemed to
me like Old Rome. All roads led to
Belmont, and the old churchless town
was the hub of the universe around it.
l suppose some Of you remember Daniel
Shirley, dyed-in-the-wool jackson
Democrat, who lived and died in the
Democratic faith. was told that Dan
lei loaned John Carver $40 to begin
business at Belmont Corner, and the
business was selling New England rum
and molasses. Mr.. Carver fourished
and became quite wealthy. In after
years he moved to Belfast. and from
there to Lincolnville Beach. Daniel
Shirley held his own we'll. He had moth
ing and left nothing. He used to cone
regularly every spring with his hoe to
Vinal Haven to make gardens and re-
turn home to Belmont in the fall with a
nice little wad of greenbacks. l sup
pose his remains lie in the same grave
yard where my father sleeps. 1 recol-
lect hearing my good father say he
used to manage funerals. and at the
funeral of odd Mr.. Gray, who lived just
at the foot of graveyard hill, the mourn.
ers went to the graveyard and he got
the New England rum and molasses
ready for the friends as they came back
from the graveyard. At husking bees,
pairing bees and apple bees, all took
little of old New England rum.
My father was a radical temperance
man and belonged to the Sons of Tenn
perance and the Old Washingtonian So
ciety. Mother used to wash and starch
the regalias. Mary day l hunted for
the goat in the old town hall. Well
recollect Squire Russ and family Will
liam, the editor, John D. at Rockport,
Capt. Alonzo and Oscar, and at least two
daughters just come to my mind.
see poor E. c. Dunton town pauper.
On cold winter mornings he would start
out singing Gold frosty morning, Mig
ger very good, axe on his shoulder away
cutting wood" and l recall how nv
mother filled him up occasionally. My
father was cripple in hands and feet.
One day he went to the Cross Pond to
8 boot ducks. think Daniel Shirley was
his companion. AccidentIy he discharged
the full load of buckshot into his side
and his clothes took fire. With presence
of mind he rolled into the water, and
and after several hours DR.. Monroe of
Belfast attended him, removing shot and
clothes from the wound. He never en-
joyed good health after this, and afte
he died Dr's Holmes and Munroe per-
formed post mortem and two shot
were taken from small piece of his liver
remaining. This was 16 years after
the accident.
My father manufactured patent medi-
cines, pills, plasters, etc., and l can see
the good old mother in that old home