Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-10-02

~ Univ ~ VIZ NsRsSy
| On the 10th Of September there wss :
pleasant gathering OF relatives st The
old Ripley Homestead, now the homo OF
VIM. L. Harlow, wife and son Percy,
who entertained the company With
wholehearted kindness and hospitality.
Among the guests were w. s.. Ripley
of Boston, Mrs. Alice e. (Ripley)
Maxim Of South Paris, Mrs. Flora CLIP.
lev) PuIsifer, SON Harold, wife and son
Kenneth, Mr.. Mary Alice Jack. (whose
mother vas Ripley, sister OF the others
mentioned Of the family Of Col. Orison
Ripley, son Of Capt. Uriah Ripley. who
settled on the farm In 1795. Col. Orison
married Hannah Maxim, daughter Of
the flrst Silas who settled near Streaked-
Mountain In 1881, husband Earl Jack
and son Pearl, Silas p. Maxim and
daugher Laura, o. A. Maxim, VIM. w.
Maxim, Henry Maxim and others.
A long table was set on the lawn where
dinner was enjoyed by oil. The after
dinner speeches were fine, and the
stories and jokes could hardly be beaten
by previous generations OF Ripleys,
Maxims and HarloWs. A poem for the
occasion was composed and read by
Alice Elisabeth Maxim, old-time music
was sung, Mrs. Jack at the organ, and
Mrs. Lillis Pulsifer, soprano, and the
day WAS all too short. Mrs. Maxims
poem IL given below.
THOUGHTS OF THE OLD HoNEsTEAD
twas only thrush. at dusky even,
Sounding bell that seemed tuned In heaven,
That set me 10 thinking Of old.time things
The dear old homestead BY the Croker springs
OF the glad spring DAYS when the sap trees run,
And life was all JOY filled from sun 70 sun.
(For We scraped the pan when the syrup was
done).
All adovn the bank where the naples grew
We searched for violets Of yellow hue.
And found them there, browning rosettes OF
with CARPET Of sodden leaves between.
Recall those radiant mornings In Mayp
When we roamed Thayer's woods for half day.
Revealing In the May flowers honeyed bloom?
Was swiftly thrown OF. as time went around,
Changing the colors on the green background,
Unrolling for June, In wealth untold.
The old homestead roses. with hearts OF gold
And the bright bobolink few DER the fields.,;
The sweetest songster the Maine summer yields.
From the granite steps, In the sunsets glow,
We could hear the thrush, In the woods below,
Like Dulcinea's bells In soft attune,
Or the sweetest Eolian harp Of June.
July brought strawberries. luscious and nne'
And orchids, pink, white, and purple, think;
81. Johns wort. and the lacey Wild bean vine.
Fast reclining plums, and purpling Mnscadine.
And there was the brook, with spicy sweet nag,
Where we'd wade till our BARE brown rect
Gathering the green cen figs and tender shoots
That sprouted from the long. dark .jointed roots.
Then September came, and all had share
OF that fruit ambrosisl. the jackson pear.
Besides Porters Spur. sweets: and sSPs,owines'
Walls were lined with asters and goldenrod,
And q good smell came from the fallow SOD
That OF. teams had turned for next years wheat
VIZ ostoSsp asefu time came 10
While the boys were filing the apple Din,
And the new, sweet cider came from the mill
And we sucked II thro straws! can taste 1t SILL
So cool and sweet an alluring distiIi:
When the golden corn ears piled up with ease
And each gay red ear meant "a kiss now
And the treat was rich pumpkin pie and cheese.
And memory holds fast those gatherings dear.
There was dear Grandmai her pleasant old face
Encircled by q cap Of Snowy lace;.
And our father with his jovial smile,
Making everybody happy the while.
The great brick oven turned out its rich store
OF rsisin pudding. cakes and pies galore;
And there was roast goose. and ricn chicken pie'
Cider apple sauce and red cranoerry;-
But the best Of the feast tcall It no hoax,
Were the Ripley stories and Maxim Jokes;
Then there were those evenings when Tneron
That rollicfinS liz of the "Pumproom Maid."
Gay "FisSer's Hcrnpipe" and "Fhe white Cock,
To brother win It was no great trial
To scrape ont the time on the old ss:vioI;-
A Al old onr1lo 1uwaua had hta 6inR