Oxford Democrat., 1921-11-08
The Boynton Farm.

| Iu0 DOyutOu Eor"s
The Boynton farm which is situated
on the easterly side of the Grand Trunk
Railway at Oxford Depot is picturesque
piece of land, whatever else may be said
about 1t. The amount of arabic land
connected with 1t is not great, some
plains land next the railroad and the
valley of small brook running up into
the hills. Really the cultivated portions
of the farm are not the attractive parts.
These are the bills covered with forest
for the most part, which come to Q sud.
den termination on this farm.
Passengers on the Grand Trunk trains
cannot fall to notice the end Of these
hills because of the suddenness of their
boundary and the jagged face of the ter
minal cliff, suggesting seismic origin.
This origin 10 suggested further by the
gigantic split pieces of granite thrown
loosely into piles and leaving cavities be-
meath them large enough to form rooms,
or caves ss they are more generally
called. The topsy-turvy character of
the leavIngs Of an earthquake is further
suggested because there are no doorways
to these rooms. Whoever enters must
do 80 on all fours like an animal, and q
good many animals have taken the cavi.
ties for homes.
Because of the difficulties of entrance
and the easiness Of defence, there is sug.
gested past and future romance about
the cliff. There Is one cavity where q
man could defend himself for an inde6-
mite period of time, II he could only pro-
vision his stronghold and introduce
water.
The country round about suggests
Scotland, and the name given this pile
of rocks augments the suggestion
Rocky Dundee. This is one of several
piles of rocks In the State of Maine
known by the same name. A young
Scotchman-a boy in fsct-who came to
Welchville some years ago to work iD
the wooden mill there, was homesick and
this range of hills 30 suggested bis na-
tive heath and mountain that on the
first Sabbath of bis sojourn In the new
country he came out on the plain at the
base to gaze at them with tears In his
eyes and choke in his voice. In fact,
1t would not need great deal of imagi-
nation to convert this into q nest of
Doones, and with the right personsges
q second edition of Lorna Doone might
be enacted with an American setting.
There have been tragedies about this
pile of rocks but most of the heroes and
Victims have been quadrupeds rather
than bipeds. The porous character of
this heap. of rocks has made 1t an at
tractivs lodging place for wild animals.
About every burrow is furnished not on
ly with front door but one or two back
doors as we'll; 80 as to make It In fact an
animal stronghold as 1t could be human
one.
Many fox who had led the hounds
chase all day, circling among and
around the nearby hills. homes to this
pile of rocks at nigbtfsll. There is q
story of an ambitious "dog" which
started to dig ont his quarry on the sum-
NIT of this ledge, but after digging in q
little way was imprisoned by q falling
rock.
This buttress OF rock has not much to
do with farming but Is an incidental part
of a farm, and interesting because 1t is
incidental and unusual. II there is any
plan to the universe this may have been
thrown in to break up the monotony of
the landscape and of agriculture.
This farm and mountainous parcel OF
land was owned aud occupied for many
years by Robert T. Boynton, and is now
owned by his heirs. Beside being q
farmer be was agent for the Grand
Trunk Railway. he had several boys,
all of whom have been connected with
the road, although none of them live In
Oxford.