Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-11
Looking Backward
(By G. G. Hall)


To the young and older readers of
these articles they will no doubt re-
call the annual advent of the "fe-
male above mentioned and hailed
her with great joy, for her coming
si$nifed the approach of good times
and sociability.
For three or more long months we
Looked upon vast sheet of snow and
ice. but when the spring thaws began
to set in their work, the tides high
and cellars flooded, then the ice began
gradually to break up and disappear,
leaving d beautiful sheet of gladstone
blue for US to gaze upon
This usually happens in April, and
1t was at this time that our female"
made her first appearance, For num-
bar of years She used to make two
visits a week, but finding conditions
so congenial and also profitable, she
found it convenient to go and come
three times weekly.
When the river was fully freed from
ice and tide water had got back to
normal conditions then it was that
the Oldest as well as youngest inhabi-
tant would look with eager eyes to
The bend in the river way down be-
yond what was in the writer's boy
hood known as Rich's ice house. Soon
white spcck was discovered, a line
of smoke would be seen lurking in
her wake. The white speech grew lar
ger and larger and then came a long
fn11
caused a rush to the water front,
where, with the booming of the old
cannon and the shouts of greeting,
the Springtime was fullyushered in
as We greeted our welcome visitor,
who was to be in our midst until the
ice foes warned her to go in hiding
to her winter quarters.
The cruel war put a stop to her Wis
its, which gave a tinge of sadness al
most equal to that given as our boys
went across to do their bit. Many of
our boys have come back to us. but
the welcome of springtime to our "fe-
male friend has not been heard for
10, these many seasons.
Now that the war is over it does
seem as though the business men of
Hallowell ought to get together and
give royal welcome to the female"
who was always the cause of so
much rejoicing.
Who is the female who stood so
high in popular favor?
Well, her name was Della Collins.
who used to meet her brother Ran
som Fuller at Gardiner. Her BROTH
er was too big to come up the river
so left the rest of the work to his
sister, who baly did her duty.
There is no prettier sail out of
Boston nor out of Maine than what
once was known as the old Star of
the East, later the Ransom 3. Fuller
trip. True, many of us who have
taken that trip in days gone by, have
furnished food to the fishes, and we
did not have to be told what to do
in case of sea-sickness-we did it.
Nor was there any yeggmen on
board telling us to throw up our
hands. We not only threw up our
hands, but everything else In spite
of this discomfort there are count
less thousands who will hail with
delight the resumption of the Ken
nebec-Boston sailing schedule
Hundreds, yes thousands. there
are, who would again seek rest and
recreation in Maine during the sum-
mer if this line was in commission,
who, on account of the excessive
railroad fares and the dirt and heat
of that mode of travel, spend their
vacations nearer home. And the va
cationists, especially from the Bos-
ton end, have in the past and woald
in the future, leave many a dollar
in Maine.
Don't you think. Mr.. Business
Man, this is worth considering?
Think it over.