Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-05-11

bucket The ends were rounded to fit
the auger holes in the tree.
The gathering of the sap was
something like work." but not so
much so as picking rocks, as the i'm
mediate prospects seemed to tighten
the task.
The "sugaring off" was a great
event. There were good prospects
for company" There was an inter-
esting stage in the process for us
Kids" when a snowfall partially
submerged quickly in the boiling
syrup would emerge covered as to its
submerged part with a toothsome
candy. and sometimes the boys sur
reptitiously awaited themselves of
this opportunity. One evening a
neighbours boy accidentally let his
SNOWFALL drop into the kettle, he i'm
mediately grabbed it with his hand
and removed the snow ball from the
boiling liquid. He was not burned
as his hand was wet and the mois- :.
ture protected his hand in the same
way as 1t does that Of the thauma
turgus who thrusts his wet hand
into molten lead without harm. !
must here tell an episode related by
my father occurring to him in 1S43.
That was the year when Millerism
was epidemic. Neighbors did not do
| their falls work, as the world was
| about to burn up.
There was heavy fall Of snow
that winter but it was to. turn to cot
| ton to assist the confiagration. Late
| one evening my father and my uncle
| were returning from "sugaring
Off" There was crust on the
| snow, so that they took short cut
L@ Dn1I ,,sn
| of the triangle instead of going
| cloudy and they lighted their way by
birch bark torches. The light from
| these torches reflected on the clouds
| and made fine showing They
passed dwelling house from which
the audience to a Millerite Meeting
were emerging. The light reflected
on the clouds attracted their atten-
| ton. Some one shouted. 1.-THE world
is on fire." Screams filled the air:
some of the people tainted from the
excitement. and two of the women
were restored to consciousness with
difficulty.
| Setting up the leach and making
soap was a common spring event
The hole in the leach for the exit Of
the I've was surrounded by loose
bricks, over them was put a little
| brush and on that straw and the rest
of the leach filled with ashes. On the
top into bOwl-like depression in
the ashes hot water was poured
which extracted the alkali from the
ashes and emerged as lye. Soap was
made for washing by boiling grease
in this I've. Not less than barrel
was usually made for family
| Alkali was manufactured at one
time near the present location Of the
post office at SkOwhegan village
| Our mothers swept the floors with
broomS Skillfully made Of cedar
boughs and washed them with home
| made soap in the water.
Cider making and a straw were
| co-ordinated in the boys mind. The
cider apples were ground between
| two upright revolving cylinders. one
| cogged. the other mortised with
| morse as the motor power, at the end
| of long sweep.
The pomace was caught in a large
trough from which the cheese was
punt up on the press by holding it
| togther with straw. The pressing
| was done with three large wooden
| screws by men on the end of a long
| lever. The friction was Iessened in
later years by the use of iron
| screws. The cider tasted best when
caught by straw in the cutters Of
| the press.
Two important events in the life
| OF me farmers boy in the fiftics and
| SiNties were Fourth Of July and
| circus Day. The Fourth was an
| nounced bv the boom of Skowhegan's
| cannon from the hill near the pres
location nf
| house.
When the Fantasies appeared
| there was marked weakness of tho
.lasseters ana II we winked we were
! not conscious of it, Circus day was
| an oasis in the desert of work. Van
Amburg'S was a notable ono tn
ohis drawback was that there were
so many people that we could NOT
see the animals and Old Sol was do
| ing his level best.
L recall my first experience in drir
| ing oxen. 1t was to harrow. was
uiiccteu now to make them haw and
see, Out could not carry it out wen
IN practice. l was not tall enough
| " ieach over the back OF Old star
] WIN the goad and striking him on
| me side made him keep off 50 m,ch
| .nat the land was gone over several
'iihes before Il was completed.
Ioking the oxen, at this time
seemed an uncertain feat. Thomoh
| the yoke '|as heavy the bow was
| easily placed around the neck OF the
on OK. then by lifting the other
| emo OF the yoke and waving the bow
Ulu star would come under and
1ollsihgly lower his horns to do SO as
! could not lift the yoke quite high
.mousn. l was told that it was the
| triumph of mind over matter II
may have been an .illustrotion of tho
bonds of sympathy. Old star vas y
good old pal.
we nave yet to consider the most
S prouuct OF the farms of
| SkoWhegan-he sons and daughters
What effect does the farm environ
| ment here have upon character ana
mentality? Opportunities for case
| ana leisure are not conducive to sta
oliity OF character and greatness. We
iooh Ior great men in tOrrid zones in
vain. New England DESPITE her
Stubborn soil and rebellious climate.
mas furnished her share of our conn
trF's distinguished men and of them.
the farm has produced it's quota, The
farm furnished an ideal school for
manual training. and supplemented
ny the invaluable three RS in the
niue red schoolhouse, produced lit
11e acorns from which tall oaks grew.
Inc long winter evenings were
| thoughtful times and the natural
| dlf1lculties that had to be overcome
| AFFORDED an additional pleasure in
thelr mastery. Perseverance was in
! culcated in the life of the farmer how
OF Skowhegan. No one can he hetter
| schooled to overcome the adverse