Evening star., 1934-10-28

like the grandfathers clock of
which we used to sing, stopped, short, never
to go again. one Autumn day 81 years ago.
But, unlike the old clock, in this case the
wheel is to run again, and is to give, out
wardly, at least, the appearance of furnishing
the power to grind the grain, just as it used to
do in days gone by.
The determination on the part of the Ma
tional Park Service to restore this landmark
is highly commendable, and demonstrates its
keen interest in the historic places under its
supervision. Six years ago substantially the
same thing urged, but for some unknown
reason 'the suggestion was never carried out,
and 1t is surely gratifying to learn that the
work is now to proceed.
The human race is made up Of many minds,
and people are not all antiquarians by any
means, but it is safe to predict that when this
old mill is again in operation nearly every
old-timer who passes this way will stop and
listen to the rhythm of the wheel as it Is
turned over and over by the water rushing
down Rock Greek. It will be lesson, too for
the picnic parties visiting the park, especially
the children, who do not sing in the schools
nowadays much about the mill and the
miller and similar subjects as their parents
did before them. Indeed, the writer has lying
before him a public school "Song Garden" as
some of the song books used to be called, in
which appears a very popular mill song
around go years ago. No doubt it will be re-
called by many a bald-headed or gray-headed
man-and maybe also by few women who
have not kept account of their birthdays since
they reached their fiftieth anniversary.
Prof. Joseph H. Daniel led the singing in
those days, but then, the old professor has
long since passed, and many Of those whom
he taught are likewise no longer with us.
There is still respectable number of his
pupils remaining in the land of the living who
will recall "The Mll-Wheel," the words of
which follow:
along by the river the mill ever sounds,
Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack.
BY day and by night goes the miller his rounds,
Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack
He grinds up the corn for the nourishing bread
And it's thus with the healthiest food we
fed,
Click clack, click. clack, click, clack
THE wheel quickly turns, and then round goes
the stone,
Click clack, click, clack, click, clack
And grinds up the wheat which the farmer
has sown,
Click clack, click, clack, click, clack
The baker then bakes for us biscuits and cakes
Very good is the baker. such nice things
to make,
Click, clack, click, clack, click, clack
"As soon as the harvest is gathered within,
Click, clack, click, clack, click clack
The sounds of the wheels with their music
begin,
Click, clack, click, clack, click clack
Among all the good things with which we
are fed
Surely nothing is better or nicer than bread,
Click, clack, click clack, click clack"
OUIS P. SHOEMAKER, whose father
l. Peirce Shoemaker, was the last to own this
old mill before it became public property, ex-
pressed desire that the old mill be restored,
that the walls be hung with maps and things
of interest pertaining to the park be kept and
exhibited. Mr.. Shoemaker was very much in
terested in the establishing of Rock Greek Park,
and no doubt had much to do with the passage
Of the act that this wonderfully attractive area
might be preserved for the benefit of the people.
This useful citizen was born at his fathers
estate, known as Cloverdale on Rock Greek,
July 2. 1856, and died in this city November