And now to her collection of curiosities--but can only mention a few:
One was a piece of a Mastodon's jaw-bone, found along the creek, two
feet long, with teeth that would weigh about two pounds. They unearthed
the perfect skeleton, but as it crumbled on exposure to the air, they
left it to harden before disturbing it; and when they returned much had
been carried away. The head was six feet long, and tusks, ten feet, of
which they have a piece seven inches in length, fifteen inches in
circumference, and weighs eight pounds, yet it was taken from near the
point. Mrs. S. broke a piece off and gave to me. It is a chalky white,
and shows a growth of moss like that of moss agate. She has gathered
from around her home agates and moss agates and pebbles of all colors.
As she handed them to me one by one, shading them from a pink topaz to
a ruby, I could not help touching them to my tongue to see if they did
not taste; they were so clear and rich-looking.
It seemed odd to see a chestnut burr and nut cased as a curiosity. But
what puzzled me most was a beaver's tail and paw, and we exhausted our
guessing powers over it, and then had to be told. She gave it to me
with numerous other things to carry home as curiosities.
There are plenty of beaver along the creek, and I could scarcely be
persuaded that some naughty George Washington with his little hatchet
had not felled a number of trees, and hacked around, instead of the
beaver with only their four front teeth.
The timber along the creek is burr oak, black walnut, white ash, pine,
cedar, hackberry, elm, ironwood, and cottonwood. I was sorry to hear of
a saw mill being in operation on the creek, sawing up quite a good deal
of lumber.
Rev. Thomas makes his home with Mr. Skinner, and from him I learned he
was the first minister that held services in Long Pine, which was in
April, '82, in the railroad eating house, and has since held regular
services every two weeks. Also preaches at Ainsworth, Johnstown,
Pleasant Dale, and Brinkerhoff; only seventy of a membership in all.
Well, the pleasantest day must have an end, and after tea, a swing
between the tall oak trees of their dooryard, another drink from the
spring across the creek, a pleasant walk and talk with Miss Flora
Kenaston, the school-mistress of Long Pine, another look at Giddy Peak
and White Cliffs, and "Tramp tramp, tramp," on the organ, in which Mr.
S. joined, for he was one of the Yankee soldier boys from York state,
and with many thanks and promises of remembrance, I leave my
newly-formed friends, carrying with me tokens of their kindness, but,
best of all, fond memories of my day at "Pilgrim's Retreat."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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