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May 8 1839
May 8 1839 Milo.
My dear Brother
We had 3 or 4 (or 6) ready to sow last Sat. but deferred sowing it till warmer weather. It was so cold from Friday till Yesterday morning as to freeze the ground some nights. Yesterday E. & myself set the fire into the peice above the brook on the interval, it has ran all over it and done considerable good I expect. We then went to the "Opening" or "Crock & Chopping" and lit up the "Swale" this side (East) and these little blue-jointed meadows north of the opening. It ran like wildfire and he & I to run as fast as our legs would let us to keep out of its way. The fire has run nearly all over between the "Cr. Ch." and the B.Brook, and back north I know not how far, crossed the Piscataquis & burnt your pile of wood I believe. I do not know but it will cross the B.B. & come down. Aug. 11 We finished sowing the wheat today and observed 14 bushels of Oats - Oats on the upper part of the interval (this side of the brook). The wheat was got in unusually early & well this year finished 1 day earlier than we began last year, and the ground was warm and dry and well harrowed and bushed. We sowed wheat on the rye (if it deserves the name) and out west where the Potatoes were last year. Aint it smokey none down your way now a days tis here a lot the fires are running over towards Porter's Mills, the Cain settlement and especially in a south-east direction tho' I do not know in what vicinity. If the weather holds dry fire will go all through the woods. Yesterday the wind blew strong from the S. and the fire came across the river - it has been on the bog several days and tore and rore up through like an devourin flame. It burnt all over out to the potatoe hole and so on up to the Billington's clear to the fields. We had to fight it all the afternoon to keep it out of fences leading to the barn. Mr. Ellis got our long ladder and set it up onto the roof of their barn and kept a boy up there to prevent catching on the roof while the rest of his crew tore down the roof - the fire took in the yard several times. Our buildings were not so much exposed as those of Messrs. Ellis & Billington. It burnt out fences some so that we can use the pasture back of the barn none this summer. We have a rainstorm here today.
[upside down] Milo May 8 1839
Having ? ? ? about domestic episodes a good length, I'll try to quizz your last letter which we recieved day before yesterday koz I feel too lazy to answer it. It was mailed at Brownville so the postage was 4 cts less than if it had been at Bangor. How happened it? When you send such words as "caput, caepit, ergo etc." please send a translation if convenient but please send the words afore described whether or noe I luv to see em.
I rejoice that your stumps burned so well tother Saturday. You write that you tucked the "Traffic" into the Post Master (P.M.) I should like to know whereabouts you tucked it into him. Ha! Ha! HA! Ha! 19 I should think it would have been less trouble to put it into the post office. Have you an index rerum? If you have not got one or go look at Mr. Hatch and make 1 etc. etc. so tell me how to do it for I want one. I should think it would be well for you to keep up an acquaintance with Mr. Hatch? 20 you know the field up on the interval next to the Marston Lot - Well we have sowed about 1/2 thereof with oats - the rest planted 1/2 with potatoes and the rest with beans and corn not corn & beans also piled about 1/2 Acre joining it on the East which we intend to plough and sow with oats this spring. We have sown 9 bushels wheat & 19 Oats. [right hand side] Isaac and Charles 1839 May