Evening Republican, Volume 20, Number 287, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 December 1916 — TELLS HOW HE FOUND MILLTOWN, NEAR MONON [ARTICLE]

TELLS HOW HE FOUND MILLTOWN, NEAR MONON

An Early Reminiscence Told By Dr. J. Hutsson, Now of Rensselaer. • Monon News. Our whilon fellow townsman, Dr. John Hansson, of Rensselaer, was la town Saturday. The Dr. haa prospered since leaving here five years ago -and ts now ntlftrberedr among The “smart set” of Jasper’s capital. He related an incident of his early day experience to some friends while here. He had occasion to visit Milltown, whose chief industry was one of the old-fashioned water mills, located eait of this place on the Big Monon. After driving a long distance as directed to find Milltown, he ventured to inquire of a man he met, the whereabouts ot the place he was seeking. The stranger informed him that he was going in the opposite direction from Milltown and had probably passed through it unaware of the fact. The Dr. reversed his steeds and after retracing his course two miles, found himself in the center of Milltown and in conversation with the miller. “How do you run this mill?” quoth the Dr. “By water,” replied the miller. “But where do you get water?” continued the Dr. as he surveyed what looked like a Sahara desert. Then the millei explained that a reservoir was formed by a dam across the creek by which sufficient water was penned up with enough fall to turn the water wheel of the mill. The Dr. laughs as he recalls his search for Milltown and what he found after reaching it. But the less jovial fact remains, that the old water mill served its day faithfully in- supplying the staff of life, and those who are old enough to remember the 4pill in operation would once more likqTo eat of the loaf it furnished. The old water mill has been made dear to the heart by poetry and prose. It was near such an industry that Kitty Clyde lived, “in a sly little nook by the babbling brook," that turned her father’s old mill. Then we have as a spur to frugality, or warning against lost opportunity, these familiar words: “The mill will never grind with the water that has passed.”