St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1873-06-13
ST. c5ohnsburn Galedonian.
What One Can Invent.

But he could not invent. He WAS born
too late every subject had been taken
NJ before he came into the world cN-
erythimg in it had been put int" poetry
and written about.
All, those lucky fellows who were
born II thousand years ago said he
GLOW easily could they become immor-
tai Lucky were they. even. who
were born hundred Years ago. when
there was still something left to write
poetry about nowadays the world j.
completely used up a. far as poetry l.
concerned how should | write any III
to it ?"
He unused over il 50 long that he he
came. poor creature, quite i'll and stu
pid. Not Il doctor could do him any
good but possibly the wise woman
might. She lived III the little house
close 10y the field gate. which she used
to open for those who drove or rode
that way. But she knew we'll enough
To open molc than the gate; she was
wiser than the doctor who rides in his
own carriage and pays titlc-taN.
II must away to her. said the Young
man.
The house she lived in was small and
clearly, but Il drcary place to look ut :
not tree nor flower grew near 1t.
There was beehive just outside the
door-verv useful IL small potat"-tiCld
very useful and Il ditch. with II Sioe-
tree which had finished hlosSoming. and
bore fruit such as draws the mouth to-
grther if one tastes il before il has been
nippcd 10y the frost.
Here | see the embodiment of our
mnpoetic age" thought the Young man
and it was AT any rate Il thought Il
grain of gold that he had found at the
wise woman's threshold.
"Write that down" said she
crumbs are bread. too. know why
Won came here Won can't invent. and
yet you want to he Il poet hy Easter.
"Evrrything is written down. said
he CON time is not like the older
time"
No." said the woman 'iu the old
en- time wise women were burnt. and
poets went about with empty >tomach>
and holes at their elbows. The pres
ent time is very good indeed. it is
better than amy hut You do not look
at the matter i'll the proper way You
have not opened your ears. and y"u
never say your prayers of an evening.
There is abundance of all manner of
things to tell and to write poetry about,
when one only knows how to tell them.
You may extract them from the growth
and produce of the earth, draw them
from the running or the still water but
you must understand all about it-un-
derstand how to catch Il sunbeam.
10 S,,.,.t.,1..., f,,r
put my eartrumpet to Nolrr ear. then
say youI prayers and leave of think
ing about yourself.
The last was very difficult to do :
more than Il wise woman could expect.
He took the spectaclcS and the ear
trumpet, and forthwith was posted
in the middle of the potato-tield She
put Il large potato into his hand there
was sound inside it. then came a
song with words, Il potato history, very
Interestingly story of common life in
ten chapters ten lines. however. were
enough.
And what sang the potato? 1t sang
about itself and its family: about the
arrival of the potato i'll Europe. the
prejudice it has experienced and the
sufferings it had undergone before it
stood acknowledged. as it is now, to he
a greater boon than Il lump of gold.
I've were distributed by order of the
king at all the halls: Il circular
was sent about setting forth ON great
utility hut people did not believe III
it at first they did not even know how
to plant us. One would dig hole and
throw the whole of his hu>hel into il.
,,-,,,,ll ,.ti,,l- Il
there deep into the soil. and then eX-
poet that it would shoot up into com
plete tree from which the potatoes
might be shaken down. In due time
would come the plant and flowers and
the watery berries. then it withcred
away no one thought of what lay in
the 1.-THE blessing potatoes.
Yes. we have had trials and suffering.
that is to say. our foretathers. and 50
we. for it comes I" the same thing.
There's Il story for YOU"
YES, that is quite enough said the
woman. ''Now look at the Sloe-trce"
I'VE. too" said the sloc-tree. "have
some near relations i'll the potat"'s ma
tive land, hut more toward the north
than where they grow and there came
Norsemcn from Norway. and they
steered westward through fog and
storm till they came to the unknown
land where, beyond ice and snow. they
found plants and green leaves. bushes
with the hlush-hlack fruit of the vine
sloes which the frost turned into ripe
grapes We are. And they gave the
land the names vimcland. Greenland
and Slocland."
THAT is quite Il romantic narrative"
SAID the Young man.
'Well. now come with me-. said the
wise woman: and she conducted him
to the beehive. He looked in: what
life and activity ? bees were posted in
the avenues, tanning with their wings
in order to keep wholesome current
of air through all the large factory :
that was their business. Then from
the outside arrived bees. born with
panniers on their legs: they brought
flower dust. which was shaken out
sorted, and prepared for honey OF wax !:
some were coming, some going. The
queen-bee wanted to fly. too. but then
they would all have had to 20 with
her. and it was not yet the proper
time but fly she would. 50 they hit off
her majeSty's wings, and then she was
obliged to stay.
Nov climb up the side fthe ditch. g
said the wise woman: come and look
out into the high road. where there are
some people to be seen
THAT WAS u SwarminG multitude. =
said the young man. STORY upon Sto-
ry. what Il huzzing and murmuring
| see nothing but black spots before
my eyes am falling backward -
NO" said the old woman. go
straight forward; go right into the
swarm of men: keep eyes and ears
open for them. and your heart. too. and
So you will quickly invent something.
But before You go. | must have my