Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-11-30

OIL, ouN surely lucIc ueVcT were SuCQ love-
ly September evenings, or such beautiful
sunsets, as we saw st GATHERINGS that Au-
tumn. The canal, which follows the
bed of the river, widens into quite pref
ty sheet Of water below Springbank, and
even at the hotel we used to sit on the
broad piazzas and admire the lovely sun
sets reflect on the water, but of course it
was finer on the lake, and indeed, Fred
said it was sin to spend those lovely
evenings in st. GATHERINGS, when VIC
might be on the lake. At all events
that was sin that we did not commit
very often. But you must not think that
we spent all our time in selfish amuse-
meats, for we often visited the hospital,
carrying with US flowers or fruit or illus
trated papers for the suffering inmates,
and after spending an hour there in min
istering to the sick and afflicted
we found our enjoyment heightened
by the consciousness that we
had tried to bring little of our bright
ness into the lot of those who were walk
ing in the shadow, while we walked in
the sunshine, it was good, too, to catch
the doctors benevolent, approving smile,
if he happened to encounter us on our er-
rands OF mercy, for the doctors heart is
very much set on the poor sufferers in
the hospital, which was built and is now
maintained in its present state of cffici-
ency, mainly by his exertions. Adjoin-
ing the hospital is training home for
nurses, very valuable institution. Now
that her gracious Majesty has conferred
orders on nurses, we may expect that
more ladies will undertake this
arduous profession. By the way, I Won
der if the town Of St. GATHERINGS takes
its name from the same noble lady, ST.
Catherine of Alexandria, the Christian
MARTYR IN whose honor the Queen has
founded the Order Of St. Catherine.
Aunt Betsey took great interest in the
hospital and nurses training home, and
would occasionally visit it herself when
she went for a little drive.
St. GATHERINGS can boast of good pub.
lie library, to which the subscription is
only dollar per annnm. This Just suit
cd Mrs. Lindsay, who cannot live with
out books; as for us, the library at Spring
bank, very good collection of novels,
with a sprinkling of graver reading for
the guests, provided us with all the in
tellectual nourishment we required. As
Fred said, we did not come to Spring
bank to study, or, at least, not to study
books. Sometimes Aunt Betsey would
sit on the piazza and watch us while we
played croquet under the spreading trees
on the lawn, and sometimes we wandered
over to the pretty little garden on the
bank of the canal, and, seated in one OF
the pretty embowered seats, would watch
the various craft passing through, white
sailed barges, briggs and schooners, with
now and then steamer from Chicago to
the various ports Of trade, down to the
ocean.
But for the most part Aunt Betsey'
time was taken up with baths, and cleo
trlcity, it seems to me it was pretty we'll
divided between them; and as she was so
we'll waited on and cared for that she had
little need Of me, she used to send me off
with her blessing, like an angel as she is.
$50, my child, and be happy she was
wont to say; 'life is sad enough, and
youth is flceting, be happy while you
may" Dear Aunt Betsey! it is COM
fort to know that while we were so happy
she was improving steadily; and that by
the help of occasional visits to Spring
bank, she is now enjoying fair measure
of health.
AS for Cousin Fred and newell, he
IS no longer Cousin Fred, and I am no
longer Amy Howard. We are now known
as Mr.. and Maynard: and should you like
to hear more about MS, you may perhaps
do so by coming to St. GATHERINGS in Sep
TENDER, for we enjoy paying flying visit
to Springbank more than any other trip
you could propose to us for that sweet
month, September: