The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1888-01-05
CORRESPONDENCE.


hOChMAILE RIDGE lee. 70, 1881,
My Dear Young FiieRdS:-To- night,
while Old King Winter is holding full
sway, and it snOws, and it blows. and it's
cold stormy weather. let Us enjoy what
good cheer we may within. and although
we may not look to night for those
"Sydneian showers
Of sweet discourse whose powers
Can crown Old Winters head with flowers"
Perhaps we can tiud small posy for
that wreath above spoken of. So we
will have little hDmely talk about some
odd people and their odd 'speeChments,
1t is said every town has its characters.
its eccentric people, and some of these
we find very kind-hearted people too.
There is a lady, once neighbor Of ours.
who used TO speak Of certain things in a
very peculiar way. 1t was irresistibly
funny to hear her say in that uncon-
sciOus way, when ked as TO the method
OF making a kind Of fancy basket OF
strips of white cloth L rabbie Til get
enough rahhled, then | stop rabbling.
She is very industrious woman, ard |
am not sure JuL in case she had HOthinO
else to do, she would knit all day and
rabble 1t out at night 10 hear it purr =
as have heard it SAID an old lady did.
| guess that old lady liked to knit better
than some girls do; How many of my
girl readers like to darn stockings? A
friend once loaned me a story which
was very helpful to people who are not
fond OF that unrOmantiC occupation.
The story was Of girl, who, when
hard times came TO her fathers family,
made Of this same prOsac patching a
fine art. She ennobled her work by
trying to patch up everything that
needed it IN the best possible manner,
aud very good patch work she made of
IL too nOt-'crazy PATCHWORK. And
that reminds me of another character, a
poor crazy woman, whom we will call
Mrs. jackson. She used to wander
around the country hereabuuts at her
own sweet will, and she was often willed
to go about on very stormy days-there
seemed to be an affinity between her
mind and she raging eIements'-both
were disturbed. She travelled through
summers heat and winters colu' for
many years. So on many a stormy day
she would drop in at a farm house,
dripping wet, to get to warm as the
Western folks say. After sitting a little
while she would resume her Journey;
sometimes she would say she must get
back through across the plains and
over the river, as she called "A small, but
swift-Tunning stream not far from her
hut. where she stayed y nights, when
she chose. She would sometimes ford
the stream, and when asked if she got
her feet wet. she said that they were not
very wet, she stepped Lght.' She was
sometimes quick at repdrfee, as for in
stance: on her appearance at the door
one morning IN summer. | said to her,
How well you're looking this morning,
Mrs. jackson" She quickly but good
naturedly retorled And why shouldn't
], kept on chOke-cherries 2
Years ago, a man lived in the town of
5. who was called Crazy Jonathan. His
hobby was collecting certain specimens
Of the fea hered tribe which were re-
splendant in his eyes. These becoming
too numerous, some one killed fine
chanlicleer and affixed him 10 the barn.
door. When the poor man discovered
il he exclaimed, blue, ring streaked and
yalIer: all cOlOrs Ia the world Jumped
up and stuck his spurs in the barn door
and died there =
So we always stop to consider how
real these hallucinations are TO these
peopler What untold misery they must
endure from imaginary woes. How
kindly should we treat them, and how
thankful should any person be for q
sound mind in sound body Aud toe
keep the mind healthy, we must work
Work for Others when one is sad il \
great antidOte Tor 'anti-gOat' as the old
/ lady said for deDreRsiOn of snirit
have red that having an aim in life
and working for that aIm, is an excel.
lent preventative of insanity. A formel
pastor OF ours once remarked that work
next to salvation, was the greatest bless
ing given b. man. HIS work Is now done
! remember from another sermon Of hi