Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1892-11-07
How Grandmother Hub
bard Came to Laugh
i'm Meeting.


Perfectly redickerlous," and the
old lady shook her head emphatically,
cIasped her delicate white hands tight
Iy together and leaned back in her
fashioned, splint bottomed chair
IN silence a moment, then resumed,
eyes, tits jest redickerloUs and no
mistake!"
ESWhat is it, grandma? You are eX-
cited, 1 Think and the black eyes of
Uncle Horace twinkled. Uncle Horace
was grandma's youngest son, 'the
baby'' she often called him, when
speaking of him in his absence. Per-
haps you would like to know who this
Lady was and why I take the trouble
10 tell about her. She was grand old
Lady and one beloved by all, notwith-
standing her positive character, and
she was my grandmother ,Grandmoth-
er Hubbard, and the Hubbard name
itself is a grand one; why you must
have heard often of Gov. Hubbard
whose home was on the Connecticut,
in the beautiful town made famous by
the Indian tragedies enacted there in
it's early history. He was distant
relative of my grandfather, and fine
specimen of the old New England gen
try they both were. Well, Grand
mother Hubbard had been listening
TO the reading of the daily papers by
different members of the household,
and the comments made, and the ex-
-ciamation given was on learning that
new holiday had been granted in
her native state called Labor day.
Uncle Horace, who was resident of
4 distant state and home for the an
Hual summer visit, asked her what
there was wrong in having a Labor
day
Goodness knows, I've nothin' again
Labor days, my days were pretty much
all labor days, as long as l could work
havin day set apart to observe by
doiR' nothin' [ say again, it's jest re-
dickerlous.' l don't believe in no
kind Of nonsense like that Look at
the way they keep Christmas and New
Years, why, when l was young there
was just two days in year that was
counted as holidays and them was
Fast Day and Thanksgiving.
BY this time, the grandchildren had
ali gathered around her and Clara,
girl of Is, said, ''Why was Fast day
observed as holiday?'
t'Why, child alive! we didn't feel as
though twas, holiday as folks now
days mind holiday; twas day to
keep religiously and we went to meet
in and prayed for forgiveness of sin
and help to do better.''
esDid every one go to church, grand
ma9'' asked Clara.
EsAll that could and those that
couldn't did no work.
f'Was it just like Sunday?' asked |
little Ned.
every much," replied Grandma and
added, 1--WE used to say, we children,
twas week with two Sundays"
E'Wen wouldn't like that said Ned, |
<fI'm awful glad we don't have to go
to church Fast day. I like Thanks
giving day though, you just bet.''
/ don't bet, Ned dear, and I hope
you won't; it's gambling out and out,
and don't you do it, said grandma, /
stroking his hair.
We got frequent lectures on the sins
of the day and they did no good, with
out doubt. Although Grandmother
Hubbard was stern and somewhat I
Duritanical in her ways and beliefs yet
The was kindly and always loved to
have children and young people
about
Grandmother clasped her hands to-
.ether and seemed to be looking away
nto some distant locality beyond her
elf. when little Josie, another grand
hid, said, Thanksgiving day is
Inc. 'cos we always has our grand
aothers them
s'Wen, /" replied grandma, Thanks
living day amt what it used to be
am more and more lonesome every