Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-12-27
Daily kennebec Journal.
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e"Well. captain. have you bought
your Christmas presents YETI" asked q
lounger. Tuesday, Of a veteran of the
late war. mo. l haven't, and 1 hardly
know what to bay. there are so many
pretty things" answered the veteran.
1T is the hardest work l can do, to
select a present, and 1 really do not
believe in paying too much for one.
This making of Christmas presents Is
a grand custom if it is properly treated.
but it is carried to excess. 1t should
be thought more of in the light that it
is not the elegance of the gift but the
spirit with which it is given, or how
dear to you the person is who gave you
the present.
TT makes me feel bad some years
to see people buying costly presents
that they can i'll afford to purchase. %
give TO some one whom they care
nothing about, but are simply giving
because they think they must, or to
make show, one or the other.
Things were different when l was a
boy" continued the captain CROWNS,
reminiscent. Perhaps it may seem
odd to you boys. who are brought up
in the lap of luxury. compared With
my early home, and l wasn't any worse.
off than anyone else at that time.
lived in the town of Lee then, and il
was during the times when apples
were luxury in some sections and i
am never more pleased with any gift
x11n I
morning, / awoke and found a large
sour apple in my stocking, that q
neighbor had sent in. Never did an
apple taste better than that one when
after keeping it several hours, l bit
into it. Nowadays we would throw
away an apple as sour as that one was.
Occasionally we would find a stick Of
candy in our stockings. and we were
by far happier than the boy of today.
who is loaded with toys, but doesn t
receive what he so wished for, perhaps
gun or a gold watch. Once a neigh
Dor bought a plaster of paris dog fol
his children, and it was the talk of the
town, for money was scarce.
Our town was so miles from Bangor
where we sold. our products, and
money was Dul rarely uSeu III JUSTICES
transactions. The greceryman would
take pay for goods in crops raised by
the farmers. More often. however the
pay was in shingles, the shaving OF
which was the principal industry of the
country thereabout. Money was SC
scarce that at one time when a deal al
bought a sheep skin of father for tvs
shillings, father had to borrow The
money of all the children to max
the necessary change. The Creates
amount that l ever had at one time
,Jpefore 1 left home, was IS cents, ant
lEhen l started out in life, / was giver
"a dollar by my father, and l had y
miles to go before I would reach my
destination Yes. times are different.
There are often other things witt
which one can pay a debt beside,
money, and Veasie had found it GU
many years ago. No matter where III
goes he viii have pocket full o
cigars or something else. and Away
he will have the man who has dom
him a favor so that one would thinl
the favor was the other way, in a shor
time after the favor was done.
The last time Veasie was at his sum
mer home at Northeast HarbOr he in
vited a party of his Augusta friend
down and entertained them royalty 70
q few weeks.
One night it was decided to make ;
trip across to Southeast Harbor, an
Veasie hired the services of stauncl
old sea captain with his equal
staunch sail boat. to be at the whar
at 4 O'Clock the following morning t
take them across
At the appointed hour in the morn
ing, the fog was SO dense that none o
the party wished to go, SO one of tn
boys was sent to the wharf to tell III
captain to call during the forenoon an
get his payWhle the rest again sough
their beds.
Early after the party had brea
tasted, Captain Stanley hove in sish'
and. going up to the party oi me-
sitting upon the piazza. said:
This gent here" pointing to one D
the boys, told me to come up and Sc
my pay, and so | have done so. j
caused me lots of trouble to get GU
and SO. of course. ! expect my pay TO
it,"
At once ali of the fellows though
that the bill would be, at least, - .
more
Why. certainly. we intend To pa
you. captain" said Veasie. BY tn
way, you look thirsty. Com
inside ard have a glass of wine VIII
me-
The captain complied cheerfully' an
as gracefully as ii was possible for ~
to, ard when he had been given IN
drink, Veasie slipped half pint mas
into the captains pocket saying tnat
might be handy. cs II was 50 hard
procure about that region. AS the
again vert out where the boys wer'
Veasie remarked, "Oh. by the wa
captain how much do we owe you.
Nothing" answered the captai
l.afYably. Fit was no trouble at all
shall always be glad to be OF service
you at any time" and away he Wef
to his home, while the fellows VOL
dered what had caused the change
the old fellow.
All of which illustrates one OF u
many ways in which rum cheats ma
of his due
Detective j. w. Ellsworth OF III
DratnofiVa CO.. wa