The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-05-07
Breezy Meadow Mu-
sings By Kate
Sanborn.
PLAIN SPOKEN MEN.
A Poet Who Was Also a
Housekeeper and
Medium. st

| Breezy MSduOWS, MAY AAoPPSAi
ing" to have as a guest last week, a
man distinguished as a philanthropist
expert in social science, author, critic
newspaper correspondent, philosopher
(Yes, only one manD, confided to him
my anxieties about those sprawling,
contracting, thought evolving octopers
and looking up from his grape fruit
1--WE were at breakfast), he said: THAT
gentleman may be furnished with q
set. but 1 have not got any!" And sc
as Coleridge wrote, HE Gained my
fears and 1 was calm
1 shall now dismiss the CRITTERS" as
unworthy of further attention.
L like to hear men criticize each other.
They give a zip and sting to their COM
ments that women seem to miss, and
apropos of this, will now relate true
story.
A gentleman of culture had been a
| clergyman, and latterly an editor
came out one hot day in July to cool
off in my we'll shaded colonial abode. ]
had no idea his brain was already
slightly affected, so was immensely sur
|
savage slashing abuse of several of our
| friends, whom 1 believed he sincerely
admired. At last I mentioned receiv-
| ing a note from the aforesaid ph1lan-
| thropist" ETC., etc, etc, etc, and that
| expected him to soon call.
you know that man?'
Certainly, he's an old friend, and I
admire his ability greatly.
admire him? Why, he's an absolute
asst"
[ stared and was dumb.
| Next day the aforesaid appeared. He
lounged in the same hammock occupied
| the previous day by his clerical calum-
niator. l mentioned the visit and queer
talk of his predecessor.
you know that man? Why he's an
ass. an absolute ASST
| l told this, which DR.. Holmes would
have called "a curious coincidence" to
third friend, and he, cool, quiet, Gym
ical, said carelessly, Possibly both are
| right"
| That sort of talk is much more lively
and stirring than any womans re-
marks at any function, from Dorcas
sewing club up to a Browning meet.
You remember that when Albert
Smith, the great traveller, had climbed
scratched his initials on a rock, that
Douglas Jerrold remarked 'After all, it
was only two-thirds of the TRUTH"
| My farm is at present driving me to
distraction with the necessity for do
ing everything at once, and almost
| everything seeming possessed.
The hens will not own the day old
ducks, repudiating them totally as
none of their kind; the geese sat stead
lily for four weeks, and we found every
egg had failed to terminate. I bought
a new trio last fall, as l could not
accurately ascertain the age of the
| first three, and l want to see If it is a
fact that geese live to be $50 years old.
The gander is a superb fowl, but
he looks rather depressed, and his
wives insist on sitting on their nests,
! hoping against hope.
| You know l always keep three geese
on the farm to make, with myself, the
"Gooseville quartet"
| The hens get out of wired yards to
pick my sweet pea seeds all out of the
ground; my tiny Yorkshire terrier
Snip" "a little inconsiderable trifle, y
says the dictionary, presented me with
five puppies and straightway went off
into direful spasms, so 1 am bringing
them up on Mellin's food, which takes
a lot of precious time. And-but I
spare you further details, only / want
it understood that am not member
of the leisure class"
When work is just swarming, some
bore always comes to take up precious
time Yesterday morning it was a
young man with long. curly hair, weak
blue eyes, weaker mouth teeth mostly
absent wearing a heavy overcOat and
wanting a drink; also wanting me ia
give him an hour or two, as he was a
spiritualist. land perhaps I might need
a housekeeper
II can turn my hand to most any
thing" he said Il am a poet, house
keeper and a medium"
AS to books there are so many lyinl
on my table, asking to have justice