Bennington banner and reformer. (Bennington, Vt.) 1903-19??, 1903-04-30
Pine nm sketches.

years and years ago, and around
which seems to linger that indescrib-
able old time atmosphere.
And in the fall when the first frosts
appear and fire is kindled on the
hearth how delightful it is to sit by
the Fireplace with few old friends,
whilst the FIRE light dances and 1ickers
on the wall, and the rudy glow grows
bright, as we listen to the stories of
long ago
Among these 'old-fashioned houses
one of the most delightsome is that of
Uncle Pelatiah and Aunt Peace, on
Pine Hill. Aunt Peace was rightly
named. She exhales peace as flowers
exhale fragrance. OF her it may be
said as of another, "to come from
her presence is like coming from a
garden of spices at dewfall. She lives
mignonette, rose, balm. " One of the
ways in which she lives balm is by
continually exercising her Office as
peace-maker in her own family,
amongst the neighbors, any, and
everywhere. She is not meddlesome,
but she has "w'y, balmy "w'y."
Aunt Peace has a sisteh Janet, her
opposite, who dwells half the year at
Pine Hill. She also has "way."
IT'S the way of nettles. Aunt Nettie
manages to be at odds with everyone,
most of the time. Aunt Peace man
ages her as best she may.
Let us look in upon this household
on Saturday in the fall ''The
cattle fed, the fuel piled within, Z"
Uncle Pei is at peace with all man
kind, even with Aunt Janet. He sits
by the fire in the big CHEEKY sitting
room, roasting apples on the hearth,
for the sake of old times, he says.
Grandma Haws is in her big com
Portable chair by the fire, and appears
to be in a reminiscent mood. We
love to get her started on train of
"reminiscences of half century ago,
She is dear old lady, albeit little
hard of hearing. She has just re-
turned from visit to her childhood
home, in the town Of Bennington, and
we knew many incidents of by-gone
days would be brought to mind Her
hands are busy knitting and her mind
is busy with the past. We inquire
how long it is since she visited 1.-The
old Harper House. "
"Nigh sixty year., " she answers.
"Tell us how it looked then, we
urge.
So the old lady first taking a big
pinch OF snuff, begins the story of the
time when grandma was a little girl.
al s'pose it seems a great while ago
to you, " she says, "but / can remem-
Der so well how it looked. Seeing it
today has brought it all back won
derfully. Harry, my grandson, went
with me up there. Lana sakes but
was tired after climbing that hill; but
felt paid hundred times. l was so
glad to see the old home once more.
l was awful sorry we couldn't get in
but we peeked in through the winder
like Zekle, and we could see the big
chimbly and the fireplace. There
was one on the four sides Of the
chimbly.
Il cd Almost see the little three
legged spider mother used to have
standin on the Goals Sometimes
she used to fry aap-jacks in a spider
set over the Goals. She'd fry big
stack of 'em and spread 'em with but
ter and sugar. O. how good we
thought they was An mother used
to roast spare-rib hung up in that
old fireplace, with a dish of water
under it, to catch the drippings.
can she allus made injun dump.
Inns, to eat with the spare-rib. AT
this point Sammy wanted to know.
Sammy always wants to know a
whole lot of things. He was a grand e
son of Mrs Haw's and regular in
terrigation point. Now he demands
the secret of those wonderful dump
Inns, to be made known to him, think
ing they might be as good now as in
days of yore, but when grandma told
him that her mother jes took meal and
water and salt, and rolled it up hard
in balls an dropped 'em into b'ilin'
water and billed them, AN we tho't
they was awful good, Sammy had his
doubts, aud didn't pursue the subject
further, but let the injun balls roll
ont of his memory. Not so grandma,
she almost smacked her lips tasting
in Imagination those toothsome dump
Inns of those far away days.
ave thot they was awful good. -
she repeated to herself. 81 can all
most taste 'em now AN it's nigh sew