The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1908-03-29
.HER ENYER NYHE COUNTRY
MEMORIES CONE 70 EMMELINE
THROUGH The MIST or YEARS.


Once mere was Enough n 10 Spare.
Two children spending the winter in a
big house IN the country with their grand
parents store up a lot Of memories which
later In life may prove entertaining 10 them
selves and maybe 10 others u they have the
gift Of narrative, So II was With Emmelino
and Robert.
I'm Emmellne, Of course, and I'm free TO
admit that / can talk, 90 why cant I write
II ell out sven n / an somewhat over 10 and
have children Of my ownH What's my age
and my children got 10 do With Il? Well,
you wait until you have children oil your
very own and you'l want 10 tax about
them and not about yourself whom you
we're a child.
Maybe tie because | have children and
they're growing up with no memories
practically except of city fats and city
houses that my mind goes hack to my own
childhood, which certainly was full Of sur
prises. The poor dearSl They haven't any
grandparents In the country and they're
missing q lot.
There novl | wanted 10 tell about that
winter In the country and right at the start
/ wandered away from the subject. And |
got such q good opening paragraph too.
But you SEQ ! don't know just where TO
begin. IL II real proper and literary 10
describe the house first oH' II wa just =
big farmhouse, suppose, but II val q
palace Of wonders to Robert and me.
You see, there was an old house and then
a new part had been hitohed onto the front
Of Il, 1t wasn't q good architectural Job,
/ suppose, for ell sorts OF odd hooks and
corners were left.
] remember that the front roof OF the old
house was inside the enlarged house,
shingles and all. That's funny when you
come to think Of II, but I'm sure Of It, for
this sloping roof formed the ceiling Of my
room and | used TO be awakened in the
morning by grandpa scrsping Oh the
shingles for kindling wood. Then there
was a way to get down from this roof right
into the wall between the front and back
paTlors.
Robert used to get down there when there
was company and scarf the women visitors
pretty nearly into fits by making noises like
q ghost. OF course l don't know what
sort Of noises a ghost makes, but I'm per-
fectly sure these noises we're ghostly.
used to wonder how Robert dared 20
down into that awful dark place. 1t was
80 darky dark, and know there were rats
and mice and other things TO scare a little
girl.
Did l tell you this house was In Canada?
Well, it was, and when | come TO think Of
1t they had queer customs up there. II
never occurred 70 any one that the whole
house was meant 10 live In. The parlors
we're kept closed ~religiously except when
very special company or the minister came
to call.
Robert and I weren't allowed 10 20 into
the parlors when they we're closed, 90 |
suppose that's why we did. Are children
born contrary l wonder. It seems as
II mine we're. Why, this very day-now
there l 60 again, l just will stick to what
/ was saying.
Those darkened parlors we're awful
scary, l remember, and it seemed quite
like an adventure to sneak IN and play there.
Portraits Of stern looking ancestors glim-
mered dimly on the walls, and strange
shapes lowered behind the ponderous fur
niture. l used TO think the furniture was
ugly. l remember to this day the creepy
feeling the horsehair upholstery gave you
when you stumbled against It in the dark.
But l would give a whole lot II l could only
have some Of that old mahogany now
minus the horsehair.
But when my grandparents did throw
open the house to guests they did il thor
oughly. remember two parties they gave
that winter, and the reason Of my remem-
bering is that for once in my life I got all
l wanted to eat OF the things / shouldn't
eat and more than l wanted too, as IN
show you.
Grandma wanted TO give a party all her
own and grandpa wanted TO give one all
his own, 80 they had two parties. OF course
the same people came TO both.
For a week before each party you never
saw such goings N. Grandma gave hers
first. All the available help wal secured
and the neighbors were called in 70 assist.
That old farmhouse kitchen turned out the
greatest variety and abundance OF food
that ever was.
Every kind Of cake known from the be-
ginning Of time was made; turkeys and
chickens we're slaughtered sufficient TO
make aeyeral Roman HOLIDAYS. ham AFTER
ham was boiled; pies were stored in the pam
try until you'd have thought Il was q bake
shop; jellies and preserves OF many kinds
were fetched up from their cobwebby re-
cesses in the oellars-well, IL anything was
omitted which II was possible TO have |
can't imagine what 1t was,
There was food enough for an army.
The company came and stuffed itself and
jingled away again through the snow IN
the crisp winter night. And still there vas
food for IN army.
Now here comes the point Of what I am
trying to tell you. The frugal conscience
Of my Canadian grandparents, having
expanded in one grand burst Of lavish
ness, again asserted itself, and the thought
Of letting all that uneaten food 20 10 waste
wasn't entertained for q moment.
SO for weeks and weeks We breakfaSted
and dined and supped on cold meats and
cakes and pies and salads and jeliee until
we were aveary OF the eternal stusiaE.
Robert and I had our little lunch bssketa
packed for school every day with the leav-
ings OF that feast. II was fun At hrUt, Of
course, but any good thing satiates Ia
time, don't you think SOP
We hadn't more than got through with
eating up all that truck when they tot
ready for ~grandpa's party, and Il was
the old story over again. When my little
ones now keep saying More, mamma
! think Of that winter In the country, and
stomach remembers too and I don't
feel like eating.
Curious folk, my grandparents we're.
I never could understand their fruEalty
and their ~lavishness. II seems as II thew
mi Rht have hit an average.