Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1909-04-30

see how I'VE were making it." We set
tied the affairs of the nation. the town.
and the new neighbor, then and there.
We wondered, and expressed our views,
why south wind stopped the rum We
discussed IN various ways the necessity
OF a freeze at night and a thaw in the
daytime to make a good run. And va
rious ether weighty matters were talked
over while we watched the pans boiling
and struggling and foaming before US.
Then we took off our syrup. finished
it off on the stove. turned it into gallon
cans, ready to send to the village. 1t
was the genuine article which we sent
away, whatever happened to it after
ward. Is it my taste or has maple syrup
degenerated? The exquisite flavor of
that first maple syrup in the spring has
escaped ne in these later years. Per
haps | need the fresh air and vigorous
work OF the old days, and youth as well
rs the old country home.
Then we filled up our pan again with
sap, showed into the arch under the
pans all the wood we could get in. and
lett 1t to boil away during the night.
Just before we went to bed one of us
would come up and fill up the pans
again. How strange everything looked
in the moonlight. How disconcertino
that spruce looks now. And in the sap
house the light of the fire, the clouds OF
steam. the singing of the sap, inclines
the youthful mind to thoughts of a very
serious nature if ne has been brought M
in family addicted to an old fashioned
theology.
And so the days went by 4 rain now
and then made the woods very melan-
choly. A little snow added to our diff
ticulties, even if it seemed to help along
the run of sap. But the brightness of
those early days in spring when the sun
did shine brought feeling of gladness.
One was glad to be alive. How still it
was IN the early morning, and how pure
and white the grove when we began the
season. Then change came, so grad
ually that before we realized the passing
OF the days we heard the song of the
early birds. One day we hear the brook
which has broken its icy letters. Our
sap road somehow has disappeared The
brown spots have grown so large that
only here and there is there mound of
snow-our snow is gone. And one morn
ing we find no sap in our pals A lot
OF lies and ants are monopolizing what
little sweet moisture there is The sea
son Is over. Well, we are pretty tired.
We have been wet and cold a good many
times. We are brown with smoke of our
fires. We are rather tired of so much
syrup and sugar, and we are anxious to
get at our spring ploughing, for spring
IS here. So we gather up our sap pals,
dry them in the sun, hang up our sap
pans and shut up our saphouse.
1t seems like another place when we
accidentally go that way the next month.
The leaves are coming out fast and the
whole surroundings seem to have
changed. The old house would look
lonesome were it not for that squirrel
sitting on the roof, and the birds flying
about it. 1t has become a part of the
grove and sinks into its place with the
grace which belongs to Nature when
left undisturbed
As the spring days come along here
in the city and / am tied to desk and
the telephone l find myself dreaming of
the old maple grove up back of the
house in the early mornings of spring,
the dripping of the sap into the pals,
the sweetness and purity of Nature, my
old-time freedom, and | wonder if my
modern life away from all this does
really satisfy.-E. B. in Boston Tran.
script.