The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-06-23

II pSl DtlltI uOI W
despise too much the people of
earlier times for their readiness
in accepting these forgeries,
since the nineteenth century
and the present day have much
the same tales to tell Robert
Browning, an excellent critic.
was completely taken in by
collection of spurious Shelley
letters while bogus letters at
tributed to Ruskin have been
published and accepted. So on
the list might be prolonged in
definitely. 1t is to be doubted
indeed whether the public is
much less credulous now than
in former days as the demand
for antiques is increasing, and
there are plenty of INSCRIPTIONS
dealers to supply them. AS long
as the world reads books and
as long as it Furnishes rascals
there is little doubt that Liter
ary Impostures" will continue to
flourish.
MY INTERESTING COMPANION :
BY Hazel NJ Dein.
Having decided to spend my
summer vacation with relatives
who lived in village nesting
among the hills of Northeastern
Pennsylvania, / searched through
number of timetables in order
to decide upon a definite route.
The task proved very difficult
as there were so many changes
to be made. But a few days
later l was on my way. After
riding constantly for three days
l was delighted when | found
myself at the town from which
| should take the stage to the
little country village. The town
proved very interesting to me
because it was so clean and the
streets were laid out so nicely.
| learned the town owed much
of its attractiveness to the
Ladies' Improvement Society"
After several hours wait the time
arrived when l was to continue
my journey by stage.
l was born and had spent all
my life in the West so this
hilly country appealed to me as
we rushed through the valleys
by train, but now | would have
f.l. I,N Iii
leys more closely. | had my
baggage transferred and hurried
to the place from which the stage
departed.
| was surprised to see that
what was called the stage" was
rickety two-seated affair, with
a canopy top. The body of the
wagon had been painted black
once upon a time, and from the
appearance of the wheels they
were either new or freshly
painted. A team of prancing
bay horses were hitched to the
vehicle and controlled by
stout, broad-shouldered lad,
clad in pair of high leather
boots, a brown jumper, and a
pair of dark gray, homemade
trousers. His wealth of red hair
was partly concealed by a large,
straw hat. When we were ready
the lad gave shout and crack
ed the whip to which the horses
responded with plunge and we
were on our way.
In our Western school the
teacher had done her best to
explain how the glaciers had
changed the topography of the
country, but as we had no hills
and valleys near us l had never
thoroughly understood the sub
Ject. We had left the town and
were travelling a country road
which followed a deeply cut val
ley. High hills were on either
side and l now understood how
a glacier would come down this
valley carrying a great amount
of earth with it. A half hour
later as we turned a sharp curve
a number of houses appeared be-
fore us and in five minutes we
reached a small village where
we stopped before a store which
served as a postoffice. A stout,
red-faced, bald-headed man
wearing a grimy apron of tick
ing, made his appearance to tell
the driver to make room for
Aunt Jemima" as she was 60
ing up in the county to visit her
brother Jake" l had occupied
a whole seat but was now forced
to share it with Aunt Jemima"
whose appearance did not i'm
press me very favorably. She
was one of those tall, angular,
old maids, who look over the
rims of their spectacles, and al
low their cork-screw curls to