Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1910-10-05
Correspondents.


OA0 SCmVOA HDVOAS 0mu DHy6s
OGDEN, Utah, Sept. II, 1910.
TO the Editor Of The american:
"Old School Books and Days." written
by Enie H. Kline, Bluehill, in THE ELIs-
WORTH AMERICAN Aug. 81, stirs into
action the fountain Of youth that lies ct
the far end OF long vista OF years,
touches the chords Of memory till from
them foats sweet and pathetic music -
from the harp Eoleus when swept BY the
breath Of Zephyrus.
have turned from the busy cares OF the
day and read 1t twice, aye, thrice. You
who live, and breathe, and have Q being
amid the scenes commemorated by the
writer Of "Old School Books and Days"
possibly give little heed to the simple
story so beautifully told, but the grixxlsd
veterans Of that earlier time, veterans
between whom the scenes OF those days lie
thousands OF miles, turn to the picture
with moist eyes and longings that cannot
be put into words.
Who, though lifted by circumstances to
throne Of power and wealth, does not
hold an abiding love for the scenes OF
childhood and youth-of old faces long
covered with mold, OF voices forever
hushed by the finger Of death, Of the
home whose threshold will echo no more
to his footfail-is but half civilized.
Call the emotions that these pictures in
spire sentimental il you will, even so, I
would rather be moved by them than my
blood should have peace and sleep in the
ooze OF indifference.
Well do remember the old readers she
speaks Of, Towns series and his incom-
parable progressive Reader. have
most OF them yet, and they have place in
exalted company on my shelves. They are
side by side among authors, the most
illustrious OF the living and the dead,
whose words have been preserved by mas
tiers of the binders snd printers art.
Those old readers and spoilers, and Screen
leafs Arithmetic, "Welds' Grammar,
and "Andrews' Latin Grammar, and
some others, are not held Of light conse-
quence in my home. They are . golden
link that binds the dead past to the living
present. These are q voice sweet and
musical calling from the grave Of buried
memories.
In many, many Of these time-stained
books are familiar names-names of old
schoolmates written everywhere among
the leaves. Some are still living, high up
the ladder OF fame, some sre compelling
the old farm Of their fathers to yield
living, and some are asleep under the
willows in the neighborhood where they
were born. Some Of these names, traced
by inexperienced hands but with evident
care, quicken the blood q little. They
msterialize pictures long ago faded with
age. o, those old sweethearts, the world
never saw their like! The apples Of
Hesperides never had cheeks so red. As
write, airy forms fit by on times
shsdowy screen, forms enchanting, be.
witching, and fade away in the misty dis
lance.
One Of the doggerel verses recited by the
author Of sold Books and Days" contains
the name Of q cousin whose mother was
my mothers sister, and the purpose Of the
writer seems to have been to bring the
book back to the owner il perchance it
should go astrsy. Measured by conven-
tional style the verse is doggerel, but hen
computed by the present effect, the stanza
is redeemed and lifted into fadeiess day
among the masterpieces OF poets. Immortal.
1 well remember the old schoolhouse
where the pruning shears were applied to
my sprouting intellect, at the top Of long
hill at North Penobscot. II my name il
not still carved on one Of its benches it is
due to some thoughtful iconoclast who has
bereft me OF my only hope OF an earthly
immortality.
/ remember the coasting on that hill,
which, like many another / have since
found, was much easier to 60 down than
to sscome back" / remember the selfish
aspiration to possess the swiftest gliding
sled, for that meant the prettiest girl de
royage. The boy who had the hand
soonest sled and swiftest was q heartless
autocrat. He it was who had the best of
everything till some enterprlsing urchin
secured . more gorgeous equipment; then
the former king OF the snow hill was
superseded by his lucky rival. But not
for long. Each day brought ambitious
pretenders to the throne. And SO the
winter faded into spring, and stiffness
like a benediction rested over the erst-
while noisy schoolhouse. But "the boy
is father to the man..
Ihavs kept more or less in touch with
those who struggled on the bsttlefields Of
those adolescent days, and the same spirit
has actusted them ever since. The aspira
tions Of that day have changed to other
fields. The change has been Of kind but not
OF degree-the same ardor, the same un-
conquersbie will that distinguished the
young hero OF the sled, has characterized
the full grown man later in life, and the
urchin content with pine sled shod with
an iron hoop from his mothers rain barrel
well, he would still be blowing with q
heifer and crooked stick il some generous
neighbor did not lend him pillow.
The old schoolhouse at North Penobscot,