The Republican journal., 1912-06-20
A DEAR AND BRIGHT OLD LADY.
Miss Sarah Smith Haskell of Brooks.


Brooks Correspondence Of The Journall
One Of the dearest and brightest old
ladies of whom Brooks is particularly
proud is Miss Sarah Smith Haskell. who
has lived for the last ten years in the
family of her cousin, Mrs. Mary STABLES
Although she has been unable to mingle
in society she has many friends who d.
light in calling on her, and who feel that
an hour spent in her intellectual society
is we'll and proftably spent. For many
years she has been unable to read or
sew on account of trouble with her
eyes, but her cousin reads much aloud to
her, and her wonderfully receptive
memory retains and digests all she thus
hears, and once heard is never forgotten.
so that her mind is a storehouse of
knowledge, and there is no subject hut
she appears conversant with and can dis.
cuss intelligently and well. She keens
up with the times, is quite politician.
and has pronounced views on religious
subjects, although a member of no
church or order.
Miss Haskell was born in TborDdike in
1881, on the farm now owned by Edgar
Dyer, which her father, VIM. Haskell.
cleared from the wilderness, the property
having now descended to his great
grandson. The greater part of her
young life was spent in Massachusetts.
and several years were passed in our
Maine cities, the larger portion in Bel
fast, always leading an active life until
ten years ago, when her eyes failed. She
enjoys the best of health and has most
happy temperament, is always cheerful
and sprightly, never complains, and is
an example of the true gentlewoman.
She is naturally poetical and many of her
quiet hours are spent in composing little
gems which she repeats in an animated
manner to her friends. was fortunate
in one of my calls and favored by some
lines composed especially to interrogate
me on a subject and place l happened to
be somewhat familiar with, and which
Miss Haskell delighted in questioning
and discussing with me. begged her
to again repeat them slowly that might
give them to the columns of our cher
ished home paper, The journal, which
she enjoys as keenly as do all its read
ers, and eagerly asks for its news items
each week. The verses follow:
"The game was War, she played and lost,
proud. unhappy Spain.
We played and won, and at much cost
We broke the tyrant chain.
Tell me about Manila town,
Built long ago by some Spanish Don.
Is it gray with age, and quaint and brown,
This town on the beautiful isle Luzon?
Tell me about Manila bay.
Do the forts still cross her channel frown.
And vigilance keep, as they did the day
Our fleet bombarded the town?
And tell me. beneath her tme-stained walls
What hidden crimes lie buried deep?
What tortured victims shrieks ana calls
Were hushed in dreamless sleep?
They tell me Spanish rule and power
We're felt and feared on Luzon isle.
Her subjects learned to cringe and cover
Even beneath her smile.
Are they content these happier days?
Are they glad and gay? do they laugh and
sing?
Or would they return to the old time ways,
And shout, long live the King""
At Easter service Miss Haskell con-
tributed this verse to be read by our
pastor:
NTo 10
We bring bright flowers and Easter lilies
sweet.
The risen Christ, might he within our midst
appear,
With reverent hands we'd lay them at his
feet"
The following lines were dedicated to
our soldiers on Memorial Day.
"our honored dead! how well they sleep; for
getting
The awful din of war. the lannon's deafen-
ing roar,
The homesck days, the waiting and the fret
ting
For tidings long delayed, that made the
heart so sore.
We deck their graves with flowers in all their
springtime beauty;
Slight recompense for feet the weary
marches trod;
Brave. loyal hearts, unfaltering in their duty,
We leave them to unbroken rest, and God"
Sunday, June 9th, Children's Day, was
observed at Union church by concert
in the evening given by the children to
an overlooking house, which was highly
enjoyed by both young and old. Miss
Haskell loves to contribute thought on
all such occasions, and her heart is al
ways with US, although at her advanced
age of eighty-one years she goes from
home but little. These sweet verses of
hers was read by Rev. Booth as por-
ton of the evenings exercises:
THE children's smiling faces glow
With happy thoughts this happy day,
The day is theirs-is Childrens Day.
Their sweet young voices tell in song
How pure and good the soul within.
We listen, hoping that no wrong
Will make these voices harsh with sin.
The teaching from this house of prayer
Is all pleasure, all delight,
If counsel, aid, and faithful care
Shall help to guide the ir feet Alright"
MOVE ON NOW!
says policeman to street crowd, and whacks
heads if it don't. "Move on now," says the
big, harsh mineral pills to bowel congestion