Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-08-04
"A Strange Story"

A 15-year-oid Springfield girl VINO was
taken into custody 30 miles out in the
country. as a runaway told the police
In extraordinary story. An orphan, un-
comfortable in the home which charity
had provided for her, she had set out 10
zee her grandmother.
It's vague story, of course, and open
to suspicion. Girls in this enlightened
day think little and not very deeply of
their grandmothers, if at all. Girls who
would walk % miles to see a decrepit
grandparent are probably very rare-so
rare that il this little girls story proves
true, charity may lose A friend by ship
ping its young proteges back into the
somewhat forlorn atmosphere of the big
world that works and fights and, working
and fighting, forgets.
Amy young man Or girl who will walk
30 rods to see a grandmother without
first gaining positive assurance of re-
ward must have some good. old-fashione1
sense of nlial piety. and some basic
capacity for good citizenship.-Boston
Journal
We are sorry for the editor of our
Boston namesake. To have been born
so late in life that he had no grand
parents is a handicap. To never have
learned the way grandmothers have of
getting under the skin and the ribs of
the young is a sorry tax on his equip
ment. Manifestly he has missed some
Of the real ]. of l.--or he is so dodder-
ing old that he has forgotten the
meaning Of one Of the hottest Of terms,
and has long since lost all touch with
the sentiments and character Of the
average youth of today.
This age is not so wholly lost to
fiiial appreciation as our Hub friend
would suggest. We know boys and
girls and young men and women who
are not only loyal and loving in the
home circle but who go far and often
to visit and cheer an aged grand
mother. Nor do they forget her little
likes and dislikes in frequent remem-
brances by mail. They do not expect
reward. for she has only her wealth Of
love to give. She is an old-fashioned
grandmother and they may be old
fashioned children, but we have faith
that in this broad land are million,
at least, Of just such old-fashioned
. their grandmothers, and who would
walk. if necessary, to reach them.
In a Maine Central R. r. station, a
few months since, we saw weary
little lady Of nearly four score years
awaiting the coming of friends to take
her the remainder of her tiresome
journey. She was slightly daZed by
her new and confusing surroundings
and saw dimly the actors in the rush
and hustle Of the city station. A tall
young man entered. He was an
obvious gentleman, as indicated by
the quiet little figure and swiftly
crossed to her, removing his hat as he
went. Her head was turned away
and she did not know of his presence
until he was STOPPING with a strong
arm about her shoulders and his face
near her own. AS he kissed her he
softly said: Come granny" and
gently led her away while young wo-
men looked after them, we could
imagine in some cases obviously
Do you suppose that young man
would have walked far to see his
grandmother? We think SO. We
recognize the tendency Of the present
hurlyburly existence. but love is not
dead and tho old ia ShjOped affection
for grandparents still exists. We are
sorry for our friend who seems to
have slipped so far into the skeptical
that he has lost his sense Of proper
ton Of the good. bad and Indifferent.