The Republican journal., 1916-10-26
VACATION IS OVER,
And Valued Contributor Writes Reminis-
Gently and kntertainingy on Various
Things.

Gently and kntertainingly on Various
Things.
Fifteen years ago The present month,
the topic Of vacation, "a very enjoyable
one, occupied the writer's thought while
summering ION narrow neck OF land
'twixt two uubounded SEAS" and with
nothing but a savage ocean between her
and Europe, had put all America behind
her.
| suppose there comes a time to every
person when they realize, with surprise
and dismay, that their childhood, with its
careless joys and eXcitements, is really
quite long way behind. This comes to
us with especial acuteness when the ties
which once held US closely are broken
and we see, less and less often, the old
haunts where we scampered over the
fields and down the lanes. Now, when |
sit alone in a pensive mood, the assocla-
lions which have been dear to me, take
on halo, and details spring into mind as
rapidly as if were on the spot again.
Chief among the details which the
present season allowed me to renew, are
the associations connected with my visits
to my philosophic, maternal grandfath-
er; let quotation from the Portland Ad-
vertiser, introduce him:
"He lived on rocky farm down East;
And farmers life was hard one then
nature frien1lY TO bird and beast
And just and true to his fellowmen.
One queer old saying, upon his lips
lowered forever it seemed to me.
1t covered so many faults and slips;
1--WE all of US have outs" said he.
To me, as the first born of eight grand
children, was granted home, and love
and attention that shall never forget;
and whatever of capacity and energy
may possess. owe to the rugged indie
pendence, simplicity and New England
courage of my grandparents, to whom
the stern necessity of earning living
had come early Two things they alb
horred above all, - intemperance and
shiftlessness; and no excuse was found
for the man who would not work, nor
the woman either.
At one time | reckoned among my
possessions, one wee lamb. Nothing
very promising, you will say, but finan-
ciers know that sheep pay seml-annual,
stock dividend, in lambs and wool, with
guaranty fund always in reserve. and in
time the shepherdess promised to be-
Doa1Jafnl1pr h,1f
before her wealth had assumed the pro-
portions of Standard oil or Bessemer
steel, the husbandman whose sickle reap
eth in season and out of season, garner
ed the bearded grain of that happy
household, and, like many another, its
operations ceased. The sheep industry
waned at once, not so the dividend of
WOOL which remains unto the present
day; and when it became necessary for
me tc earn dollar for the benefit of a
church society with which am affiliated,
in casting about among the work open to
women, the first idea that presented it.
self was to cook. Should l cook and
have little food sale all my own? Doz-
ems were already planning that, and
sundry pauses and hesitations, when the
subject of my cooking was mentioned,
warned me not to entertain that thought.
Then I got to work in earnest and evolv-
ed plan of my own. l would knit.
But what should knit? A stocking leg
is prosy thing to knit, besides winter
was upon US and snowballs must be
made, and thrown,-I would knit nit
tens. My decision made and announced,
and sample of work shown, and Lo!
orders came in so fast that was oblig-
ed to decline them. should have been
an automatic knitting machine before
Spring. My ability to knit owe to my
Spartan grandmother, who exacted from
me the daily stint of ten times around,
no matter what was going on out of
doors.
When had collected my material and
actually begun to knit, the members of
the circle laughed at, and badgered, and
patronized me most absurdly. One men,
Der confded to me that she knit a
whole stocking once, ''though what par
ticular use one stocking would be was
not explained. Another said, Il don't
know how any one can knit with four
needless" the possibilities of round and
fiat work not having entered her head
apparently.
Gathered about me, they said, eff you
are absent from church now, we shall
know that you are at home knitting"
and when next l appeared at church