The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1917-10-18

his present and future well being. The
mechanic, forced by the elements to re-
lieve his bodily fibre and muscle, only
learned that lesson in the economy of
waste and repair, which is needed only at
the dictation of the elements; in short,
nervous prostration is heroic treatment
on the part of nature; it is an intent to
do for the man what he will never do for
himself, give himself rest, and the
busy homekeeper, without being sloven-
ly could conscientiously relax her grasp
upon the broom and buster and though
confined bodily, who of us during siege
of weather has not enjoyed mental fur
Tough, pardonable Indifference to the
niceties of housekeeping, and a thorough
enjoyment of that which rests, refreshes
and builds US up Intellectually.
We did not make two ears of corn or
two blades of grass to grow upon spot
where only one grew before, but we felt
that we deserved something from man.
kind and the country, even though at
that very time they were denying us the
ballot. | have less hesitation about ex-
ereising the privilege conferred by white
hair, and asking for representation, while
patiently wait for the answer that is
sure to come. My political sister puts
the situation more tersely; "a woman is
human being, if she is female, and Pve
never seen male creature who had any
respect for a female one he could step on"
and Booker Washington cinched the ar
gument by telling US that, 'You can't
hold women down in the ditch without
staying in the mud yourself"
Already the woodbine and ivy are
flaming red, and how the sumac burn on
the hillsdes! What is the sumac that
God should lavish so much glory on it?
What is man that he is mindful of him?
The oaks, those freesoilers that voyage
to all Shores a prototype of those that
welcomed the Puritans, and De Soto and
Coronado and which did not disdain to
welcome and shelter us from the summer
heat, have been exchanged for my neigh
boris aged, graceful and bewitching elms,
whose branches | can reach from my
window. The Cambridge elms, with their
glory of history, pre-empting the land as
they do, with their anchorage of roots
having firmer hold on the earth, are
scarcely more engaging than are the
oaks, which shade our summer home
The aftermath went to other hands
burdened with the wish that it was more
worthy; and in the cleaning, which is
days aftermath, we looked back over
our experience and seeing our mistakes
we philosophical that error is a hardy
plant; it flourisheth in every soil. 1t had
been recreation withal, and to Join ad-
vantage to amusement, to gather profit
with pleasure, is the wise mans neces-
sary aim.
Disheartened but not discouraged, moth
er earth has renewed her hospitable invi-
tation to us, to again reach forth for her
bounty, and no urging is needed
All too often the papers tell me of the
coming of my Belfast townsmen, trans
formed into soldiers to the great canton
ment at Aver, in the neighborhood of the
family summer home. The personal fail
ure OF the summer, in their behalf, shall
be recompensed by the click of the
needles and the noiseless tool of the seam
stress.
God grant that the spirit of our soldiers
De night; and that they demonstrate the
right kind of manhood. May they come
back to us morally clean, free from the
lndecencies of alcohol, and able to bear
the test of a mothers faith in her SON.
ANNIE L. MCKEEN.
Waltham, Mass, Sept. III