Weekly Caledonian. (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1919-1920, 1919-04-23

Of the soul and the spirit In the
companionship of the man-chlld she
had reared, which companionship in
the struggle of life thus far, had
somehow been denied her.
When she had recovered and was
strong again, it was Fred who arrang-
ed the finances; the sons who had
been only human in forgetting the
loneliness of the mother-heart who
had given so much for them, saw her
start off with Tom. Though in years
it was but short time ago, yet it
was in those far-off pleasant ages be-
fore the scourge of war had blight
ed the world, that Tom started with
his mother on her great vacation to
those far-away lands that only exist
for most New England mothers in
books or dreams.
There came morning when Aunt
Mary was helped by her son across
the gang-plank Of a great steamship.
The last goodbycs were said by the
boys who were there to see her off.
The smallest details had been arrang-
ed. Nothing lay ahead but the UNI
spoiled Wonderland OF the old world.
Nothing lay ahead to the woman who
once been little Mary Wood and mar
ried Il poor printer for love--but re-
ward for the things she had gone
through-rcward and enjoyment.
At noon, amid Undesirable con-
fusion, the boarding of the last lug
gage and freight to the wierd songs
of the stcveadors, the blowing of
many whistles and the last leave
takings, the matches were finally
swung into place, the gang-planks
hoisted and the hauscrs drawn on
board. Slowly the little tugs pulled
the great lazy monster from its stall
in the city, awoke her from her two
week slumber, swung her about and
faced her toward the deep blue dis
lance. The wharf with the faces of
those Aunt Mary loved and was lcav-
lag behind just for little time,
dwindled to an indistinct strip of
wooden rooted confusion. The great
boat hoatcd further and further away
from the strip of smiles and waving
handkcrchiefs and tears. The sea
breeze blow and called to her. Her
engines awoke like her heart. With
balancing pause and a great throb
of desire, the big blue sea beckoncd
for his tryst with hcr like his mis-
tress which she was and her storm
loving heart warmed within her as
she sped faster and faster to his en-
brace.
Other great steamers, sheated in
their piers, slowly melted in to the
chaotic skyline Of the harbor. The
great metropolis lay in the smoke
that paused overhead, with the ky
scrapers all striving to out-rcach one
another, their clocks all pointing
steamer time, advertisements haring
on their despatched walls, it growl
and its roar smothcred by the wider
freer noises OF the harbor,-slowiy
the great metropolis melted into the
white green wake behind.
, For the first time Aunt Mary saw
Dame Liberty on her Island in the
harbor,-that iron woman holding her
torch aloft to the weak and opprcss-
ed of every nation. The tugs, like
sturdy irrevelent ofiice-seekers look
ing for loot, ploughed to and fro, in
different to the coming adventures of
the great lcvithan or greater than
the great lcvithan, the happiness in
the heart of one woman on it's deck.
Patrician yachts sped past them, the
shining brass rejecting the early af-
tcrnoon sunshine. They overlook
great peasant bargcs, FLASHING sullen-
ly through commercial seas, towcd on
Tapping lazy lines and taking their
time taking their time for
the work was heavy and there was
no need for hurry. Saucy gasolcnc
launches climbed up and down the
tirclcss whitc-caps. Ferry boats
padded like big serious ducks from
slip to slip. Commonplace things
enough were these for the city-bred
and the sophisticated. They were
wonder things to one over-worhcd,
tired, plcasure-staIvcd old woman
One o'clock came! Nodding sail
ingschooncrs like weary gulls with
folded wings, rested calmly on the
Notwithstanding tide. The afternoon
wore on and Jersey sank lower and
lower upon the west. The beautiful
bridges with their glistening webs
melted into the violet of the distance.
The guns of the forts looked down
upon the steamer with dark menace
in their ugly muzzlcs; cqually-hugc
incoming steamers passed them,
seemingly preoccupied with the sights
and the secrets they had come
through, out on the awful bosom of
the sea.
Two o'clock passed! All that
could be seen of the city now was
the distant overhanging smoke grow
ing fainter and fainter. The arms
of the Atlantic. were opening wider
and wider. America, and home,
was only a memory. But what
of that? Was she not going to Eu-
rope--to Europe!-with the big son
son, her son, who had made this
dream reality
A had nc hon ,,.o,a rax,... $780,. !, .