Ellsworth American., 1919-12-24

l am hoping to sit in "the chair"
some time perhaps at the next reunion.
who knows? Betsy Prig" writes
often, but she has such scores of
friends that l haven't had a letter yet.
although / have the promise of one l
was down to meeting the day she left
and near her old home, and everyone
spoke of her with tears because Floss"
had left them and they should miss her
so much.
l have been reading "Old Rose and
Silver" and "Cyntha's Chauffeur" both
good books, but not helpful, like The
Kings Daughter or others of the
"Pansy' books, which give US an up
lift.
Once more. Merry Christmas to all
from M IT
Pansy writes: Il wish it was so
| could send every NJ. B. a card. but
instead will wish you all a Merry
Christmas and Happy New Year"
Dear Aunt Madge and Sisters:
l am glad "Narcissus'' told us some
thing about the books she has been
reading. 1 hardly seehow people who
do not enjoy reading can spend the
long evenings of winter. especially If
they cannot work. l am alone nearly
every day, and when / get real lone
some, a good story and knitting work
are company enough. | have Just fin
ished reading The Way of an Eagle"
wonder how many sisters have read
it?
You say you spent your Thanksgiv-
ing with b. f. s.. and / do not need to
be told that you enjoyed it, One of
the first places l remember as visiting
at when little girl was her home, and
all through my life 1 have spent many
happy days with her and her daugh-
ters. / do not see her very often now.
but often think of the good times l en-
joyed with the girls.
Have any sisters tried white Karo
syrup for sweetening coffe when the
sugarbowl is empty? 1 like 1t much
better than brown sugar. 1 have sew
eral quarts of crabapple juice canned
until l can get sugar enough to make
jelly.
The poem. THE Thankful Spirit" is
fine. "Vashti"
Good Evening. You Very Dear NJ BIS.
I'm such a Stacker that 1 hardly dare
greet you. but after a whole afternoon
of patching, why fellow must chat a
while, even if tits done with a pen, see,
'Tis wild night, and we are so alone
here; not a neighbor within hailing
distance, and in the winter we sort of
den up-not much visiting or busf-
ness. We see the lights way below us,
and, far away Rockland Breakwater
light, Castine Head light and Sandy
Point light. and all these lights are
company. Yes. laugh if you want to I;
they are, and l watch them and knit,
while my John chores. Then we talk
over what we have seen in the papers
and magazines, perhaps read a while
and hold our cats. then wind the clock.
fix the fires and HE US to bed. Sleep
fine. and the new day brings more pa
pers and letters from here and there,
and we do it allover-mix in the work
and call it good, If not real social and
lively.
Even the barn is lonesome this WIN
ter, for we have only three COW kind,
| no bossies or young stock, so there's
| nothing to look at We do not say
that We are farming now. No, we are
just biding we, till we sell out. 'Tis
SOO IHuCn ldFlH WOTk IOT Ln6 man of
the house, and I'm not in love with
cooking for the wod-sawyers, hay
pressers and the threshers, with not a
soul to help. Farming is getting to be
mighty expensive, what say? We are
| going to sell out and go to the village,
and be homesick ever after.
| And here's another lament: 1
| haven't a pretty house plant; no, was
| i'll this fall, when I should have been
| fixing up my plants, so am left with a
| few slips and three hyacinth bulbs.
Yes, and the rats stole the carrots. Did
you ever hear SO many woes?
| Let me see. Aunt Madge asked for
a Christmas suggestion. I guess it's
rather late for that, but I'd say, when
in doubt, or where there's many kid
dies, give the money, and never give
foolish jimcracks. They are usually
just something to catch dust or to
| hoard away and take up room. In
these very hard times, I'd say, some
thing to wear, eat, or the money.
| The next was, what have we read?
I'm reading my books over that have
been loaned, and 'tis just like meeting
old friends. and we all know that's a
joy. I haven't many story books. I'll
mention some of the best that I've Just
read. "Coniston, by Winston
i Churchill; "St. Elmo" by Augusta J.
Evans; Faith Gartney's Girlhood,F -
by Mrs. A. T. d. Whitney; 1.-THE Lamp
III ch tAF hxr /.