Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1919-05-21
IN old DEBORAH
OF GIRLHO0D DAYS
Miss Anne G. Baker, Former Resi-
dent of Decorah, POrtrays in
Verse Scenes of Her Girl
hood Days Here
NOW A RESIDENT
OF ANACONDA, MONT.
Miss Baker Lets Her Thoughts Re-
vert back to the Old Days Here
Before the Advent of the
Auto or the Movies

~ WY VI tue AndCOnud, MOnC
News reaches our desk with an ar
ticle, which We print below, written
by Miss Anne G. Baker, a former
resident, which will be read with in
terest by all our readers. Miss Baker
is an aunt of G.. F. Baker, the lum-
herman, Of this city, and she form
erly lived here in her girlhood days,
conducting a millinery store in
partnership with Mrs. Norm Williams
in the building now occupied by the
Decorah Gas Co. She has been a re-
sident of Anaconda for about 80
years, but it is evident that old De-
corah is not forgotten. Following is
the article from the Anaconda
laper:
Miss Anne G.. Baker. SO years old
one of the noblest of women. a pio-
neer of Anaconda, who has for years
catered to the millinery tastes of the
ladies of this city, looks back upon
her girlhood home in the East and
draws word picture of the things
that appear before her mental vision.
The literary merit of the verse is
excellent and the theme is beautiful.
Sitting in her comfortable chair in
her millinery parlor, Miss Baker lets
her thoughts revert back to the old
days on the family homestead, the
DAYS Of neace and quiet. before the
electric light, the telephone or the
movies. Now in her mind she pictures
those modern things replacing the
old. The retrospect is brought TO
view clearly, but the present day has
brought about the changes that
make Of the old home still more
tender memory. This is the picture:
IN OLD DEBORAH. 4
l am back in old DecorahA where my
young life first began,
And note the changes that have
come within its measured span.
l sit down in the old Winneshiek,
among the younger men,
And ask about the telephone-we did
not have one then.
And looking just across the street,
behold a dazzling sight
Obstructs my view, and they explain.
That's our electric light"
Then peering down old Water street.
my vision ranges far,
And | see moving object, that they
call a motor car.
| don't see any horses, or thills, or
whiffletree,
But they'll explain its movements:
they're up to date, you see.
Then ask about this building, where
so many come and go,
And they say twas built for pleasure
and it's called a picture show,
Where they throw movies on the
screen, to please the old and
young,
And the only language they employ.
they speak without a tongue.
Then l ask for the piano girl, with
voice so sweet and clear,
And am told this new Victrola sings
the only songs we hear.
Even our. gallant soldier boys wear
neither blue nor gray,
But are uniformed in khaki, in
which garb they won the day.
We don't have any doctors now; all
ills of every kind
The human flesh Is heir to must be
treated through the mind.
Surely old things have passed away.
we're living in the new,
There's only remembrance of the
things We used to do.
But I'm back here in Decorah, to
forget the days of old,
And accept the new conditions: they
are better we are told.
But in the evening shadows, as l
linger in the past,
And live again those tender wears
that We're too dear to last.
wonder if our modern peers have
ever hearts more true
Than those that beat in the olden
days, so dear to me and YOU.
--O-