Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1919-11-19

| Ol Il son De-
ginning letter to his father Res
pected Sir Compare it with the
Dear Dad" of to-day. The latter
form indicates a bond of sympathy
| and understanding between father
and child.
Take business letters. A genera
| ton or two ago business letters ex-
changed between gentlemen and la
dies, opening with My dear Mrs.
A" or MY dear MIR. B." would have
been almost sufficient evidence for a
divorce suit to be started. Think of
| the staid and stern old grandfathers
of the Puritan stock being addressed
as "Gramp." Oh, my! 1t can't be
imagined
Sure, the "Hullo" of the poem has
softened many of life's hard places
and opened the door to sympathy.
Not only that, but no doubt it is the
most frequently-used word in the
English language. Am | not right
in that last statement?
am reading Dear Enemy" by
Jean Webster, who wrote Daddy
Longlegs," which has been drama
tized. Before l began reading it l
said. cit cannot equal Daddy Long
Legs, but the same sparkle of wit
and quaint humor is all through it.
Some of you will remember Judy"
came from the John Greer Home, an
orphan asylum. In this book "Sallie
Mcbride" society girl, has become
superintendent of that home, and her
renovations and innovations are
worth careful study by officers
and trustees of similar institutions.
The illustrations by the author are
clever and amusing.
l have refrained from looking at
the last pages of the book to see if
''Sallie" marries the Washington
politician or the grave, Scotch doc
tor who ministers to the orphans
ailments. AT present, the pendulum
seems to swing a little farther to-
wards the doctor than it did at first
The good aunt, whom you met for
the first time at the last reunion,
offered to loan me the book, which,
as it is composed entirely of letters
written by "Sallie," reminds the
owner, so she says, of a conversation
on the telephone where you hear but
one side.
l don't know how it happened that
last weeks column, as | wrote the
matter relating to Ella Wheeler Will
cox and have never seen anything in
Anna McCall's Tower Room "relat-
ing to her.
What will be the result of women
| becoming voters remains to be
proved. Will they have the pur-
flying influence in politics which has
been claimed for them? l was once
present at a State convention of
a woman's fraternal organization
and there was considerable log
| rolling" before the annual election
| of officers, as different sections had
| their candidates in view. Evident
ly the politicians are catering to the
new element introduced into public
and official business.
These thoughts are independent
of all party issues or interests, for
| nothing partisan or sectarian has
place in the column. You know we
| plan to live just a little above all
| creeds and platforms, except the
| creed of mutual help and the plat
form of good comradeship.
| Doh lOTSeI the Macedonian cry
of Come over and help u.s." Give
us some more suggestions or reviews
of books of current events, of de-
portation or importation, of expert
ences and of outings,of hints and
suggestions for saving time or work,
of Christmas preparations and of
how to keep the anniversaryand the
weeks before it so no one will feel
I'm hurry all over" as one de-
scribed getting nervous. The doing
away of excessive expense the past
year or two simplified the Christmas
work and did not lessen the cordial
spirit of good will" among friends.