Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1925-03-25

Look cheerful,
The world abhors a gloomy face,
And tales of woe are commonplace,
So stir yourself and take brace
Look cheerful,
March 3, 1925.
Dear NJ. BIS:
This is the song of town meeting
day, written for the benefit of those
who know not the fun of being bis
toads in little puddles How soor
after reading this viii they pack III
their new kit-bags. and leave Florida
for Maine,
Behold you, then. in your own littl.
town, starting forth on glorious
March morning in which is a hint OF
spring, along with the pussy willows
(though it proved false and tickle by
night. You guard with your left hand
a dish-pan wherein is placed the best
cream-pie you know how to make, in
your right is the package of sliced cold
meat carefully folded in Waxed paper
(your Offering for the meat course Of
the dfnntr later on). while your feet
kedp the Jack of milk bottles from be-
ing bounced TO smashing ruin oNci eiiS
! frozen but thawing road These OIL
ferings of mere food are left at the
grange hall, which already has look
as f several horns O. plenty had been
empted on it's long tables.
The men have gone on. You ma
some friend, tried and true. to be your
companion along the muddy walk to
the demure little square building
known as the town house. Before the
Pdoor are groups of men already plan
ming and urging their candidates LOT
the various town offices.
Inside, the women have turned out
in goodly numbers. There are smiling
faces that you haven't seen for weeks,
friendly faces, dear efaces. Here and
there you stop to chat until you realize
that you had better choose a place TO
sit while now is the accepted time. The
men are coming in and stand IN the
back of the room or sit on their side
of it. The women hold all the settees
in the center, as well as those on
.their side Only one women mas
brought her work. and that because
there were button-holes that just had
to be made in the baby's clothes.
G,ater she couldn't find scissors, and
had to borrow a jack-knif from Aunt
Marys John to cut those button-holes
with)
All Now. hush! The town clerk,
with heavy tread. mounts the platform
and raps for order. Oh, no! That
tread was not very heavy-this is
thin slip of woman clerk, weight
al
rant in her hands-it is as long as she
is taIl-and reads from it. silence is
held throughout that must nave peeh
hattering Your eye wanders, and you
encounter the sign mo smoking. Inc
air however, seems quite blue, put
perhaps signs mean nothing nowadays.
Then. almost before you know what
has happened. a moderator mas peeh
chosen and goes dumping up the aisle
to be sworn in, so help him. mat
tread really was heavy-you observe
he wears felts and rubbers.
Good, The moderator has forbidden
the smoking and the air clears.
Now come the exciting parts, when
YOU vote for the three selectmeh' the
clerk. and so on. Having once got Il
woman into office, we have to keep her
for fear of hurting her feelings, so the
clerk remains the same. Having
reached town treasurer, you meet your
first obstacle. Dear me! They nave
nominated your best friend against
your husbands best friend. What snail
YOU do? You cannot vote tor both
that would be stuffing the bailot-boX'
So YOU shuc your conjugal heart ana
vote for your own best friend, and the
| woman gets elected.
over The racl ct YOU hear the moder-
,tor am ounce that bal OTIS must not be
folded. s folded ones don't coUat. You
reaeA Win cl2grin, how neatly you
| sol Z v5r, as one. 1t had lit safe =
o do So What a silly ruling! Wel''
/ he wor en- Will change that law later
Vow re the routine elections whe l
! he cIer- casts one ballot for four or
! i've car lid7tes who IRE thus elected
J ate \ ehild.s clear treble is heard il
I a panse voting. as she thought her
daddy said to. That gets laugh.
Several people are breathing for the
moderator. His long monotones don't
trouble you. though-you know he has
! the chest and lungs of Hercules.
And you want to finish this last but
tonhoIe before another ballot comes,
anyway,
Oh. someone wants his dinner and is
going to put motion to adjourn. y
small boy volunteers to run up to the
grange hall and find out if the dinner
is ready. The moderator gravely rules
that no action need be taken by the
town for election to that office, AMI the
small hoy is sped upon his way.
The superintendent of schools has the
floor. He is bubbling over with funny
stories, and enjoys them as much as his
audience does, only to pc interrupted
by the s. b., announcing that dinner is
ready. The motion to adjourn is car
ried. so you adjourn and fin ]arao
% n &C LGEn loft i'm Nnlr :