Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1926-09-15
AUNT DEBBY'S WE'LL.


me and suggested a few thoughts for
the NJ. B. column, appropriate for an
Old Home Week.
And David longed, and said o, that
one would give me drink of the water
of the well of Bethlehem.
Bethlehem was his home town, ana
the well referred to was the one from
which he drank when boy)
Aunt Debby lived on the crest of the
hill,
And our schoolhouse stood close by.
I wonder If she rued the day
The schoolhouse was built so nigh?
If she did, she never showed it at all,
But, in secret no doubt she sighed,
For many times, Gas we see it now)
Her soul was surely tried.
No one of the schoolchildren meant
To Aunt Debby naughty or rude,
But kids must have their water to
drink,
The same as their daily food.
In those days gone by, no provision
was made
By school boards, to supply
A drinking outfit for the school,
To moisten lips so dry.
In our schoolroom were no water
tanks,
No pail, no dipper, and SO
What in the world could the poor
children do
But up to Aunt Debby's go?
She always had five-quart pail,
Whose place was in the sink,
And not boy or girl in school
hot
Aunt Debby had wonderful well
Just a little over the hill,
Where with chain and pump we
turned the wheel
And anon our buckets fill
How well 1 remember those sultry
days
When we sat upright in school,
How dry and parched our throats
would get
While working our problems by
rule.
But our teachers were always very
kind
AS teachers are today,
And when we asked to water the
school,
1t was privilege every one
Priced highly, without a doubt,)
To run up Aunt Debbys and borrow
pail
And carry the water about.
We all did drink (of course we did,
And then to our books did HE,
This seemed to be the best thing to do
Those days are gone and years have
past
And but few remain to tell
Who drank Of the water so cool and
sweet
That was drawn from Aunt Debby's
we'll.
If any of my schoolmates remember
this
And are glad to see these rhymes
Will YOU drop me a card ctwill do you
good)
To think of those good old times.
Have you ever in all your years found
In any cline or DELL
A sweeter draught to quench your
thirst
Than water from Aunt Debby's well?
Now, then, for a real shower OF
cards to Aunt Mary's John" to
show we appreciate this picture of
those good sold times" Already
have talked with a number of people
who said with joy, why, yes, re-
member when we used to water the
school!
Those days are of long ago as
every mother knows who packs the
little drinking-cup into the lunch
pail on the first day of school. But
honestly, "Aunt Marys john" this
poem is calculated to create an aw-
| full thirst! l nearly drank the good
old spring dry after reading 1t!
Ellsworth, Me-, Aug. 20, 1926
Mrs. Harry Woods, Lamoine, Me.
Dear Madam: Notwithstanding the
fact that all newspaper contributions
! should be signed, I am sending the in
| closed with my letter, both of which
will be unsigned.
am we'll aware that our editor
nroper is, in plain American vernacu-
lar. "fussy." Oh, 1 know him! Why
I'VE known him ever since the world
beean-sounds old, doesn't it? l feel
fearsome. too, that he won't print any
unsigned material. Nevertheless,
iii send it. and abide by the will of
you both. ,
Another thing, your editor doesn't
care for verse, unless( now this Is
hos
~ liter was under the influence of
don't be shocked) strong oiaoA ~
fee. You see, know MS propens'..
as we'll as you M. BIS having seeA -