Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-14
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

Bartlett tells the story: LAS the
nozzle holder of the hand-tub squad
laddered his roof in desperate at
tempt to stay the confiagratton, ne
was amazed 10 behold the old gentle
man inside calmly and deliberately
changing his shirt.
When rescued from horrible
death, this willing sacrifice explained
that he believed he was about to die.
and desired to meet his Maker in clean
clothing since cleanliness is next 10
godliness.'
Hepsibah Ware, village postmistress,
who worked herself into frenzy every
night over whether she had the post
office door locked, has her counterpart
in every one who wonders "Whether
ne locked the door or not"
The village boys, our author tells us,
would hide under the porch to watch
her antics as she locked and relocked
the door, and ratified the doorknob, and
said aloud to herself, It's locked, it's
locked, I'll look in again, I'll look in
again. Ma I won't, it's locked. Yes,
| will. Bad night for fire, bad night
for fire. Now there, mercy. guess it's
all right. Oh, dear, Oh, dear"
Impetuous Jumpsie, the change
able lassie, finally got married, and her
mind jumped as easily as ever, as
witness Gov. Bartlett's delineatiOn OF
how she helped her husband with ad
vice:
II have A law case at last where a
man injured his foot in an auto col
lision. / get half after all expenses are
paid, but l get nothing if / lose the
case, and besides am out the expense
money"
Then 1 wouldn't take the case, u
said she.
Husband-But if I don't take it
won't have any business at all.
Jumpsie-Then I'd take 1t.
Husband-But my trouble is this
dearie. if I employ a physician to testi'
fy that the injury may be permanent
l might get verdict twice as big.
Jumpsie-Then, I'd do it.
Husband-But il / lose the case
I'll lose the 800 Id pay the doctor
Jumpsie-Mercy, then | wouldn
do it.
The writer treats OF country Their
mometers and liars, fights and other
by-products of the early town meet
ings, the barbarous use of the ferruie
in correcting scholars, the husk1ng
bee, red ears" and kissing, kissing
games" of various sorts.
He tells of old-time country remedies
and their uses, of 'sugaring-off" par
ties in New England (the source OF all
these "reminiscences, of popping the
question" and country courtshlp IN
general. of hundred and one customs
now going out of style, II not already
gone.
These "reminiscences are told in
homely country way. with large use
of words, phrases and maxims. many
Of which have a familiar ring to us
who came from the Middle West.
Gov. Bartlett ends each of his chap
ters with moral" in the manner OF
Aesop and George AIDE, and we lump
some of them here:
avoid exaggerations. Don't think
you know it all when you've read only
an official report. Overcaution is
waste. There's no better rule than the
Golden Rule. Farmers should cooper
ate. working or playing. If you are
sick, send for the doctor. Be merry
while you may, sugaring time is short
There's no use getting mad at o
child. Don't be too 'fraid of your
neighbors' tongues. Earnestness al
ways make an impression. Be your
SELF 1t pays to specialize. Some one
must see the old folks through"