The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-04-25
Dear Editor:

Dear Editor:
May I hereby be permitted to COM
NIT myself to the impulse of writing a
few words in verse about the town
which / have adopted as my home?
This idea was born when friend back
home asked me to write her q descrip-
ton of this country and tell her some
thing about my town. AS / began to
mediate the beauty and grandeur of
this locality / began to see many
beauties and possibilities that had never
before occurred to me. was born near
the foothills of the beautiful Blue
Ridge mountains in South Carolina and
| lived at the old homestead where my
foreparents had lived since the land
was bought from the proprietors sent
over by the king of England. When my
grandfather inherited 1.-THE old plan
tation-as large farms in the east are
called, had dwindled to only eight hun
dred acres 1t was beautifully located,
surrounded by three main roads lead
| ing to nearby towns and farther off
cities. It was heavily wooded, the huge
oaks and pines surrounding it were a
curiosity of the country, and well
remember the traveller often stopping
to view them. In my possession nowyls
tenent house showing large (but
not the largest) oak that stood near
one of the roads These roads have
since been made state highways (paved).
Many times in my play would pause
to view the distant mountains or admire
the gorgeous sunset with its mellow
glow against their blue sides No wond-
er / love the Rockies with a similarity
personified-and the scenery OF those
childhood and girlhood days brought
so clearly back to me. Happy were the
days when / roamed those woodland
hills, waded the creeks, rode the horses,
and played beneath those great spread
ing oaks with my brothers and sisters
My father having died when was still
too young to realize sorrow. But then
a change came as all things human
change. | found myself no longer a
child and awoke to the realization that
| must be about something worth while.
What must it be? The question turned
itself over many, many times in my
mind and yet no answer-my two older
sisters had prepared themselves for the
teaching profession (Which one still
followsl; my older brother had taken
an agricultural course in college and
was at his chosen work. Now, must
get serious. But the teacher job didn't
appeal to me- My mother thought that
should do nothing else, since my faith
err, grandfather and an only uncle had
been teachers. Still felt no inclination
for such work. Then in the fall after
we had entered the World War the
idea came to me that | would like to
help the sick and suffering, thus, over
the protest of my mother, | entered
training to become nurse.
The idea now was firmly fixed-I
determined to make good and follow
my chosen work to the highest degree.
Not being satisfied with just plain
nursing. after having obtained my
diploma in an accredited hospital and
passed the state board examination
given to nurses by a state medical staff,
| entered a university and obtained a
certificate which entitled me as an in
structress to teach and give lectures to
pupil nurses in any state was proud
of my accomplishments and loved my
work, and held positions as superin-
tendent and supervisor in the larger
and higher class hospitals While thus
engaged in a large university in the
! middle west | met and married my
husband, who as you know, is also an
adopted son of the west Needless to
say, we both love it. There seemed al
! ways to be longing in my soul for the
west, and it calls me still. While
miss the ties of home and loved ones
!, theNeast holds only the charms Of child
hosd "reminiscences which are very
dear to me. But nothing can take away
the enchantment which the west holds
for met allures, animates and fills
the soul--its scenery, grandeur, anc
: picturesque charms are unexcelled.
MRS. JAS. b. GRANT.
(nee Enmie Cason)