University of Maine at Presque Isle - Salmagundi Yearbook (Presque Isle, ME)

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SALMAGUNDI l l process of turning, the cross-har broke. About this time the Llmstone train whistled by and confusion reigned supreme. The rig was finally tied together with ropes procured from the station and, by taking turns riding, Elsie and her brother reached a black- smith shop While the rest of us waited for their re- turn. This accident delayed us another two hours so that instead of reaching Limestone at five o'clock it was eight before we arrived at Elsiels home. Mrs. T. had prepared a nice supper for us and we spent the remainder of the evening in getting ac- quainted with the family. Ernest, we were especially interested in, as one of his brothers told us that he was in the habit of Ucatching his balance every morning. He lost it one day which caused merriment on our part but it mortilied him very much. The next day was Christmas. We were up early and had a delicious breakfast ef pancakes and maple syrup, pork steak and potatoes, hot biscuit, doughnuts and coffee. , After breakfast, Elsie told us that We would be obliged to Work. She said that she always planned to have her visitors earn their board. You know how I hate to wash dishes, so I hunted around for the broom and began to sweep. Mary anl Harriet washed the dishes while Elsie helped her mother pre- pare the Christmas dinner. Such a dinner I never expect to eat again. This is what we had: turkey and cranberry sauce, chicken pie, potatoes, rasp- berry, strawberry, blueberry, custard and squash pie, cream pie, nut cake, fruit cake, hermits and coffee. After dinner We helped unload the Christmas tree which Mr. and Mrs. T. had trimmed the night be- fore. We girls found that we had not been forgotten. The next day was Saturday, the day we were to drive to Fort Fairfield for Nellie. 'We left Limestone about noon with a span of horses and a two-seated sleigh. It was snowing which made us rather late in arriving at Fort Fairfield much to Nellie's disap- pointment as her aunt had planned to give us an oys- ter stew. We did not have time to stay as We had previously accepted an invitation to supper at Mrs. Lis., Elsie's sister. We took the oysters with us, however, and had them the next day so you see We were determined to have all that belonged to us. Besides us five girls, Mrs. L. had invited her two brothers and cousin, in whom Harriet became inter- ested immediately,aud when he offered to take her home she accepted at once. We spent the evening in playing games so that it was quite late Wben we reached Tis but Harriet was an hour later than We

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I0 SALMAGUND1 who spends more than half the time, which he gives to reading, in the reading of prose fiction, will come to be truly cultivated. But fiction should not be en- tirely neglected for it enlarges our acquaintance, quickens our sympathies, removes us from the unme- diate circumstances of ordinary life, and so makes us better able to bear the irritations when we go back to them. The work of authors such as Eliot, Thackeray, and Hawthorne lead us into good society and tenflrto cure narrowness and provincialism. The teacher must keep in touch with the current history of our times, but this part of literature is not so important as the others, and less time should be given to it. A teacher. should be especially careful not to spend his time in reading the trashy contents of the newspapers as this sort of reading does much harm. In this respect, magazines and journals are a great deal better than newspapers. Therefore tl1e teacher should read the different kinds of literature, giving special attention to those books which have todo with methods of teaching, educating and uplifting the young. Q AMY BROWN, 1909. Presque .Isle Me., Jan. 1, 1909. MY DEAR EMMELINE: W This is the first day of the New Year and I am going to begin it by writing you a long letter. I have resolved to be a better correspondent henceforth. There is so much' to tell you that I hardly know where to begin but I think I will.tell you- first of my visit to Limestone. You have probably. heard me speak of my friends, Elsie, Mary, Nellie and Harriet. Well, Elsie invited the four of us to spend Christmas with her at Lime- stone. N ellie, however, decided to divide her holi- days with us and her aunt' at Fort rFairfield. School closed Wednesday, the 23rd, and we started' on our trip Thursday afternoon. We took the train, which was two hours late, for Caribou, and were met there by E1Sie's brother, who was to drive us to Linge- -stone, a distance' of ten miles.. . V As soon as he saw us he became very much excited. I suppose the effect of seeing so many beautiful vis- ions, dressed in their best iinery, rather unnerved him. Be that as it may, he was certainly fiurried. for what did he do but rein the horses between two tracks. There was nothing for us to do but to jump out into the deep snow while the horses were beinv' - 'D - turned. Trouble was 1n store for us and in the proces time i reignei with 1 turns 1 smith turn. that in was eig Mrs. spent quaint Erni his brc Hcatch one da it mor! The and ha syrup, and co Afte obliged have h hate to broom washer pare tl expect and cn berry, cream After 1 which fore. The drive ti about 1 sleigh. arrivin, pointnm ter stex previor L's., E howevu were di Besiu brother ested ir home s in play reachea

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I 2 SALIVIAGUNDI were. We had great fun teasing her about it. We asked her how many corners she turned. Oh, she said, 4fWe turneda number of timesfl Elsie then spoke up and asked if her mind had been so engrossed that she had been unable to discover the fact that there was only one street in Limestone. We all de- cided that she had been riding up and down the same street and upon quizzing the other party we found that to be the case. Sunday we all went to ride which was our means of entertainment for the day. We tried to rest a little as We were to drive to Caribou the next morning to take the train for ,Presque Isle. Monday came with a snowstorm but as we had been out in a snowstorm before, it did not dampen our spirits at all. We had not been on the road lon: when a blizzard came down upon us. Mary and Harriet had their new merry widow hats, so we gave up our only umbrella to themg It did not serve its purpose, however. The wind blew the snow upon the rims of the hats until the poor girls feared the weight of it would break their necks. Vile thought it served them right and hoped they would profit by the lesson. Nevertheless we took pity on them and helped them shovel it oif. y ' When we reached Caribou we were a very dilapi- dated looking crowd but our train was late again which gave us plenty of time to rearrange ourselves. We were very tired after so much excitement and were glad to get back to N ol-mai Hall. 4 I have been true to my- word and have written you a long letter. Iycanlt say about its being inigeresting. to you,but I have lived these incidents over again in the writingof th-em., -s A Lovingly, s I - E.IJ. N.