Mrs. Ellis’ house across the street. It was a quaint house, with girger bread around the eaves and a thatched roof. There was smoking ris- ing from the roof and as I watched a tongue of flame leaped up.

I was prodded to instant action. Rushing inside I alerted the teacher who ran to the door and stopped a passer-by to summonthe firemen. The house was saved with only a hole burned through the roof. later that day her son came to the school looking for the lttle girl who had turned in the alarm. He shook my hand and tharxed me for my quick response. I was highly embarrassed at being the heroine of the day, but proud of myself too. Since we all liver in wooden houses and dreaded fire, the natural thing to do was to alert someone who could do something about it. But Mrs. Ellis was 'ery old and almost blind and the inference was that my quick thinling had probably saved her life.

GETITNG RID of FRECKLES

I was a small child, smaller than the rest, with dark brown eyes, dark brown hair cut in a Dutch clip, and a darkish tinge to my mite skin which spoke of a Mediterranean somewhere in our backgromd, and freckles. I tried everything to get rid of these freckles, even gdng to the neighbour across the street with a small bottle to get sane mare’s milk from his old mare. Someone told me that was a cureHe laughed and went to the barn, coming back with the milk batle which he handed me saying, “let me know if it works.”

I smeared my face liberally with it and was letting it dry w1en Mom looked at me and said, “What’s on your face?" When I toldher she said, ”Oh my stars, child”, and scoured me with ”Surprise” sap and water. Either it was not left on long enough or was not rue mare’s milk because it did not work and I am still ”blessed” vith freckles.

THE BROOK

North of the factory was a sparkling little brook. It had runes and alders growing on the banks, and its water ran clear and cool.

There I picked many cow-slips and weeds to adorn our hme, fished for brook trout with little success, and lay on my stomach sar- ing into its clearness, marvelling at the colored pebbles resting or its bottom, and the dappled pattern created as the water trickled (ver them.

It was a magical place. I spent many hours playing there nd even drowned the family cat by putting her in a burlap sack nd

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