574m,

20. Gertrude and Simon

Eventually Alphy got tired of working at the shoe factory, and decided he would like to try something new. He had read an adver-

tisement which read:

FARM HELP WANTED Wages good Room &Board provided Apply in person At the following address.

The address given was Bangor, Maine which wasn’t very far from New Bear Port. Alphy thought he would check it out. This is how Alphy came to meet Gertrude and Simon. They were a middle- aged couple who operated a large farm. On the farm, they grew a large vegetable garden, maintained an apple orchard and raised tame bees. All of their products were sold to the markets in Maine, and surrounding areas. Gertrude and Simon had many life skills and

Alphy would learn a lot from them.

Alphy recalls when he first arrived at the home of Gertrude and Simon, to apply for work. The house was a large ranch style home with lots of windows and a veranda. Alphy came up the steps and knocked on the screen door. Alphy saw the lady through the screen, before she opened the door, and noted that she seemed to have a startled look on her face. When she saw Alphy she stepped back—wards, with a nervous expression. She seemed very frightened

to see him.

The lady’s name was Gertrude. Alphy was hired immediately, and later Gertrude told him about her own reaction when she first saw Alphy at the door that day. She stated that Alphy’s physical appearance very much resembled that of her own son who had died in his youth. She told Alphy that his appearance had startled her because, for a brief moment, she thought she was looking at the ghost

of her dear son.

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