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New Chronicles of Rebecca by Kate Douglas Wiggin
Eleventh Chronicle: Abijah the Brave and the Fair Emma Jane
"A warrior so bold and a maiden so bright
"Alas!' said the youth, 'since tomorrow I go
'Oh, hush these suspicions!' Fair Imogene said,
Ever since she was eight years old Rebecca had wished to be eighteen, but now that she was within a month of that awe-inspiring and long-desired age she wondered if, after all, it was destined to be a turning point in her quiet existence. Her eleventh year, for instance, had been a real turning-point, since it was then that she had left Sunnybrook Farm and come to her maiden aunts in Riverboro. Aurelia Randall may have been doubtful as to the effect upon her spinster sisters of the irrepressible child, but she was hopeful from the first that the larger opportunities of Riverboro would be the "making" of Rebecca herself.
The next turning-point was her fourteenth year, when she left the district school for the Wareham Female Seminary, then in the hey-day of its local fame. Graduation (next to marriage, perhaps, the most thrilling episode in the life of a little country girl) happened at seventeen, and not long afterward her Aunt Miranda's death, sudden and unexpected, changed not only all the outward activities and conditions of her life, but played its own part in her development.
The brick house looked very homelike and pleasant on a June morning nowadays with children's faces smiling at the windows and youthful footsteps sounding through the halls; and the brass knocker on the red-painted front door might have remembered Rebecca's prayer of a year before, when she leaned against its sun-warmed brightness and whispered: "God bless Aunt Miranda; God bless the brick house that was; God bless the brick house that's going to be!"
All the doors and blinds were open to the sun and air as they had never been in Miss Miranda Sawyer's time. The hollyhock bed that had been her chief pride was never neglected, and Rebecca liked to hear the neighbors say that there was no such row of beautiful plants and no such variety of beautiful colors in Riverboro as those that climbed up and peeped in at the kitchen windows where old Miss Miranda used to sit.
Now that the place was her very own Rebecca felt a passion of pride in its smoothly mown fields, its carefully thinned-out woods, its blooming garden spots, and its well-weeded vegetable patch; felt, too whenever she looked at any part of it, a passion of gratitude to the stern old aunt who had looked upon her as the future head of the family, as well as a passion of desire to be worthy of that trust.
It had been a very difficult year for a girl fresh from school: the death of her aunt, the nursing of Miss Jane, prematurely enfeebled by the shock, the removal of her own invalid mother and the rest of the little family from Sunnybrook Farm. But all had gone smoothly; and when once the Randall fortunes had taken an upward turn nothing seemed able to stop their intrepid ascent.
Aurelia Randall renewed her youth in the companionship of her sister Jane and the comforts by which her children were surrounded; the mortgage was no longer a daily terror, for Sunnybrook had been sold to the new railroad; Hannah, now Mrs. Will Melville, was happily situated; John, at last, was studying medicine; Mark, the boisterous and unlucky brother, had broken no bones for several months; while Jenny and Fanny were doing well at the district school under Miss Libby Moses, Miss Dearborn's successor.
"I don't feel very safe," thought Rebecca, remembering all these unaccustomed mercies as she sat on the front doorsteps, with her tatting shuttle flying in and out of the fine cotton like a hummingbird. "It's just like one of those too beautiful July days that winds up with a thundershower before night! Still, when you remember that the Randalls never had anything but thunder and lightning, rain, snow, and hail, in their family history for twelve or fifteen years, perhaps it is only natural that they should enjoy a little spell of settled weather. If it really turns out to be settled, now that Aunt Jane and mother are strong again I must be looking up one of what Mr. Aladdin calls my cast-off careers."--There comes Emma Jane Perkins through her front gate; she will be here in a minute, and I'll tease her!" and Rebecca ran in the door and seated herself at the old piano that stood between the open windows in the parlor.
Peeping from behind the muslin curtains, she waited until Emma Jane was on the very threshold and then began singing her version of an old ballad, made that morning while she was dressing. The ballad was a great favorite of hers, and she counted on doing telling execution with it in the present instance by the simple subterfuge of removing the original hero and heroine, Alonzo and Imogene, and substituting Abijah the Brave and the Fair Emmajane, leaving the circumstances in the first three verses unaltered, because in truth they seemed to require no alteration.
Her high, clear voice, quivering with merriment, floated through the windows into the still summer air:
"'A warrior so bold and a maiden so bright
"Rebecca Randall, stop! Somebody'll hear you!"
"No, they won't--they're making jelly in the kitchen, miles away."
"'Alas!' said the youth, since tomorrow I go
"Rebecca, you can't think how your voice carries! I believe mother can hear it over to my house!"
"Then, if she can, I must sing the third verse, just to clear your reputation from the cloud cast upon it in the second," laughed her tormentor, going on with the song:
"'Oh, hush these suspicions!' Fair Emmajane said,
After ending the third verse Rebecca wheeled around on the piano stool and confronted her friend, who was carefully closing the parlor windows:--
"Emma Jane Perkins, it is an ordinary Thursday afternoon at four o'clock and you have on your new blue barege, although there is not even a church sociable in prospect this evening. What does this mean? Is Abijah the Brave coming at last?"
"I don't know certainly, but it will be some time this week."
"And of course you'd rather be dressed up and not seen, than seen when not dressed up. Right, my Fair Emmajane; so would I. Not that it makes any difference to poor me, wearing my fourth best black and white calico and expecting nobody.
"Oh, well, you! There's something inside of you that does instead of pretty dresses," cried Emma Jane, whose adoration of her friend had never altered nor lessened since they met at the age of eleven. "You know you are as different from anybody else in Riverboro as a princess in a fairy story. Libby Moses says they would notice you in Lowell, Massachusetts!"
"Would they? I wonder," speculated Rebecca, rendered almost speechless by this tribute to her charms. "Well, if Lowell, Massachusetts, could see me, or if you could see me, in my new lavender muslin with the violet sash, it would die of envy, and so would you!"
"If I had been going to be envious of you, Rebecca, I should have died years ago. Come, let's go out on the steps where it's shady and cool."
"And where we can see the Perkins front gate and the road running both ways," teased Rebecca, and then, softening her tone, she said: "How is it getting on, Emmy? Tell me what's happened since I've been in Brunswick."
"Nothing much," confessed Emma Jane. "He writes to me, but I don't write to him, you know. I don't dare to, till he comes to the house."
"Are his letters still in Latin?" asked Rebecca, with a twinkling eye.
"Oh, no! Not now, because--well, because there are things you can't seem to write in Latin. I saw him at the Masonic picnic in the grove, but he won't say anything real to me till he gets more pay and dares to speak to mother and father. He is brave in all other ways, but I ain't sure he'll ever have the courage for that, he's so afraid of them and always has been. Just remember what's in his mind all the time, Rebecca, that my folks know all about what his mother was, and how he was born on the poor-farm. Not that I care; look how he's educated and worked himself up! I think he's perfectly elegant, and I shouldn't mind if he had been born in the bulrushes, like Moses."
Emma Jane's every-day vocabulary was pretty much what it had been before she went to the expensive Wareham Female Seminary. She had acquired a certain amount of information concerning the art of speech, but in moments of strong feeling she lapsed into the vernacular. She grew slowly in all directions, did Emma Jane, and, to use Rebecca's favorite nautilus figure, she had left comparatively few outgrown shells on the shores of "life's unresting sea."
"Moses wasn't born in the bulrushes, Emmy dear," corrected Rebecca laughingly. "Pharaoh's daughter found him there. It wasn't quite as romantic a scene--Squire Bean's wife taking little Abijah Flagg from the poorhouse when his girl-mother died, but, oh, I think Abijah's splendid! Mr. Ladd says Riverboro'll be proud of him yet, and I shouldn't wonder, Emmy dear, if you had a three-story house with a cupola on it, some day; and sitting down at your mahogany desk inlaid with garnets, you will write notes stating that Mrs. Abijah Flagg requests the pleasure of Miss Rebecca Randall's company to tea, and that the Hon. Abijah Flagg, M.C., will call for her on his way from the station with a span of horses and the turquoise carryall!"
Emma Jane laughed at the ridiculous prophecy, and answered: "If I ever write the invitation I shan't be addressing it to Miss Randall, I'm sure of that; it'll be to Mrs.-----"
"Don't!" cried Rebecca impetuously, changing color and putting her hand over Emma Jane's lips. "If you won't I'll stop teasing. I couldn't bear a name put to anything, I couldn't, Emmy dear! I wouldn't tease you, either, if it weren't something we've both known ever so long--something that you have always consulted me about of your own accord, and Abijah too."
"Don't get excited," replied Emma Jane, "I was only going to say you were sure to be Mrs. Somebody in course of time."
"Oh," said Rebecca with a relieved sigh, her color coming back; "if that's all you meant, just nonsense; but I thought, I thought--I don't really know just what I thought!"
"I think you thought something you didn't want me to think you thought," said Emma Jane with unusual felicity.
"No, it's not that; but somehow, today, I have been remembering things. Perhaps it was because at breakfast Aunt Jane and mother reminded me of my coming birthday and said that Squire Bean would give me the deed of the brick house. That made me feel very old and responsible; and when I came out on the steps this afternoon it was just as if pictures of the old years were moving up and down the road. Everything is so beautiful today! Doesn't the sky look as if it had been dyed blue and the fields painted pink and green and yellow this very minute?"
"It's a perfectly elegant day!" responded Emma Jane with a sigh. "If only my mind was at rest! That's the difference between being young and grown-up. We never used to think and worry."
"Indeed we didn't!" Look, Emmy, there's the very spot where Uncle Jerry Cobb stopped the stage and I stepped out with my pink parasol and my bouquet of purple lilacs, and you were watching me from your bedroom window and wondering what I had in mother's little hair trunk strapped on behind. Poor Aunt Miranda didn't love me at first sight, and oh, how cross she was the first two years! But now every hard thought I ever had comes back to me and cuts like a knife!"
"She was dreadful hard to get along with, and I used to hate her like poison," confessed Emma Jane; "but I am sorry now. She was kinder toward the last, anyway, and then, you see children know so little! We never suspected she was sick or that she was worrying over that lost interest money."
"That's the trouble. People seem hard and unreasonable and unjust, and we can't help being hurt at the time, but if they die we forget everything but our own angry speeches; somehow we never remember theirs. And oh, Emma Jane, there's another such a sweet little picture out there in the road. The next day after I came to Riverboro, do you remember, I stole out of the brick house crying, and leaned against the front gate. You pushed your little fat pink-and-white face through the pickets and said: Don't cry! I'll kiss you if you will me!'"
Lumps rose suddenly in Emma Jane's throat, and she put her arm around Rebecca's waist as they sat together side by side.
"Oh, I do remember," she said in a choking voice. "And I can see the two of us driving over to North Riverboro and selling soap to Mr. Adam Ladd; and lighting up the premium banquet lamp at the Simpson party; and laying the daisies round Jacky Winslow's mother when she was dead in the cabin; and trundling Jacky up and down the street in our old baby carriage!"
"And I remember you," continued Rebecca, "being chased down the hill by Jacob Moody, when we were being Daughters of Zion and you had been chosen to convert him!"
"And I remember you, getting the flag back from Mr. Simpson; and how you looked when you spoke your verses at the flag-raising."
"And have you forgotten the week I refused to speak to Abijah Flagg because he fished my turban with the porcupine quills out of the river when I hoped at last that I had lost it! Oh, Emma Jane, we had dear good times together in the little harbor.'"
"I always thought that was an elegant composition of yours--that farewell to the class," said Emma Jane.
"The strong tide bears us on, out of the little harbor of childhood into the unknown seas," recalled Rebecca. "It is bearing you almost out of my sight, Emmy, these last days, when you put on a new dress in the afternoon and look out of the window instead of coming across the street. Abijah Flagg never used to be in the little harbor with the rest of us; when did he first sail in, Emmy?"
Emma Jane grew a deeper pink and her button-hole of a mouth quivered with delicious excitement.
"It was last year at the seminary, when he wrote me his first Latin letter from Limerick Academy," she said in a half whisper.
"I remember," laughed Rebecca. "You suddenly began the study of the dead languages, and the Latin dictionary took the place of the crochet needle in your affections. It was cruel of you never to show me that letter, Emmy!"
"I know every word of it by heart," said the blushing Emma Jane, "and I think I really ought to say it to you, because it's the only way you will ever know how perfectly elegant Abijah is. Look the other way, Rebecca. Shall I have to translate it for you, do you think, because it seems to me I could not bear to do that!"
"It depends upon Abijah's Latin and your pronunciation," teased Rebecca. "Go on; I will turn my eyes toward the orchard."
The Fair Emmajane, looking none too old still for the "little harbor," but almost too young for the "unknown seas," gathered up her courage and recited like a tremulous parrot the boyish love letter that had so fired her youthful imagination.
"Vale, carissima, carissima puella!" repeated Rebecca in her musical voice. "Oh, how beautiful it sounds! I don't wonder it altered your feeling for Abijah! Upon my word, Emma Jane," she cried with a sudden change of tone, "if I had suspected for an instant that Abijah the Brave had that Latin letter in him I should have tried to get him to write it to me; and then it would be I who would sit down at my mahogany desk and ask Miss Perkins to come to tea with Mrs. Flagg."
Emma Jane paled and shuddered openly. "I speak as a church member, Rebecca," she said, "when I tell you I've always thanked the Lord that you never looked at Abijah Flagg and he never looked at you. If either of you ever had, there never would have been a chance for me, and I've always known it!"
The romance alluded to in the foregoing chapter had been going on, so far as Abijah Flagg's part of it was concerned, for many years, his affection dating back in his own mind to the first moment that he saw Emma Jane Perkins at the age of nine.
Emma Jane had shown no sign of reciprocating his attachment until the last three years, when the evolution of the chore-boy into the budding scholar and man of affairs had inflamed even her somewhat dull imagination.
Squire Bean's wife had taken Abijah away from the poorhouse, thinking that she could make him of some little use in her home. Abbie Flagg, the mother, was neither wise nor beautiful; it is to be feared that she was not even good, and her lack of all these desirable qualities, particularly the last one, had been impressed upon the child ever since he could remember. People seemed to blame him for being in the world at all; this world that had not expected him nor desired him, nor made any provision for him. The great battle-axe of poorhouse opinion was forever leveled at the mere little atom of innocent transgression, until he grew sad and shy, clumsy, stiff, and self-conscious. He had an indomitable craving for love in his heart and had never received a caress in his life.
He was more contented when he came to Squire Bean's house. The first year he could only pick up chips, carry pine wood into the kitchen, go to the post-office, run errands, drive the cows, and feed the hens, but every day he grew more and more useful.
His only friend was little Jim Watson, the storekeeper's son, and they were inseparable companions whenever Abijah had time for play.
One never-to-be-forgotten July day a new family moved into the white cottage between Squire Bean's house and the Sawyers'. Mr. Perkins had sold his farm beyond North Riverboro and had established a blacksmith's shop in the village, at the Edgewood end of the bridge. This fact was of no special interest to the nine-year-old Abijah, but what really was of importance, was the appearance of a pretty little girl of seven in the front yard; a pretty little fat doll of a girl, with bright fuzzy hair, pink cheeks, blue eyes, and a smile of almost bewildering continuity. Another might have criticised it as having the air of being glued on, but Abijah was already in the toils and never wished it to move.
The next day being the glorious Fourth and a holiday, Jimmy Watson came over like David, to visit his favorite Jonathan. His Jonathan met him at the top of the hill, pleaded a pressing engagement, curtly sent him home, and then went back to play with his new idol, with whom he had already scraped acquaintance, her parents being exceedingly busy settling the new house.
After the noon dinner Jimmy again yearned to resume friendly relations, and, forgetting his rebuff, again toiled up the hill and appeared unexpectedly at no great distance from the Perkins premises, wearing the broad and beaming smile of one who is confident of welcome.
His morning call had been officious and unpleasant and unsolicited, but his afternoon visit could only be regarded as impudent, audacious, and positively dangerous; for Abijah and Emma Jane were cosily playing house, the game of all others in which it is particularly desirable to have two and not three participants.
At that moment the nature of Abijah changed, at once and forever. Without a pang of conscience he flew over the intervening patch of ground between himself and his dreaded rival, and seizing small stones and larger ones, as haste and fury demanded, flung them at Jimmy Watson, and flung and flung, till the bewildered boy ran down the hill howling. Then he made a "stickin'" door to the play-house, put the awed Emma Jane inside and strode up and down in front of the edifice like an Indian brave. At such an early age does woman become a distracting and disturbing influence in man's career!
Time went on, and so did the rivalry between the poorhouse boy and the son of wealth, but Abijah's chances of friendship with Emma Jane grew fewer and fewer as they both grew older. He did not go to school, so there was no meeting-ground there, but sometimes, when he saw the knot of boys and girls returning in the afternoon, he would invite Elijah and Elisha, the Simpson twins, to visit him, and take pains to be in Squire Bean's front yard, doing something that might impress his inamorata as she passed the premises.
As Jimmy Watson was particularly small and fragile, Abijah generally chose feats of strength and skill for these prearranged performances.
Sometimes he would throw his hat up into the elm trees as far as he could and, when it came down, catch it on his head. Sometimes he would walk on his hands, with his legs wriggling in the air, or turn a double somersault, or jump incredible distances across the extended arms of the Simpson twins; and his bosom swelled with pride when the girls exclaimed, "Isn't he splendid!" although he often heard his rival murmur scornfully, "smarty aleck!"--a scathing allusion of unknown origin.
Squire Bean, although he did not send the boy to school (thinking, as he was of no possible importance in the universe, it was not worth while bothering about his education), finally became impressed with his ability, lent him books, and gave him more time to study. These were all he needed, books and time, and when there was an especially hard knot to untie, Rebecca, as the star scholar of the neighborhood, helped him to untie it.
When he was sixteen he longed to go away from Riverboro and be something better than a chore boy. Squire Bean had been giving him small wages for three or four years, and when the time of parting came presented him with a ten-dollar bill and a silver watch.
Many a time had he discussed his future with Rebecca and asked her opinion.
This was not strange, for there was nothing in human form that she could not and did not converse with, easily and delightedly. She had ideas on every conceivable subject, and would have cheerfully advised the minister if he had asked her. The fishman consulted her when he couldn't endure his mother-in-law another minute in the house; Uncle Jerry Cobb didn't part with his river field until he had talked it over with Rebecca; and as for Aunt Jane, she couldn't decide whether to wear her black merino or her gray thibet unless Rebecca cast the final vote.
Abijah wanted to go far away from Riverboro, as far as Limerick Academy, which was at least fifteen miles; but although this seemed extreme, Rebecca agreed, saying pensively: "There IS a kind of magicness about going far away and then coming back all changed."
This was precisely Abijah's unspoken thought. Limerick knew nothing of Abbie Flagg's worthlessness, birth, and training, and the awful stigma of his poorhouse birth, so that he would start fair. He could have gone to Wareham and thus remained within daily sight of the beloved Emma Jane; but no, he was not going to permit her to watch him in the process of "becoming," but after he had "become" something. He did not propose to take any risks after all these years of silence and patience. Not he! He proposed to disappear, like the moon on a dark night, and as he was, at present, something that Mr. Perkins would by no means have in the family nor Mrs. Perkins allow in the house, he would neither return to Riverboro nor ask any favors of them until he had something to offer. Yes, sir. He was going to be crammed to the eyebrows with learning for one thing,--useless kinds and all,--going to have good clothes, and a good income. Everything that was in his power should be right, because there would always be lurking in the background the things he never could help--the mother and the poorhouse.
So he went away, and, although at Squire Bean's invitation he came back the first year for two brief visits at Christmas and Easter, he was little seen in Riverboro, for Mr. Ladd finally found him a place where he could make his vacations profitable and learn bookkeeping at the same time.
The visits in Riverboro were tantalizing rather than pleasant. He was invited to two parties, but he was all the time conscious of his shirt-collar, and he was sure that his "pants" were not the proper thing, for by this time his ideals of dress had attained an almost unrealizable height. As for his shoes, he felt that he walked on carpets as if they were furrows and he were propelling a plow or a harrow before him. They played Drop the Handkerchief and Copenhagen at the parties, but he had not had the audacity to kiss Emma Jane, which was bad enough, but Jimmy had and did, which was infinitely worse! The sight of James Watson's unworthy and over-ambitious lips on Emma Jane's pink cheek almost destroyed his faith in an overruling Providence.
After the parties were over he went back to his old room in Squire Bean's shed chamber. As he lay in bed his thoughts fluttered about Emma Jane as swallows circle around the eaves. The terrible sickness of hopeless handicapped love kept him awake. Once he crawled out of bed in the night, lighted the lamp, and looked for his mustache, remembering that he had seen a suspicion of down on his rival's upper lip. He rose again half an hour later, again lighted the lamp, put a few drops of oil on his hair, and brushed it violently for several minutes. Then he went back to bed, and after making up his mind that he would buy a dulcimer and learn to play on it so that he would be more attractive at parties, and outshine his rival in society as he had aforetime in athletics, he finally sank into a troubled slumber.
Those days, so full of hope and doubt and torture, seemed mercifully unreal now, they lay so far back in the past--six or eight years, in fact, which is a lifetime to the lad of twenty--and meantime he had conquered many of the adverse circumstances that had threatened to cloud his career.
Abijah Flagg was a true child of his native State. Something of the same timber that Maine puts into her forests, something of the same strength and resisting power that she works into her rocks, goes into her sons and daughters; and at twenty Abijah was going to take his fate in his hand and ask Mr. Perkins, the rich blacksmith, if, after a suitable period of probation (during which he would further prepare himself for his exalted destiny), he might marry the fair Emma Jane, sole heiress of the Perkins house and fortunes.
This was boy and girl love, calf love, perhaps, though even that may develop into something larger, truer, and finer; but not so far away were other and very different hearts growing and budding, each in its own way. There was little Miss Dearborn, the pretty school teacher, drifting into a foolish alliance because she did not agree with her stepmother at home; there was Herbert Dunn, valedictorian of his class, dazzled by Huldah Meserve, who like a glowworm "shone afar off bright, but looked at near, had neither heat nor light."
There was sweet Emily Maxwell, less than thirty still, with most of her heart bestowed in the wrong quarter. She was toiling on at the Wareham school, living as unselfish a life as a nun in a convent; lavishing the mind and soul of her, the heart and body of her, on her chosen work. How many women give themselves thus, consciously and unconsciously; and, though they themselves miss the joys and compensations of mothering their own little twos and threes, God must be grateful to them for their mothering of the hundreds which make them so precious in His regenerating purposes.
Then there was Adam Ladd, waiting at thirty-five for a girl to grow a little older, simply because he could not find one already grown who suited his somewhat fastidious and exacting tastes.
"I'll not call Rebecca perfection," he quoted once, in a letter to Emily Maxwell,--"I'll not call her perfection, for that's a post, afraid to move. But she's a dancing sprig of the tree next it."
When first she appeared on his aunt's piazza in North Riverboro and insisted on selling him a large quantity of very inferior soap in order that her friends, the Simpsons, might possess a premium in the shape of a greatly needed banquet lamp, she had riveted his attention. He thought all the time that he enjoyed talking with her more than with any woman alive, and he had never changed his opinion. She always caught what he said as if it were a ball tossed to her, and sometimes her mind, as through it his thoughts came back to him, seemed like a prism which had dyed them with deeper colors.
Adam Ladd always called Rebecca in his heart his little Spring. His boyhood had been lonely and unhappy. That was the part of life he had missed, and although it was the full summer of success and prosperity with him now, he found his lost youth only in her.
She was to him--how shall I describe it?
Do you remember an early day in May with budding leaf, warm earth, tremulous air, and changing, willful sky--how new it seemed? How fresh and joyous beyond all explaining?
Have you lain with half-closed eyes where the flickering of sunlight through young leaves, the song of birds and brook and the fragrance of wild flowers combined to charm your senses, and you felt the sweetness and grace of nature as never before?
Rebecca was springtide to Adam's thirsty heart. She was blithe youth incarnate; she was music--an Aeolian harp that every passing breeze woke to some whispering little tune; she was a changing, iridescent joy-bubble; she was the shadow of a leaf dancing across a dusty floor. No bough of his thought could be so bare but she somehow built a nest in it and evoked life where none was before.
And Rebecca herself?
She had been quite unconscious of all this until very lately, and even now she was but half awakened; searching among her childish instincts and her girlish dreams for some Ariadne thread that should guide her safely through the labyrinth of her new sensations.
For the moment she was absorbed, or thought she was, in the little love story of Abijah and Emma Jane, but in reality, had she realized it, that love story served chiefly as a basis of comparison for a possible one of her own, later on.
She liked and respected Abijah Flagg, and loving Emma Jane was a habit contracted early in life; but everything that they did or said, or thought or wrote, or hoped or feared, seemed so inadequate, so painfully short of what might be done or said, or thought or written, or hoped or feared, under easily conceivable circumstances, that she almost felt a disposition to smile gently at the fancy of the ignorant young couple that they had caught a glimpse of the great vision.
She was sitting under the sweet apple tree at twilight. Supper was over; Mark's restless feet were quiet, Fanny and Jenny were tucked safely in bed; her aunt and her mother were stemming currants on the side porch.
A blue spot at one of the Perkins windows showed that in one vestal bosom hope was not dead yet, although it was seven o'clock.
Suddenly there was the sound of a horse's feet coming up the quiet road; plainly a steed hired from some metropolis like Milltown or Wareham, as Riverboro horses when through with their day's work never disported themselves so gayly.
A little open vehicle came in sight, and in it sat Abijah Flagg. The wagon was so freshly painted and so shiny that Rebecca thought that he must have alighted at the bridge and given it a last polish. The creases in his trousers, too, had an air of having been pressed in only a few minutes before. The whip was new and had a yellow ribbon on it; the gray suit of clothes was new, and the coat flourished a flower in its button-hole. The hat was the latest thing in hats, and the intrepid swain wore a seal-ring on the little finger of his right hand. As Rebecca remembered that she had guided it in making capital G's in his copy-book, she felt positively maternal, although she was two years younger than Abijah the Brave.
He drove up to the Perkins gate and was so long about hitching the horse that Rebecca's heart beat tumultuously at the thought of Emma Jane's heart waiting under the blue barege. Then he brushed an imaginary speck off his sleeve, then he drew on a pair of buff kid gloves, then he went up the path, rapped at the knocker, and went in.
"Not all the heroes go to the wars," thought Rebecca. "Abijah has laid the ghost of his father and redeemed the memory of his mother, for no one will dare say again that Abbie Flagg's son could never amount to anything!"
The minutes went by, and more minutes, and more. The tranquil dusk settled down over the little village street and the young moon came out just behind the top of the Perkins pine tree.
The Perkins front door opened and Abijah the Brave came out hand in hand with his Fair Emma Jane.
They walked through the orchard, the eyes of the old couple following them from the window, and just as they disappeared down the green slope that led to the riverside the gray coat sleeve encircled the blue barege waist.
Rebecca, quivering with instant sympathy and comprehension, hid her face in her hands.
"Emmy has sailed away and I am all alone in the little harbor," she thought.
It was as if childhood, like a thing real and visible, were slipping down the grassy river banks, after Abijah and Emma Jane, and disappearing like them into the moon-lit shadows of the summer night.
"I am all alone in the little harbor," she repeated; "and oh, I wonder, I wonder, shall I be afraid to leave it, if anybody ever comes to carry me out to sea!"


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Vaccine Therapy in Treating Patients With Stage III or Stage IV Melanoma That Cannot Be Removed By Surgery
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First Posted : August 5, 2004
Last Update Posted : December 19, 2014
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- How to Read a Study Record
RATIONALE: Vaccines may make the body build an immune response to kill tumor cells.
PURPOSE: This phase II trial is studying how well vaccine therapy works in treating patients with stage III or stage IV melanoma that cannot be removed by surgery.
|Condition or disease
|Intraocular Melanoma Melanoma (Skin)
|Biological: incomplete Freund's adjuvant Biological: multi-epitope melanoma peptide vaccine Biological: sargramostim
|Phase 2
- Determine the antitumor immune response in patients with unresectable stage III or IV melanoma treated with vaccine comprising multiple synthetic melanoma peptides, sargramostim (GM-CSF), and Montanide ISA-51.
OUTLINE: Patients receive vaccine comprising multiple synthetic melanoma peptides, sargramostim (GM-CSF), and Montanide ISA-51 on days 1, 8, 15, 29, 36, and 43. Patients undergo removal of the lymph node draining the vaccination site on day 22 to assess immune response.
PROJECTED ACCRUAL: A maximum of 29 patients will be accrued for this study.
|Study Type :
|Interventional (Clinical Trial)
|Actual Enrollment :
|7 participants
|Intervention Model:
|Single Group Assignment
|None (Open Label)
|Primary Purpose:
|Official Title:
|Vaccination With Synthetic Melanoma Peptides Administered With GM-CSF-in-Adjuvant in Patients With Advanced Melanoma
|Study Start Date :
|August 2002
|Actual Primary Completion Date :
|November 2005
Choosing to participate in a study is an important personal decision. Talk with your doctor and family members or friends about deciding to join a study. To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contacts provided below. For general information, Learn About Clinical Studies.
|Ages Eligible for Study:
|12 Years and older (Child, Adult, Older Adult)
|Sexes Eligible for Study:
|Accepts Healthy Volunteers:
Diagnosis of melanoma
- Unresectable stage III or IV disease
- Mucosal or ocular disease allowed
- Positive HLA-A1, -A2, or -A3 expression
- 12 and over
Performance status
Life expectancy
- Not specified
- Absolute neutrophil count > 1,000/mm^3
- Platelet count > 100,000/mm^3
- Hemoglobin > 9 g/dL
- Liver function tests ≤ 2.5 times upper limit of normal (ULN)
- Creatinine ≤ 1.5 times ULN
- No New York Heart Association class III or IV heart disease
- Weight ≥ 100 pounds
- Not pregnant or nursing
- No other malignancy within the past 5 years except squamous cell or basal cell skin cancer without known metastasis, carcinoma in situ of the breast, or carcinoma in situ of the cervix
Biologic therapy
- No prior vaccination with any of the peptides used in this protocol
- More than 1 year since prior melanoma vaccine therapy
- More than 4 weeks since prior immunotherapy
- More than 4 weeks since prior growth factors
- More than 4 weeks since prior allergy shots
- More than 4 weeks since prior chemotherapy
Endocrine therapy
- More than 4 weeks since prior steroid therapy
- More than 4 weeks since prior radiotherapy
- Prior tumor resection allowed
To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT00089206
|United States, Virginia
|Cancer Center at the University of Virginia
|Charlottesville, Virginia, United States, 22908
|Study Chair:
|Craig L. Slingluff, MD
|University of Virginia
|Responsible Party:
|Craig L Slingluff, Jr, Professor of Surgery, University of Virginia
|ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:
|NCT00089206 History of Changes
|Other Study ID Numbers:
|First Posted:
|August 5, 2004 Key Record Dates
|Last Update Posted:
|December 19, 2014
|Last Verified:
|December 2014
Keywords provided by Craig L Slingluff, Jr, University of Virginia:
stage III melanoma
stage IV melanoma
recurrent melanoma
recurrent intraocular melanoma
iris melanoma
extraocular extension melanoma
ciliary body and choroid melanoma, medium/large size
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Uveal Neoplasms
Neuroendocrine Tumors
Neuroectodermal Tumors
Neoplasms, Germ Cell and Embryonal
Neoplasms by Histologic Type
Neoplasms, Nerve Tissue
Nevi and Melanomas
Eye Neoplasms
Neoplasms by Site
Eye Diseases
Uveal Diseases
Freund's Adjuvant
Immunologic Factors
Physiological Effects of Drugs
Adjuvants, Immunologic


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Malls are currently competing with ecommerce business offering online shopping alternatives to customers at the comfort of their homes; this means that few customers actually see the need to go out and shop in the malls, resulting in revenue dips for malls. Well, a video gaming company might just turn out to be their savior. ESC Games (https://www.esc.games/), founded two years ago has introduced a new gaming concept that will have shoppers thronging to malls to enjoy a unique social gaming experience- The Theatre.
The Theatre
The Theatre is a new gaming concept that features an 11'' by 30'' screen (same size as an actual theatre screen) that allows teams, groups or individual game loving shoppers to play video games, in one massive screen, simultaneously. The platform even comes with touch screen control options and all attendant sound and game lights. To add spice to the whole experience, an on -site emcee is there to offer running live commentary as the games continue. To give their theatre a realistic feel, ESC partnered and got ideas from event management companies that have done events such as Olympic and Halftime shows at the Super Bowl to ensure their games start with the same pomp.
The platform has been made suitable for teams or groups wishing to engage each other in tournament type of play, thus, you can have say, your own version of champions league football, with all matches playing in one screen, how more social can social gaming get than that? ESC currently has a Game Theatre in New Jersey in partnership with Westfield Corporation, at their partners Paramus State Plaza mall. Mall owners, this might be that unique marketing concept you all have been waiting for.


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The Summer Tour: Pala California
~Photos by the talented fans of ClayNation~
ClayNation highlights:
Posted by salterwaterdog at CV:
The two couples directly in front of my husband and I were newbies. One couple had seen an American Idols II show, but this was their first Clay Aiken concert. They all were interested and enjoying themselves early on in the show, but when Clay spotted the "Flat Clay" cardboard cutout in an upper hotel window, they were hooked. During "When I See You Smile" Clay sang to the image as if it were his true love and Quiana and Angela joined in with gestures to support him. At that point, the folks in front of us joined in the fun as if they were longtime Claymates. They laughed at Clay's jokes and snuggled during the sweet songs. One of the men even kept a close eye out on "Flat Clay" all evening.
Posted by clight at CV:
I took my niece to her first Clay concert ever at Pala and she was definitely clayverted. she loved the his voice...she had ATDW so she knew that, but was unprepared for his interaction with the audience and just how wonderfully funny he is. She's the same age as Clay and her birthday is only a few days apart so I was so glad she loved the concert. She called her husband on the way back to my house to tell him just how great it was and
how she wished he had come. She raved and raved. Then when she got home at midnight she called me to thank me and say that she had listened to the CD all the way home...couldn't get enough.
Thoughts from the cellist that played on stage:
She said that Clay really has the "chops," meaning his voice is incredible; but what really makes him special is the magical interaction with the audience. He had us eating right out of his hand, and that is what makes him a great entertainer.
Anyone can sing, but not everyone can have that relationship with an audience. She said it felt great to hear the applause because most of the time, they don't even know if their audiences are awake. The orchestra really seemed to enjoy Clay, as they were laughing right along with all his jokes; and he was in rare form tonight.
Posted by artquest at CH:
Clay hit the stage last night like lightning. From the first instant it was clear that this was no San Diego. His voice held up nicely for most of the concert, but his wit has never been sharper. It was reflected back to him by his partners in crime. Quiana and Angela seem to tease him about who will duet on IWKWLI. In San Diego he thought it would be Angela, last night it was clear he thought it would be Quiana. He whipped around when Angela started singing and grinned. Then they got to talking about the casino and playing the slots and finally Angela pointed out Flat Clay in the hotel window.
Posted by raquelsg at CV:
Clay was unbelievable last night in Pala--pure magic and hysterical. I watched grown men around me dying of laughter. We spoke to one couple in front of us who hadn't been to a concert before and they were surprised we had been to a concert the night before and were back. We tried to explain how great they were and they were all different..... Well as the night progressed and they were laughing hysterically or smiling non-stop or standing and cheering, the husband kept turning around to say "He's fantastic".... "He's hysterical".... "Now I see why you go to multiple concerts!" Yes, it was a magic night for all of us, including Clay. You could tell how much he and Q&A appreciated the "energy" and response from the audience. They both mentioned how great the audience was.
Posted by yaknelle at CV:
My most personal moment at Pala came with Clay singing Lover All Alone. I don't remember anything but his magnificent voice reaching the deepest part of my soul. I, as many of you, have had that moment where love seems impossible, the loneliness unbearable, and the thought that love might never be a reality at all. When I heard this live it hit me square in the heart. I could not breath and that moment Clay always takes to come out of a song was needed by me. If I never attend another concert, I believe, I have had the moment when artist and a fan have a melding of souls.
Because You Love Me is the perfect ending to the concert. In my opinion, he loves us because we care. He loves us not because we are crazy, or sport tattoos and wear tee shirts, but because we know the truth, that he's a good person, a real person, that his soul is in the right place, that he is stronger than all the garbage that has been thrown at him. He loves us because we love him.
Posted by spotlightlover at CH:
Clay was hysterically funny tonight. The "slooooow" banter before TWYMMF was just hilarious. I can't begin to remember all the best moments without reviewing all the Clack. Another great one was when Clay was late getting onstage for the second half and had to run from the wings to his spot to get to the mic in time. Lover All Alone was especially ethereal and heart-tugging.
~Part 1~
~Part 2~
Clay Aiken, Pala, California, Palomar Starlight Theatre, tour, funny, video
Labels: Concert


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… 3 million as of last Friday. Friday was July 16th. The iPhone 4 launched on June 24, so that'd be 23 days to reach the 3 million mark.
"3 million phones in 23 days – that's a pretty strong clip, the fastest sales of an Apple phone to date, Mashable reports. If I do the math, that's more than 130,000 phones a day."
But did anyone in the press notice Google's little announcement, the day before Apple launched its iPhone 4? This one? The one where Google said, and I quote:
"Every day 160,000 Android-powered devices are activated — that's nearly two devices every second."
read it all @ http://battellemedia.com/archives/2010/07/on_math_iphones_android_and_the_100k_phone_gap.php
Visit Daniel @ http://DearDanielim.info


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If you're looking for a way to be involved on campus once you arrive here, you should definitely look into MC's Equestrian program. If you've been riding horses your entire life or if you just have a slight interest in horses and riding, MC's Equestrian program wants you! MC offers a Competitive Varsity Hunt Seat Riding Team and a Hunt Seat Equitation course, which can be counted as a P.E. credit (all students need 3 P.E. credits).
The program is held at Providence Hill Farm located in Jackson, Mississippi, only a 15 minute drive from campus. One of the premier hunter/jumper farms in the country, Providence Hill stretches across thousands of acres and is a beautiful place to ride. Horses are provided at Providence Hill, so riders can practice on different horses for better preparation.
The Hunt Seat Equitation course is available to any MC student and you are placed in classes based on your skill level. The class meets once a week at Providence Hill Farm, again only 15 minutes away from campus. There is an additional fee per semester for each riding course.
The Varsity Hunt Seat Riding Team lasts for the an entire academic year, meeting two times a week for group lessons and one extra practice ride per week during the year. In addition to these practices, the team members also participate in meetings, workouts, and clinics. These practice times are worked out to fit with the team's weekly school schedule. The team competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association and is a part of Zone 5 Region 2. For the ISHA horse shows, the team travels to the host college and competes on their horses. All levels of riders are given the chance to compete at the regional, zone, or national level, no matter if you're competing in a basic walk trot or a more advanced riding experience.
With help from donors and sponsors, Mississippi College pays for expenses such as coaching fees, IHSA membership fees, IHSA entry fees, and travel fees. Team members are assessed a small fee to pay each semester to participate on the team and may also have to pay any miscellaneous expenses during out of town horse shows. However, all students must provide their own riding attire for lessons and competitions.
If you're interested in joining the team or the class, fill out a form here and email it to the Head Coach, Tina, at email@example.com and they will get back to you! If you want to know any more info, check out the website or Facebook page here.
Extracurricular activities and being involved on campus can be so important for your future, so if this stands out to you I encourage you to look into it! If you have any additional questions or problems with finding out more info, leave a comment and we'll try to assist you!
– Jordyn


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Learus Ohnine - "Walls Were Made To Be Broken"
Over the years, there has been alot of debating going on as to the differences between these two disorders: sociopathy and psychopathy. Some say the two disorders are identical; some say there at several distinctions between the two. Psychologist have been studying both disorders for years, but with their studies have yet to be concluded because of the increased difficulty of getting their subjects to cooperate with them, therefore prolonging the results. As time moves on, more and more pertinent information is being released to the public along with the testimonies of surviving victims that can be used to help protect those potentially at harm's risk. The more knowledge that is released to the public, the less chances of their premeditated destructive plans succeeding against humanity.
There are indeed several differences between the two. It is important to understand the major difference between the two disorders. Not being able to…
View original post 874 more words


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Program Name: Diary with lock
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STRICTLY star Ricky Whittle was up for some horseplay at his Hollyoaks leaving party.
The actor was dressed in a Wild West Indian costume when he arrived at Portico Cantina and Bar in the Albert Dock last night.
But cheeky Ricky, 29, changed into a pantomime horse outfit before he left his fancy dress bash.
He joked people wouldn't have a clue who was in the two person horse costume with him.
The 29-year-old star, who plays Calvin Valentine, invited all his castmates, university pals and friends he met through his previous acting role in Dream Team.
They munched on chilli and tortillas, drank tequila slushies and danced to Ricky's favourite hip hop and R&B tunes.
Co-stars at the party, which had a Wild West theme, included Gerard McCarthy – who is also bowing out of the teen soap – who went dressed as the Milkybar Kid.
Ricky's ex-girlfriend Carley Stenson, who plays Steph Cunningham were among guests.
Others included the McQueens and his on-screen sisters Nathalie Emmanuel, who plays Sasha, and Dominique Jackson, who plays Lauren.
Ricky said: "'It is the first time I've gone anywhere without a contract but it's not scary because I've had a lot of offers coming in, which is very flattering, and I'm looking forward to working with different people.
"Hollyoaks is a show I love and I'm in my comfort zone there. I could have happily stayed there for my whole career but it has always been my ambition to do films and I don't want to miss out on that.
"I've always said I'd rather try and fail than to have regrets. The next thing has to be a challenge for me and a step up.
"I've never thought about the West End until Strictly but I've had a lot of doors open for me. I've also had offers for dramas and factual shows.
"I've had a few offers Stateside, nothing I would really like to pursue, but they are interested. I want to stick around for a while and work in London while my profile is high and then go to the States for the pilot season.
"Even if I move to London, Liverpool will still be my base. I don't really like the hustle and bustle of London. I have a home in Liverpool and living here has been a very important part of my life, I feel like an honorary Scouser."
Ricky filmed his last scenes for Hollyoaks last Friday. His character will be killed off in May when he is shot during his second wedding reception with wife Carmel (Gemma Merna).


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I have a Pixi Plus with 1.4.5 on Page Plus with 100mb a month. My data use will be pretty minimal. I know from my Nokia phones that it will easily fit within my 100mb/month limit.
Can WebOS's data overhead be turned down enough to make this plan work?
Here is what I would like to do:
Check my paid Yahoo mail and import the contacts I have there. Sync the contacts occasionally (can wait for a WiFi connection) just so I can maintain them through the Yahoo interface on my computer.
Once in a while look at a web site or Google Maps or send an MMS.
I don't want to keep 3G data turned off all the time. Besides the hassle of turning it on and off, I don't want some stealthy Synergy task hitting me up for a few megabytes in the background when I think I'm just checking the weather.
This is what I've done so far:
Disabled backups
Minimized logging
Removed the execute flag from the four nightly upload files
Installed Preware and netstat
What else should I do? Do I have to remove my Yahoo email account from Contacts and reenter everything from scratch?


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In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, Taiwan's President Tsai Ing-wen, center back-facing, is briefed at the site of a collapsed building from an earthquake, Wednesday, Feb. 7, 2018, in Hualien, southeastern Taiwan. Rescuers continue to search for dozens of unaccounted people for in several buildings damaged by a strong earthquake near the island's eastern coast. Taiwan Presidential Office via AP
MANILA, Philippines — A Filipino has been confirmed missing after a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Taiwan's eastern coast Tuesday night, the Department of Foreign Affairs said.
"A team from the Manila Economic and Cultural Office - Taipei led by the Labor Attache, Atty. Cesar Chavez is in Hualien to personally check on the condition of Filipinos in the area," the DFA said.
The quake at Taiwan's Hualien county caused at least four buildings to tilt, killing four people.
READ: Deadly earthquake strikes Taiwan; shelters opened
Taiwan's Central News Agency reported that 225 people were injured, two dozen of them critically, while over 140 are missing based on registered occupants.
With aftershocks continuing through the night, residents were being directed to shelters, including a newly built baseball stadium, where beds and hot food were provided.
Speaking from a crisis center in Taipei, Cabinet spokesman Hsu Kuo-yung said rail links appeared to be unaffected and the runway of Hualien airport was intact.
"We're putting a priority on Hualien people being able to return home to check on their loved ones," Hsu said.
Schools and offices in Hualien County were to be closed Wednesday.
The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake struck just before midnight Tuesday about 21 kilometers (13 miles) northeast of Hualien at a relatively shallow depth of about 10.6 kilometers (6.6 miles).
Taiwan has frequent earthquakes due to its position along the "Ring of Fire," the seismic faults encircling the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquakes occur. - Patricia Lourdes Viray with Associated Press
- Latest
- Trending


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I have no idea what I just said...
During photo sessions my mind is always focused on the images I want to capture and then when I'm capturing it, I'm usually thinking about what I want for the next image. When my mouth opens during this, I really have no idea what I'm saying. I'm sure half of what I'm saying doesn't make sense. I am always trying to get out natural expressions so usually I'm telling the subjects to be thinking of something, or trying to make them laugh. Occasionally, I'm successful!
Posted by Amy Melsa Photography |{edit}
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Teachers at John Roan School in Maze Hill began the first of three planned days of strike action today.
The teachers are members of the NASUWT, the largest teachers' union in the UK, and the action has been called as a result of the failure of the Employer to engage genuinely to resolve the concerns of teachers over unacceptable working practices.
Chris Keates, General Secretary of the NASUWT, said:
"The Employer is seeking to force through major changes to the school timetable and to increase class sizes. These moves will drive up teacher workload to an unacceptable level and undermine the quality of education for pupils.
"The NASUWT has made every effort to secure an agreed way forward, but there has been no serious attempt by the employer to address the concerns of teachers over these issues.
"The teachers at John Roan are all dedicated and committed members of staff who want professional working conditions to support them in their work to do the best for the pupils they teach.
"They deeply regret any disruption to pupils and parents today and hope that the employer will work with them to fully address their concerns so that further strike action can be avoided."
Chris Holland, NASUWT National Executive Member for Greenwich, said:
"The strike action could have been avoided and further action still could if the employer was committed to fully resolving the issues of concern.
"Teachers' goodwill and patience has been exhausted waiting for these issues to be addressed.
"The NASUWT stands ready to find a negotiated solution to the issues of concern."


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Just sharing this blog that popped into my inbox this morning. If you are based in Australia/New Zealand you may wish to contribute…I have no affiliation with the 5000 poppies blog or organisational group. The purpose of this blog post today is to raise awareness of this fundraising effort.
Remember the inspiring 5000 poppies tribute I wrote about here? I have been following this closely and meaning to make a tatted poppy to contribute 😉 It's still on my list. The response have been overwhelming for the organisers with over 60,000 poppies to date- this has necessitated the fundraising/sponsorship request in the linked post: FUNDRAISING/SPONSORSHIP | 5000 POPPIES. It will take lots of money to move the already amassed poppies (think truck hire etc) to the display point for the ANZAC day memorial. A few weeks ago I had seen the online kickstarter sort of fundraising page for this fundraising effort- but since the target of the kickstarter was not reached by the set date – all pledges were cancelled! So now the organisers are trying to raise funds through other fundraising means- including donations from individuals. The re-blogged post above gives details of this fundraising effort – so if you would like to contribute to help this wonderful project come to life please consider the sponsorship packages (starting at $12 to dedicate a poppy).
I will be back to normal blogging this weekend with a craft giveaway too- we are over 400 likers on the Facebook page now 🙂
Until next time- Happy tatting
Fiona T


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So I know I said last week that project 1 was officially done, but what I meant was I still had one more thing and now it is officially done. As I was sending Victoria the final doc, I forgot to attach the PDF to the email. Oops.
Project 2 is going well though. We have given up on embedding the video onto the site. The new plan is to take a screenshot of the video, upload that as the photo and then include a link to the original webpage under the screenshot. That is going pretty well.
I've been sitting in the airport for since 3 this afternoon and the WiFi is absolutely horrible so I'm gonna have to continue working this weekend. That was not my intentions 😦
I also registered for spring semester classes this past Tuesday morning and I'm really looking forward to the STA project I have next semester.


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The Countdown Begins
Gotta be brutally honest: Howard actually enjoyed watching soccer the past two weeks, and found himself rooting for the French, German, and English teams [such the Anglo-Saxon-Franco-phile he is, despite his swarthy complexion and internationalist vocal inflections.]
Strange meltdown by 34-year-old perhaps-soon-to-be-NY-Redbuller Zenadine Zedane [above, who resembles both Captain Jon Luc Picard and New Jersey Netter Jason Kidd]. One can only wonder what the Italian player on the nubby end of Zedane's headbutt did or said to provoke such an outburst. Of course it didn't justify such a "vicious vicious headbutt", as the ABC announcer repeatedly repeated. But one can't help but wonder, "what the hell?"
If world-class soccer is always this testosterone-powered, then Howard can't wait for the next World Cup competition... only four years away.
Update: Though nobody will ever know what was said in the scrum-of-two except for the duo involved -- and they surely aren't talking -- whispers and rumors of insult of the worst sort are presented in Comments for your consideration.


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Enjoy Time - Enjoy Time
Main menu
Chi siamo
Blackberry Bold 9780: A Bold Face Of Latest
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Writing in Multiple Genres: Authors use different names for a unique genre as well real reputation for another. Charles Dodgson wrote math textbooks under his real name and Harry potter as Lewis Carroll.
Not that being said. If you end up going to court, purchasing very heavy monetary and jail time for copyright violation. Sweets cost of defending yourself will also be quite big.
Google suspends and closes many accounts every single day. The main root-cause of this undeniable fact that the company or website does not follow the standards and guidelines that in room.
It is up to around you your opinion about copyright law. I am pretty sure that a lot of the companies that manufactured virtually those games no longer exist, yet it's likely that somebody still owns the copyright although they are no longer worry it really is infringed it will do not try to sell hundreds of disks of the games on eBay.
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Status: Open
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Webb William S Co Inc can be found at Mineola Blvd 227. The following is offered: Insurance. The entry is present with us since Sep 9, 2010 and was last updated on Nov 14, 2013. In Mineola there are 34 other Insurance. An overview can be found here.
Webb William S Co Inc is located at 227 Mineola Blvd, Mineola, NY. This business specializes in Insurance.


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By Darin Skaggs
Over the last few years I have gotten more into the horror genre. I did watch thirty-one movies last October. That, honestly, was a bit overboard and watching horror movies can be done at any time of the year because fear is an ever present force. So because the year is half over I am going to go through the horror films that I viewed from the current year, 2016.
The first horror film I saw from 2016 is Jason Zada's The Forest. It is the stereotypical type of movie that comes out in January, bad. There is a thin plot, Sara (Natalie Dormer) goes to search for her twin sister that has traveled in the woods where most people go to commit suicide. The movie is not very scary, it has really cheap jump scares, one including an elderly woman that has absolutely nothing to do with any part of the story running at Sara and frightening her. Somehow in this dark, twisted story the movie finds room for a romance. Other basic horror clichés happen. There is a twist near the end of the movie that you could see coming a mile away. Clearly the script is the big problem here, the acting is fine and the film looks pretty.
Robert Eggers' The Witch is clearly the greatest horror film in the year so far. It is in no way a conventional tale, but is one of the best because what it commits to. It is a period piece where the characters talk like they are actually from the 1630's, the costumes are incredible and it really does commit to the concept of evil as well. The first action we see the witch do is disturbing and brave knowing that it will be hard to digest for the audience. The characters are very religious, or at least the parents are. It might be saying what is wrong about religion and the people who choose to be so. For me it's a movie about straying away from the normal and embracing your weirdness.
William Brent Bell's The Boy is stupid. It is about a woman, Greta (Lauren Cohan) who takes a babysitting job. When she gets to the house she finds a boy she is supposed to watch is some sort of doll. The parents leave and have their own crazy plotlines. The boy figure spends its time moving its head or ending up on the ground. The movie has some scary moments, but mostly it comes across as unintentionally funny. When the plot twist comes, it makes sense. I just think the problem with the movie is that some one thought of the idea in the first place.
James Wan's The Conjuring 2 is the perfect example of the good use of jump scares. The movie does so much right, Wan builds the tension so well that when a scene begins in the daylight you feel a sense of relief knowing that the scary scenes are done for the moment. Then he flips that on its head by making one the more tense scenes take place while the sun is shining through the window. The ending falls apart as it becomes all too easy to take down the supernatural being. Other than that the movie is one of the best "jump scare movies" I have seen.
The movie has an interesting premise. The brain dead brain eaters are wandering around a period piece that is trying to tell a love story. It doesn't try to do anything with that premise, it thinks that it could get by with its plot alone. It is a fairly uninteresting movie with equally bland performances. Even the violence is unimpressive as these girls go around slaying zombies in their fancy dresses. They zombies just fall over and even the classic blowing off of the head is a dull visual to witness.
Jaume Collet-Serra's The Shallows is a horror movie. It is most of all a monster movie, the monster of course being a gigantic, hungry shark. The movie is at times totally wacky and at others times kind of stupid, but I loved it. There is no way that this movie, or any shark movie will surpass Jaws as the king of that subgenre. The great part about The Shallows is that they know they will never beat it and just let's go and has fun with its premise. In the film our protagonist Nancy (Blake Lively) heads to a secret beach that her recently deceased mother went to when she was pregnant with her, and then she goes out surfing and finds a dying whale. After trying to swim away she is attacked by the shark. Eventually, she ends up on a rock that only appears in low tide. The film then has a bunch of crazy deaths, some moments of decent comedy and wants so bad to turn the hero into an action star. The worst part is the opening set that lets us know what our character is going through and why the shark is a huge metaphor for her troubles. Besides that The Shallows is so much fun as a survival tale.


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Leggings are in style. Patterned ones, not the plain chocolate ones.
How are these?Any crocheter can make them.
Ruffled scarves are popular. I see them everywhere. But, let's face it, its a trend.
I ran across this picture and thought what a great use of the ruffled yarn, since it comes so many colours. It is bound to fit in with decor and is very classy.


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Peer reviewed
Direct link
Direct link
ERIC Number: EJ1028026
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2014
Pages: 15
Abstractor: As Provided
Reference Count: 58
Story Retelling by Bilingual Children with Language Impairments and Typically Developing Controls
Squires, Katie E.; Lugo-Neris, Mirza J.; Peña, Elizabeth D.; Bedore, Lisa M.; Bohman, Thomas M.; Gillam, Ronald B.
International Journal of Language & Communication Disorders, v49 n1 p60-74 Jan-Feb 2014
Background: To date there is limited information documenting growth patterns in the narratives of bilingual children with and without primary language impairment (PLI). Aims: This study was designed to determine whether bilingual children with and without PLI present similar gains from kindergarten to first grade in the macro- and microstructure of stories told in Spanish and English. Methods & Procedures: In this longitudinal study, 21 bilingual children identified with PLI were each matched to a bilingual typically developing (TD) peer on age, sex, non-verbal IQ and language exposure. During their kindergarten and first-grade years, children retold stories from wordless picture books in Spanish (L1) and English (L2). Outcomes & Results: Overall, TD children outperformed those with PLI on measures of macro- and microstructure at both time points. For the macrostructure measure, the TD group made significantly larger improvements in both languages from kindergarten to first grade than the PLI group. For microstructure, the TD children made more gains on their Spanish retells than their English retells. However, the PLI children's microstructure scores did not differ from kindergarten to first grade in either language. We found that macrostructure scores in Spanish at kindergarten predicted macrostructure scores in English at first grade when English experience was held constant. However, this same relationship across languages was not evident in microstructure. Conclusions & Implications: TD and PLI children differed in the development of narrative macro- and microstructure between kindergarten and first grade. The TD bilinguals transferred conceptually dependent narrative skills easily, but then had to learn independently the nuances of each language to be successful using literate language. Because most children with PLI need more exposure to establish strong connections between their L1 and L2, they had more difficulty transferring their knowledge of literate language forms from one language to another.
Descriptors: Story Telling, Bilingualism, Language Impairments, Longitudinal Studies, English (Second Language), Second Language Learning, Spanish, Kindergarten, Grade 1, Elementary School Students, Picture Books, Native Language, Transfer of Training, Matched Groups, Task Analysis, Scores, Comparative Analysis, Difficulty Level
Wiley-Blackwell. 350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148. Tel: 800-835-6770; Tel: 781-388-8598; Fax: 781-388-8232; e-mail: firstname.lastname@example.com; Web site: http://www.wiley.com/WileyCDA
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: Grade 1; Kindergarten; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
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|1 : Preston-University scam.
University is the foundation of any successful Individual career. (Hit In:0 Hit Out:0)
Categoria : Istruzione e Formazione
|2 : Fire-Stop
Dicotech.com is a well-known name and has a very successful track record of Exterial Insulation Finishing Systems. It provides with the best Industrial Floorings around many parts of the world. (Hit In:0 Hit Out:0)
Categoria : Economia e Aziende
|3 : Concrete Repairs
Concrete Repairs deal with the design defects and in correct structures. DicoTech provides its customers with comprehensive package solutions at the very reasonable price range. (Hit In:0 Hit Out:0)
Categoria : Economia e Aziende
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Dormy Inn Premium Hakata Canal City, Fukuoka (ドーミーインPREMIUM博多・キャナルシティ)
We booked this hotel simply because my friends love Japanese onsen. Dormy Inn is a Japanese hotel group famous for having a hot spring in all their hotels. This hotel is a bit further from the Hakata JR station than Tokyu Rei Hotel but it is located right next to the Hakata Canal City (a big shopping mall).
Room rate
The room rate was very reasonable. It was a little less than US$100 per night for a room when I stayed there in May 2015. It was the period after the Japanese Golden week and the room rate and demand had dropped to a reasonable level.
The location
It is located about 10mins walk from the Hakata train station and JR Hakata city. The hotel is next to Canal City, a big shopping mall with many international fashion brands.
The room
The room has a dark color tone and personally I like the decor of Tokyu Rei Hotel more. However, the room in Dormy Inn Premium Hakata Canal City is more spacious than Tokyu Rei Hotel
The room is fully equipped with the usual amenities.
Hotel Facilities
The highlight of the hotel is the complimentary use of the in-house hot spring on 2/F. It is open from 15:00 till the next morning at 10:00. The password for entering the hot spring was given upon check-in.
There is an outdoor hot spring and a indoor hot spring in the hotel. I went there late at night and there was no one there.
There is an emergency seat inside the elevator in case you get stuck inside. We found this idea quite interesting and shows that Japanese service is very considerate, either that or the elevator breaks down quite often.
Additional benefits
There is also a complimentary ramen for in-house guests from 21:30-23:00. I didn't get the chance to try it as we didn't make it back before 23:00. It is quite an interesting gimmick for hotel guests.
I think it is quite an interesting experience to stay in Dormy Inn hotel but the location of Dormy Inn Premium Hakata Canal City is not the most convenient choice unless you need to do some serious shopping in Canal City.
Dormy Inn Premium Hakata Canal City Mae
Address: 9-1 Gion-machi, Hakata-ku, Fukuoka-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
Address in Japanese: 福岡県福岡市博多区祇園町9-1
Features: next to Canal City shopping mall, free wifi, complimentary use of in-house hot spring, complimentary ramen, relatively spacious room, good value for money
Ranking: #10 of 180 hotels in Fukuoka from tripadvisor.com
Website: http://www.hotespa.net/hotels/hakatacanal/ (Official Japanese website)
English booking website: http://www.japanican.com/en/hotel/detail/8115AB0
Where did you stay in Fukuoka, Japan? If you enjoy reading my blog, feel free to follow me on twitter @MinionTravel to get the latest update.


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Tuesday, 5 June 2012
The End
Well, our fantastic holiday has come to an end. What a great month full of experiences that we will remember forever. Below is a collection of facts, figures, observations and ramblings which we will sign off on. There is no limit to the amount of time that women can look at shoes, handbags & scarves. We travelled a total of 2800kms in Pierre the Peugeot. Peugeot Eurolease is great to use. 46 hours from our hotel in Nice to the front door in Feilding. Just a tad tiring. Temperature ranged from 44 degrees in Dubai to 5 degrees up Mont Blanc. The Italians and the French were great people. Language barriers can be overcome. Lot's of useless little dogs and their not so little deposits on the footpaths. Watch where you step (eh Liz!). NZ doesn't have a mortgage on great scenery. Brilliant red poppies lining the roads and filling the fields. Helen Clark's anti smoking legislation hasn't reached France or Italy. Why are girls suitcases much heavier than a man's? Don't expect to get a flat white in Europe. Planning a holiday? Use Booking.com for your hotel bookings. Good savings, accurate descriptions and allows more time at destination. Stay off the motorways. Far better to travel the smaller roads thru the villages. Try different foods. Why can't we get veal in our restaurants? Don't travel without a GPS. The world is your oyster. Enjoy! Thanks for following our trip. We enjoyed bringing it to you. Cheers LIZ, ROSE & THE CHAUFFEUR
Thursday, 31 May 2012
On the Way Home
Tuesday, 29 May 2012
Nice in Nice
Monday, 28 May 2012
Sunday, 27 May 2012
St Tropez, C'est la Vie!
Saturday, 26 May 2012
Sunny St Maxime
Friday, 25 May 2012
Thursday, 24 May 2012
Aix en Provence
Thurs 24th. A lovely sunny day here in AeP and the markets were up and running in the town. We have had a very leisurely day strolling around the streets taking in the sights and sounds. The Chauffeur is quite enjoying some of the elegant ladies in their little sun dresses. We again caught up with Merrin and Kaye and had a relaxing morning together. Liz's hair has grown to the point of looking like Elvis, so Rose and the Chauffeur have packed her off to the hairdressers this afternoon for a "chic Francais coiffure". Meanwhile, we sit in a bar waiting to see the result with a nice cold beer in our hand. We are again going to dine with M&K tonigt before making our way to Marseille tomorrow via the old Roman town of Arles and then thru the saltmarshes of the Carmargue.
Ye Olde Friends
Wednesday, 23 May 2012
Into Provence
La Bastide St Antoine - Yum!
Allez les Bleus
Monday, 21 May 2012
Another World
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Cinque Terre
Saturday, 19 May 2012
Ciao the Med
Friday, 18 May 2012
Franca's, Italy's Best Ristorante
Fri 18th. We have met some very nice people on our travels, and this is Franca, owner and chef of the Osteria Lo Ziro restaurant in Impruneta, who is one of them. We have had two special Tuscan dinners at Franca's and are heading back there tonight for our last meal in Tuscany. The food has to be some of the best that the Chauffeur has tasted anywhere in the world. Franca speaks little English and despite our very limited Italian we have had no trouble in communicating with her and meeting her and dining at her restaurant will remain in our memories for a long time to come.
Arrivederci Tuscany
Fri 18th. Our last full day in Tuscany has arrived and tomorow we depart for La Spezia at the base of the Cinque Terre villages. This morning we took a short drive out to Grassina and took a look at the oldest golf course in Italy. You would certainly want to have the ability to hit off side hill lies. Grassina was bigger and busier than we anticipated and we decided that we would soon head back to our own village of Impruneta, especially after a viking demanded protection money for our car in the car park. We have really enjoyed our stay here at the Villa l'Olmo in Impruneta. We have had lots of space and the view over the Tuscan hills has been soothing. This afternoon is about some more relaxing and re packing for our onward journey. We will have very fond memories of the Tuscan / Chianti region, and Liz has the photos to prove it. The photo shows the town square of Impruneta.
Thursday, 17 May 2012
Under the Tuscan Sun
Out & About in Tuscany
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
A Day in Florence
Monday, 14 May 2012
Onward to Tuscany
Saturday, 12 May 2012
Lake Como View
Brunate Heights
Friday, 11 May 2012
Lake Maggiore
Thursday, 10 May 2012
Matterhorn to Lake Maggiore
Claudio the Shopkeeper
Majestic Matterhorn
ling in the surrounding mountains. Another day to cherish.
Tuesday, 8 May 2012
Montreaux to Chamonix
Monday, 7 May 2012
Geneva to Montreaux
Bonjour Switzerland
Dubai Finale
Sat 5th May. Our last day in Dubai before heading to Geneva early tomorrow. Graham took us to his place of work, Emirates flight training centre, where we had a good look around their complex. This included a look in the flight simulators for both the Airbus A380 & the Boeing 777, both aircraft we get to fly in. In the afternoon we travelled out to the Atlantis hotel, a luxery hotel built on reclaimed land in the shape of a palm tree. Late in the afternoon we visited the gold & diamond market, where despite the urgings of The Chauffeur, the Girls were remarkably restrained. The day finished when Graham, Evelyn & Jenna hosted us for a tasty BBQ. Tomorrow, Switzerland!
Sunday, 6 May 2012
50 in Dubai
Fri 4th May. Well the big day has finally arrived. The Girl's hit the big 50. The spring chicken days are certainly behind them. What better way to celebrate than with some shopping!!!!! Graham & Evelyn took us to anothrr one of the huge malls where the girls shouted themselves a nice watch. One got a bling bling and the other got a bright pink one. Home for a bit of a rest before heading out to the big birthday bash at the six star Burj al Arab. G&E had secretly organised a stretched limosine pick up and we cruised to the hotel in style sipping on champagne. The hotel is very opulent and we headed up to the Skybar at the top for a fancy cocktail, then down to the Al Mahara restaurant for a magnificent meal. The restaurant is built around an aquarium and has a surreal feeling. The food was sublime, lobster, crab, and a variety of fish washed down by some Dog Point Sav Blanc from NZ. We won't mention the difference in price for buying the wine in NZ. At the end of the evening the hotel present both Liz & Rose with a fancy birthday cake each. Special. I am sure this is a birthday that the girls will never forget.
Day 2 Dubai
Thursd 3rd. Started with the trip up the mighty Burj Khalifa tower. What a magnificent building. It has only been open for a year or two and stands as a beacon over Dubai, dwarfing every other skyscraper in town. We went up to the 124th floor observatory wher you get to see the scale of Dubai. Amazing views and not a place to be if you are not keen on heights.After the tower, a cruise around the lower two floors of the huge shopping mall was undertaken. Lots of window shopping but the only purchase was lunch and a new belt for The Chauffeur. Girl,s were a bit overwhelmed I think.
Wednesday, 2 May 2012
Day 1 - Dubai
Wed 2nd. Arrive in around 4-30am local time after close to 20 hours in the air. Good flight over with no dramas. Went to post this blog at 6pm and found blog can't be uploaded here in Dubai due to restrictions. Damn!!!! Got a sneaky work around but can't post photo of girls outside mosque. Graham gave us a great tour of the city. Big place. Visited the 7's rugby ground and the ICC cricket complex where we caught up with Dayle Hadlee, who had coached Liz & Rose, and who I had played with in the Canterbury cricket team many years ago. Also short visit to the gold market, but we soon got sick of the badgering by the eager sellers. Whew, that will save some money!!! A bit hot for the girls with temperatures hitting 41 degrees today. Won't be long out of bed tonight.
Monday, 30 April 2012
Dubai Here We Come
Tuesday 1st. Nice leisurely morning with breakfast at Takapuna Beach cafe. Very cruisey and hopefully a sign of things to come. Got out to the airport early pm and Rose was upgraded to join us in Business Class. She seems quite happy with that for some reason. Currently havinng a late lunch washed down with some VCliquot Champers. Tough life! Dubai, here we come.
Sunday, 29 April 2012
Early Celebrations
Monday, 23 April 2012
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There is no way to know what will happen next.
There is only trust that what will happen next will be the right thing for you.
Your intuition doesn't rationalize it's choices. It just is. If you follow it, how can you lose?
If the past always exists no matter what, could your next step always be the right one for you?
Aren't mistakes relative if it is all part of the win?
If you're still here, aren't you always winning?
If death is nothing, isn't this life an amazingly beautiful gift?
What I think this all comes down to is
A) You are Free
B) that your choices on what to do next aren't entirely up to you.
And somehow, when you actually don't try to know this, you somehow actually always knew this.
Trying in terms of doing something that you don't love is always a loss.
Work is important, but your definition of what work is even more so.
The present moment may actually be the past.
Well. "The present moment unrelated to you" at least.
But that's a non existent scenario.
You are inherently part of your experience.
So more accurately, the real Present Moment is a loop between you and the Universe occurring at the speed of light.
And at the speed of Life.
I'm not trying to be cute here. It's just so amazing it's hard to communicate in words.
The past is the only thing that truly no longer exists.
Truly understanding this is up to you.
If you do, it will blow/awaken your mind into how many possibilities lay ahead of you during every waking moment.
Be reckless.
Be free.
But trust.
Your choices are half chance. So are everybody else's.
The more you trust that those chances will be in your favour, somehow, the more they actually are.
There's probably a limit to all this, but I'd rather not find it.
This post definitely wasn't perfect, but if you try to be perfect, you'll never be anything.
(I promise my next posts will be more coherent.. This one just got away and I'm tired of bringing it back in :p)