One of the fun things about moving is unpacking those hidden boxes that have been pushed to the back because they did not have immediate need status. While I was preparing for the arrival of the Habitat for Humanity truck to come pick up a huge pile of stuff in the garage that we needed to donate I opened a box of books that had gone unnoticed.
Inside I found this little gem or jewel as the title suggests.
Now it wouldn’t have been THAT big of a deal but then I opened it up and saw that it was inscribed and was obviously a Christmas gift to my grandfather in 1909. Or at least that is what I am assuming as it was dated on Christmas. 
Just his name and San Diego, Cal and that date.
Was my grandfather a hidden poet? A writer? Was he somehow gifted this book because of his love for James Whitcomb Riley?
Or was it just a sentimental gift that hung around for over 100 years? I do not remember taking this book when we cleaned out my grandparent’s farm house back in 1993 but I obviously thought it was a keeper.
I have not read much of James Whitcomb Riley . I am sure I read some of his work in high school classes and college but I had to connect with my friend Mr. Google to find a little bit about him. I do remember memorizing a few of his selections including his most familiar one Little Orphant Allie which was actually originally titled The Elf Child. A typographical error made the selection known as Little Orphant Annie and that is the poem that the comic strip was later modeled after as well as movies, plays, television programs and radio programs. In this poem Riley shares the story of a bad child who misbehaves so horribly that goblins come and snatch her away. Not exactly a nighttime story to read to a young child but I guess if you want to scare them to death it would work.
As I looked through this very small book of selections I found a couple that I really liked . I especially liked this one:
My doctern is to lay aside
Contentions, and be satisfied:
Jest do your best,
and praise er blame
That follers that,
Counts jest the same.
My Philosofy
Do you have any treasures like this one that have gone unnoticed? I love that I have a tiny piece of my Grandpa Dittus with me in this book. What do you have in your possession that would be similar to this? Are you a fan of James Whitcomb Riley? Don’t forget to comment for Comments for a Cause.
19 Comments
Leave a commentOh, how wonderful! I’m sure you saved it because of the inscription in the front. Well, you most likely my treasures found a the auction a couple of months ago. I’m still smiling about those….and the timing that made it possible for me to have them.
I know you loved your finds and it is something that made me smile when I read your post. There is something about those items that allow us to feel connected to the past, isn’t there? Thanks for stopping by!
Oh my gosh – this is wonderful! I absolutely love having treasures from relatives no longer with us on this earth. I have an afghan made for me by my grandmother when I was born – so that’s 62 years old – and I still use it! I have a gold bracelet that was given to the same grandmother by her aunt when she came to America, alone, as an 18 years old in 1901 from Poland. I have letters written by my uncle to my grandmother & mother when he was stationed overseas during WWII, I have a Lalique vase that my grandmother’s cousin brought from Poland to England while trying to escape WWII. And I could go on. They are such treasures! Oh, and I have my grandmother’s and my mother’s wedding dresses! I can only hope that some day my son will treasure them as much as I do!
Oh my goodness. I love all of the treasures that you have from your family members. I think it helps us to keep connected to them when we have items that had meaning to them as well. I think you are very fortunate to have them –especially that vase! What a treasure. Thanks for sharing.
Unfortunately, I cracked the vase! When I visited Tala years ago in England, she told me the history of the vase and then she gave it to me to bring back to my Mom. She also gave me some coins. My Dad was a coin collector so when back in the states, I asked my parents if they’d trade, and they agreed. I kept flowers in the vase and one day when washing it, it slipped out of my hands and into the sink and an “interior” crack was created in the thick glass. ARGH! I took it to Sotheby’s to have it valued, but because it had that crack, it was worth a fraction of what it could have been! But, it’s still priceless because when I look at it I see, Tala, Mom & Dad and yes, even a 20-something year old girl dropping it!
We do have a couple of treasures like yours. One is a story book that was my father-in-law’s when he was a boy and he was born in 1898. One of the others is wonderful sketches that my mother made in art class when she was in 8th grade in 1934.
Oh I love that you have those two items. What a fabulous thing to be able to hold onto for generations. You never know who might look at it 100 years from now. 🙂
So glad you looked more closely at this book. What a treasure. I don’t have anything from my grandparents. But I have my mom’s diaries.
We have talked about those diaries before—my mom wants to burn all of hers before she dies but I am encouraging her to not do a thing. I hope she is all bark and not bite on this one because even if she thinks that they are boring they are history.
How cool, to find a piece of your loved ones life preserved! It’s always fun to explore those boxes of stuff you haven’t unpacked yet. We still have some packed boxes I should go through today… Er, um, maybe tomorrow.
Oh my goodness. Don’t even talk to me about boxes! I brought 10 totes of stuff in from the garage this week and stashed them in a cubby under the eaves. Most of those had things from the boys’ childhood. Not that they want them but I can’t let go of that stuff yet. I still have about 100 more in the garage to sift through.
Very cool find! We just cleaned out my grandmother’s chest (it was locked and it took us awhile to figure out how to open it) and found some pretty cool stuff!
What a cool find for your family. I am sure there were some treasures inside.
I don’t think I am familiar with any of Riley’s work, but that is definitely a treasure worth keeping. I have a book of poems by Robert Louis Stevenson that my late grandmother gave to me, and now I read them to my children. It’s called A Child’s Garden of Verses, and I can remember reading those little poems over and over and over. It’s a big reason why I wanted to be a writer – how he captured the imagination and life of a child amazed me even a young age.
Oh I remember that book as well! I loved that book. what a fun thing to have to remember your grandmother by as well. The tradition continues with your children which is a wonderful gift. 🙂
What a treasure to find. I have also found some cool things as I unpack boxes I had sent to Spain. I found a wonderful letter my younger brother sent to me years ago when I was going through a tough time. He said the most kind and motivating things to me. It is a letter I will reread from time to time. Enjoy going through those boxes.
What a treasure! I’m sure you sensed that when you kept it.
I am sure I did —I just had totally forgotten about this one!
[…] keep finding things that I have packed away during this move that bring memories flooding back. I suspect it is because I am really trying to reduce what we have stored and I am trying to go […]