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An elderly lady with white hair and dark eye glasses sat on a cot
in the shade of a tree on the banks of the Sangamon river near
Roby, Christian county, knitting stockings. In itself nowadays it
would not be a remarkable incident to see a woman sitting patiently
knitting when there are so many women of all ages engaged in that
laudable work. But in this particular case there were
circumstances out of the ordinary.
On approaching the old lady it was found that she had just completed a beautiful little pair of all wool baby's stockings which were carefully attached to each other at the toes by a few stitches of thread. Having completed this pair, she was starting another pair. Around the tops of these little stockings were several circles composed of bright colored yarn, each pair different, but each stocking in a pair matching absolutely with the other of the same pair. The lady doing the knitting was Mrs. Sarah J. Venters of Grove City, Ill., She is 72 years of age, has a fair complexion and a beautiful head of nearly white hair. She is totally blind and has been in that condition since the age of 16 but has withal led a busy and a useful life. She was married when she was a young woman and is very proud of two grown sons now in business - one in Decatur, Ill., and the other in Pennsylvania. She also has several grandchildren and was at this time spending a day with her step daughter and her grandchildren on the banks of the Sangamon river, at Hart's park, sixteen miles east of Springfield, and while they were playing and bathing in the river, she was knitting the little stockings for the Belgian babies. She said that the pair which she had just completed was as nearly as she could remember, the 40th pair, and she was commencing on the 41st pair. In addition to knitting stockings for the babies, she has also made several pairs of socks for the soldiers and has done other work for the Red Cross organization. She has lived in this state since 1858. He little grandchild said to her the other day, 'Grandma, I wish you could see.' She replied, "Don't worry about that, for while it would be a great advantage and a pleasure to see all the beauties of the world, my lack of that privilege does not prevent me from being happy." A grand character, for although she lives in darkness, her life is spent in a valley of sunshine. This blind woman is a lady of remarkable intelligence, is fully posted on everything that is taking place. She had the latest war bulletins to impart the information they contained to all who come near her. She expressed great solicitude for the welfare of young Roosevelt, hoping that his life had been spared and was delighted over the progress the Americans and French forces had made in the last day or two. In addition to her industrious work of knitting stockings, she has composed a war song of more than ordinary merit, and a conversation with her is a pleasure long to be remembered. She is of a happy, cheerful disposition and not only does good work in the matter of knitting, but does it speedily and with pleasure. The location of this scene was at what is called Smith's Mill or Hart's Park. This old mill is about the last of the old time mills run by water power in central Illinois. Opposite the mill is Hart's Park, mentioned above. Leading across the stream from the mill is a primitive pontoon bridge resting on empty barrels that float in the water. In connection with the park are a few ordinary cottages where the families spend the heated season. The old dam forms a cascade in the river and just below the cascade the river forms a swimming pool where a considerable amount of bathing is indulged in. Sycamores and elms shade the green lawn and the patient woman with her work forms a beautiful picture in this restful scene of nature. |