A work in progress by: Taylar Donaldson. Hi there! My name is Mary Kathleen!

A work in progress by:Taylar Donaldson

Hi there!My name is Mary Kathleen!

I am a detective! I like things that are clues. Clues help us solve mysteries!

This is my Spy glass!

Today we are going to my Meme’s house. I love my Meme!

Meme is the French word for grandmother! What do you call your Grandmother?

When we get to Lewiston ME I see lots of places before we get to Meme’s.

We go by the big museum that used to be afactory. My Meme told me that it honors thepeople who used to work there and lived here. She says lots of my family worked in millsincluding her!

She told me she used to live In Canada and there

was a big train that came all the way toLewiston from there! Before she came to Maineto work in the mills she lived on a farm with herfamily and lots of animals!

She said that her family had a hard time on thefarm because they didn’t make enough money.Then someone told them that if they rode the train to Maine they could have jobs in the millwhere they could earn lots of money and thetown was full French-Canadians and was called“little Canada”!

Meme says that the Mills were very big a full ofPeople just like her! Meme said“The mills hired us Francos because we are suchhard workers!” I told Meme “I bet those mills have lots of mysteries!” She laughed and said “I think you are probably right”

Out the window I see The biggest church iveever seen! It is called Saint Mary’s. My Memetold me it used to be VERY IMPORTANT to theFrench-Canadians who moved here becauseeveryone went and everyone knew everyoneelse and they were all Catholic. Now my Meme Says it is a center and theater dedicated just to us,Franco-Americans!

A Franco-American is just a person who cameFrom Canada whose ancestors were French butnow live in America and have both Americanand French- Canadian traditions!

When we pass Saint Peters Cemetery I get sadbecause Meme says she has friends that areburied there and we have family buried theretoo. “Mostly Francos” she said.

There are so many places here that help my Meme tell me stories. I like learning aboutFranco-American life here in Lewiston Maine!

Finally We arrive at Meme’s! When I walk in Shegreets me with a big hug and kiss. Her kitchensmells soooo good! She goes over to the stovewhile pepe puts my bags up stairs. Meme MadePutine! My favorite snack! French fries withcheese and gravy! A very tasty Franco-Americantreat!

When I am done I tell Meme that I am going tofind a mystery to solve! She laughed at me andmumbled something in French! I want to learnFrench too even though my mother doesn’tknow much French I want to learn so I can talkwith my Meme. Meme Continues to clean thedishes in the kitchen. She spends a lot of time therecooking and cleaning, Playing cards with Pepe andreading her Lewiston Sun Journal!

As I climb the stairs I pretend I’m a mill worker And I hammer on all the steps and railings all theway up!

When I reach the top I am a detective again andI search for a new mystery!

AH HA! I see something very peculiar in a basketunder the table in the hall.

It looks like this:

This is Surely a mystery!

I grab the wooden object and begin myInvestigation! I run my fingers down each sideof the smooth wood. The ends have scoops inthem like a spoon but this is much to big to eatwith!

In the same basket there are some music books.I mark them as a clue!

I bring it to the toy room for further examination! Do you know what this object could be?Those are some good guesses!

Does it look like any of these toys?

Its not like any toy I’ve seen! Lets go back to thehall to investigate!

I ran right into Meme! “Oh my” Meme says“that thing is very old”She pats my head and keeps walking.I mark her as a clue!

I scoot down the hall to the top of the stairspretending I’m the big train coming all the wayfrom Canada! ChOoOo ChoOoOoOo!

When I go down the stairs I clap the woodenthing down the railing! It makes lots of noise!

All of the sudden Pepe picks me up and swingsme around like were dancing a really fast dance!He grabs the wooden mystery object! “Theseare my spoons” he says.

“but they are much to big to eat with Pepe!”

Pepe puts me down and we sit at the kitchen table.

Can you guess what Pepe does with the wooden spoons?

He begins to make music with them! He clapsthe spoons together hitting them against hishands and leg to make a beat!

Meme comes in and we dance all around!

When we are done Pepe shows me a photographof a band! He points to a young man and says“That’s me!”. He tells me all about how peopleplay the spoons in Franco-American Music. Hesays everyone used to dance and sing and partythe night away to Franco-American Music!

What kind of music do you like?

I wish I knew my Pepe and Meme back then!

So now that the mystery of the spoons is solvedMeme brings me up to bed and tucks me in. SheSings me a lullaby in French and as I close myeyes I think about the day ahead and all themysteries there are to solve here!

“Bon nuit ma petit détective” Whispers Meme. (good night my little detective)