littmus lozenge

littmus lozenge

When India Opal first meets Miss Franny Block in Because of Winn-Dixie, she learns that Miss Block had a wealthy father who wanted to give his daughter whatever she wanted. For example, the library was built because Miss Block asked for one for her birthday!

However, it's not until later in the story that Miss Franny Block reveals how her father made his money. She tells the story of the Littmus Lozenge and how it came to be. During the Civil War, her great-grandfather, Littmus W. Block, signed up to fight, even though he was only 14. When the war was over, he returned home to find out that his home had been burned to the ground and his family had all died.

Littmus started walking, and eventually walked all the way to Florida. After experiencing such sorrow in his life, he decided he wanted to make something sweet. He invented a candy that he named the Littmus Lozenge, a special hard candy with a touch of sadness.