Lewisburg chronicle, and West Branch farmer. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1850, 1850-02-06
WEDNESDAY, FEB. 6, 1850.


tie Rock, with pack Of peItries, TO buy
salt and other things that we could not ge'
along without. One lime brought back
some punches of raisins for the baby.
They were wrapped up in large newspa
per, which contained number of curious
pictures. The sheet was gazed at with
wonder by the poor creatures, who had
never seen such an object IN their lives
Little Tommy asked ne, with sparkling
ewes, if it were not bird. tried 10 ex-
plain the matter to him; told him what II was;
that it continued a tale about the whole
world and that when persons learned TO
read it, they could know all affairs which
were gsng on across the blue mountains
and the big rivers, and away over the sea,
as well as the sights they saw every day
before their own doors.
"'Oh ma, won't you teach US how to
read, so we can hear from our old play
places in Missouri p said Peggy, who was
then almost a woman.
The question like 10 have broken ny
heart. remembered how lazy had been
when a girl and The idea was as a
sharp, shooting pain, sP''ting through
my side into my very soul. | wept like
child, till even my own children sirove TO
comfort me. However, my tears did me
good. Tears always relieve The heart
they commonly clear the head also. A
sudden thought struck me-a great plan-
might say holy purpose. 1t seemed
impossible, but | resolved 10 try il. That
night | hurried the young folks off 10 bed,
and, having kindled good pne-knot light.
picked up the newspaper and sat down 10
see if l could make out any thing in II. |
smiled with unspeakable delight on d'scov-
ering tha, still knew all the letters, except
the capitals. Bu, ! soon had cause TO
weep again, for ufer dong my best, and
sitting up till daylight, every line remained
riddle. could not spell ou, the meaning
of a sipgle sentence. About sunrise
new notion entered my head. | determined
to 90 again shortly to Lilie Rock, aud
purchase some primers and sPelilng-books,
which afterwards did. | then began to
learn in earnest. |, was very hard for
while bu, sal up late, after Tom and tho
children we're all asleep, and took my
primer along with me " hen went 10 hunt.
| could study it as | rode. especially ~here
the woods were open, and before | got
within the range of game and then, when
| was resting, after lifting heavy deer
upon my pony, or walking up steep hill
| would pull out of pocket which had
prepared for tha, purpose in the side OF my
dress, and ran over the pages I'LL ! at last
could almost repeat the whole from memo
ry. | ,hen commenced on my large spell
| IUg.UUuh, dilu II III NV S''N W.
All the while | wanted TO be teaching the
children, but was afraid of teaching them
wrong, intending first 10 make myself per-
feet, because | thought that it was not of
any use 10 know anything al all unless one
could know it right.
"While thus engaged, lost hunter
stopped few days at our cabin, and, dis
covering my studies, kindly offered 70 assist
me, then found that | had done well in
no, beginning TO instruct the boys and Peg
~ sooner. had TO mnlearl the Pronun-
citation of great many OF my words that
sounded frighiluIIy when compared with
the correct mode. After got it all straight,
| bought primer for each one Of The chill
dren, and collecting them all together one
Sunday morning, told them that was
going TO teach them how 10 read 1t
would have done your heart good TO see
them they appeared to be running mad
with Joy, for they sill remembered what
had said about the newspaper, and had
leased me much on the subject. Nish
after night they would sit up I'LL twelve,
studying lheir. primers and speiling-books :;
and all day on The Sabbath they tried More
indus,riousIy than ever had done in the
school. room. until al LOST they were ,hro'
both books. But was still ahead Of them
for long before then | had obtained IA
Testament and Tho Life Of Marion, and
had gone over both several times. In this
way taught my dear young ones TO read.
having FIRST of all taught myseli.'
For the literal historical accuracy Of the
foregoing extraordinary facts, we refer 10
Mrs. Holley's book on Texas, where she
refers TO Mrs. Moore, although in her mar
ra,ive she only sets down the initials Of
her name.
And may We not we'll be permitted to
l. r. a, Irk md