Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-02-15

and almost filled the entry with drifted snow
, and hail. AS soon as the candle was lighted
the Doctor cast a woful look toward the doc
and thus addressed his mother.
MY dear madam, can you turn me ort il
this storm! am stranger in this town &
perish in the street. You look like char
table lady--I should not think that yo,
could turn a dog from your house this col,
and stormy night
Don't talk Of chai,y', replied his mother
charity begins at home. 1t your owl
fault not mine, thatyo have tarried SO long
TO DO plain with you sir, do not Ike eithe
your looks or your conduct, and fear you hay,
some design in thus intrudng yourself into
my family
The warmth Of this parley had drawn the
company from the parIor, and by their uni
ted Interference the stranger was permitted
10 lodge in the house; and as no bed coult
be had, he consented to rest in the easy
chair before the parlor fire.
Though the boarders appeared to con fde
in the strangers honesty, it was not 50 with
Mrs Franklin. With suspicious caution she
collected her silver spoons, pepper-boN and
porringer from her closet, and after secur.
ing her parlor door by sticking fork owe
the latch, carried the valuables 10 her cham.
ber, charging the negro man to sleep with
his cl othes on, TO take the great cleaver to
bed with him, and to waken and seize the va
grant at the first noise he should make in
attempting to plunde..
Mrs. Franklin rose before the su n, reused
the domesics, end was quite agreeably sur
prised to find her terrific guest quietly sleep
ing in his chair She awoke him with
cheerful good morning; inquired how he had
rested, and invited him to partakc of her
breakfast, which was always served previ-
ous to that other boarders.
'And pray, er,' said Mrs Franklin, 'as
you appear to be a stranger in Boston, to
what distant country do you belong!
Il belong, madam,io the colonoy Of Penn
sylvania, and reside in Philadelphia
| At he mention of Philadelphia, the Doc
tor declared he for the first time perceived
something like emotion in, her.
Phil.delphia!' said she, while the earn est
anxiety of mother sutTused her eye; 'why
you live in Philadelp pha perhaps you know
ny BENZ
WHO, madam!'
'Den franklin my dear Ben. OH how
would give the world to see him He is til c
dearest son that ever blessed u mother
what! is Ben F.anklin tn, printer, your
son! Why he is my most infinite friend.
He and work together and lodge in the
same room'
"Oh Heaven forgive mel" exclaimed the
| lady, raising her fearful eyes, and have suf-
fered friend of my soh Ben to sleep on this
hard chair, while myself rested on soft
beGl'
Mrs. Franklin then told her unkncwn
guest that though he had been absent from
her ever since he was u child, she could not
fail to know him among thousand strange
facesj for there was a natural feeling in the
breast of every mother, which she knew
would enable her, without the possibility ofa
mistake, to recognise her son in any disguise
he might assume.
Franklin doubted, and took leave to dis
pute his mothers proposition on the power
Of natural feeling. He said he had tried this
natural feeling in his own mother, Il found
1t deficient in the power she ascrlbed to it.
'And did your mother inquired she, mot,
know you! or if she did not seem to know
you, was there not In her kindness to you an
evidence that she saw something in your APP
pearance which was dear to her, SO that she
could not resist treating you with particular
tenderness and affecton!"
mo, indecd,' replied Franklin, 'afe neither
knew me, nor did she treat me with the least
symptom of kindness. She would have turn.
ed me out of doors but for the nterpostion
of strangers. She could hardly be persuaded
to allow me TO sit at her table. | knew
was in my mothers house, and therefore, You
may suppose, when she ptremptorily com
manded me to leave the house | was in no
hurry to obey
"nurely,' interrupted his mother, she could
not have treated you SO unmothcrly without
some cause
Il gave her none, replied the Doctor. 'She
would tell you herself had always been Il
dutiful son-that she doated upon me, and
that when came to her house as stranger,
my behaviour was scrupuously correct and
respectful. 1t was stormy nj ght, and | had
been absent SO long that had become
stranger in the place. told my mother this,
and yet, SO little was she influenced by that
natural feeling of which you speah that she
absolutely refused me bed, and would hard
y suffer what she called my presumption in
taking seat at the table. But this was not
the worst; for no sooner was the supper end
ed than my good mother told me with an air
of solemn earnestness, that must leave her
house.
Franklin then proceeded to describe the
scene at the front duor-the SNOW drift that
came so opportuney into the entry--his up-
peal to her natural feeling as mother-her
unnatura, and unfeeling rejection Of his
prayer-snd, finally, her very reluctant com
pliance with the solicitations Of other per-
sons in his behai-that he be permitted to
sleep on a chair. . .s.
Every word in this touching recital s@ent
home to the heart of Mrs. Franklin, who
could not fail to perceive that it wassa true
narrative OF the events Of the preceding
night in her own house; and while she en-
deavored to esctpe from the self-reproach
| IL lol ,ha aKf nf apl m 0