Volcano weekly ledger., 1855-10-27
Curious Anecdote about Or. Franklin and
his Mother.

Ii was an idea Of Doctor Franklin not a
settled opinion, that mother might, by a
Kind OF instinct of natural Affection recog-
nize her children, even though she had lost
The recollection of their features; and on
visit TO his native town of Boston, he deter
1 mined TO ascertain by experiment whether his
theory was correct or not
On bleak and chilly day in the month Of
January, the Doctor, late in the afternoon,
knocked on the door of his mothers house
and asked to saeak with Mrs Franklin. He
found the old 10 knitting before the parlor
/ fire. He intr ed himself, and obsers ne
that he underTis'cd she entertained travellers.
requested lodging for the night
She eyed him with that cold look of disap-
probation which most people assume who i'm
agine themselves insuted by being supposed
TO exercise an employment which they deem
a degree below their real occupation in life
She assured him he had been misinformed-
she did not keep a tavern, nor did she keep
house to entertain strangers 1t was true.
she added, that to obiige some members of the
Legislature, she took a small number of them
into her family during the session; that she
had four members of the Council and six of
the House of Representatives, who then
boarded with her, and that all her beds were
| full.
Having said this, she resumed her knitting
with that intense application which said, as
forcibly as action could, il you have conclu-
ded your business, the sooner you leave the
house the better But on the Doctors wrap
ping his coat about him, affecting to shiyer,
and observing that the weather was very
cold, she pointed to a chair, and gave him
leave to warm himself
The entrance Of boarders prevented all fur
ther conversation. Cofres was soon served,
and he partook with the family. To the
coffee, according to the good old custom of
the times, succeeded plate Of pippins and a
paper of tobacco, when the whole company
formed a cheerful semi-eirele before the fire.
Perhaps no man ever possessed colloquial
powers in a more fascinating degree than DIR.
Franklin, and never was there an occasion on
which he displayed them to better advantage
thar the present one He drew the atten-
lion of the company by the soIidity of his
modest remarks, instructing them by the
varied, new and striking lights in which he
placed his subjects and delighted them with
apt illustrations and amusing anecdotes.
I Illus employed the hours passed merily
along, until supper vas announced. Mrs.
Franklin, busted with her household affairs,
supposed the intruding stranger had left the
house Immediately after coffee, and it was
with difficulty she saw him seat himself at
the table with the freedom of the family
immediately after supper she called an el-
DERBY gentleman, a member Of the Council, in
whom she was accustomed TO conhde, in an
other room, complained bitterly of the rude
ness Of the stranger, told the manner Of his
Introduction to her house, observed that he
seemed an outlandish sort of man. She
thought he had something very suspicious in
his appearance and she concluded by soliciting
her friends advice as 10 the way she could
most easily rid herself of his presence. The
old gentleman assured her that the stranger
was surely young man of good education,
and, to all appearance, gentleman-th
perhaps, being IN agreeable company, he paid
no attention to the lateness of the hour. He
advised her TO call the stranger aside and re-
peat her inability TO lodge him. She accord
ingly sent her maid to him, and with as much
complacency as she could command she reca-
pitulated the situation of her family observed
that it grew late, and mildly intimated he
would do well to seek lodgings
The Doctor replied that he would by no
means incommode her family, but with her
leave he would smoke one more pipe with her
hoarders and then retire.
He returned to the company, filed his pipe, !
and with the FIRST Whit his conversational
powers returned with double force. He re-
counted the hardships endured by their an.
cestors; he cxtoled their piety, virtue and
devotion to religious freedom. The subject
Of the days debate in the Hohse OF Rcprc-
sentatives was mentioned by one Of the mem
bers. A bill had been introduced to extend
the perogatives Of the royal governor The
Doctor Immediately joined in the discussion,
supported the colonial rights with new and
forclble arguments, was familiar with names
Of the influential inen in the House when
Dudley was Governor; rccited their speeches,
-snd applauded their noble defence of the
character of rights
During a discourse so appropriately inter-
esting 20 the delighted company, no wonder
the clock struck eleven unperceiyed by them.
Nor was il wonder that the patience of
Mrs. Franklin became entirely exhausted.
She now entered the room and addressed the
Doctor before the whole company with O.
warmth glowing with determination to be
her Own protectress She told him plainly
that she thought herself imposed on, but that
she had friends who would defend her, and In
sisted that he should Immediately leave the
house.
Tho Doctor made n sIight aYolovv and do