Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1855-02-15
MISCELLANEOUS.
ID q CT TOR L II \ N X LIN
AND
MIS- OTuER.

settled opinion, that q mother might, by
kind of instinct of natural affection, recog
nize her children, even though she had los
the recollection of their features. And on
visit to his native town of Boston, he deter
mined to ascertain by experiment whether
his the ory was correct or not.
On a bleak and chilly day in the month o
January, the Doctor, la:e in the afternol
knocked at the door OF his mothers house
and asked to speak with Mrs. Franklin. He
found the old lady knitting before the paro
fire. He introduced himself, and observing
that he understood she entertained travellers
requested lodgings for the night.
She eyed him with that cold look Of disap
probation which most people assume who
imagine themselves insulted by being suppo
sed to exercise an employment which they
deem degree below their real occupation in
life. She assured him he had been misn-
formed-shc did not keep a tavern, nor did
she keep house to entertain strangers. !,
was true, she added, that to oblige some
members of the Legislature, she took q small
number of them into her family during the
session; that she had four members OF the
! Council and si- Of the House of Representa-
tives, 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 us
forcibly as action could, fyou have concluded
your business, the sooner you leave the house
the better. But On the Doctors wrapping
his coat about him, and affecting TO shver,
and observing that the weather was very
cold, she pointed to a chair, and gave him
lsave to warm himself.
The entrance Of boarders prevented all
further conversation. Coffee was soon se-v-
! ed, and he partoOk with the family. To the
coffee, according to the good old custom Of
the times, succeeded plate Of pippns, pies,
and paper OF tobacco, when the whole COM
pany formed a cheerful smoking seini-crcle
before the fir.
Perhaps no man ever possessed coloquial
powcrs to more fascinating degree than
Doctor Franklin, and never was there an oc.
cusion on which he displayed them to better
advantage than tho present one. He drew
the attention Of the company by the solidity Of
his modest remarks, inst uotng them by the
varied, new aid strikr 6 lights in which he
placed his subjects, and delighted them with
apt illustrations and amusing anecdotes.
Thus employed the hours passed merrily
along unit, supper was announced. Mrs.
Franklin, busied with her household utfars,
supposed the iItruding 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 a member of the
family.
Immediately after supper, she called an !
derly gentleman, member of tho Council in
whom she was accustomed to conhde, into
another room, complained bitterly of the
rudeness OF the stranger, told the manner of
hs INTRODUCED on to her house, observed that
he seemed like an outandsh sort of q man.
She thought he had something very susP
cious in his appearance, and she concluded
by soliciting her friends advice as to the way
in which 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 appearances,
gentleman-that, perhaps, being in agreeable
company, lie paid no attention to the late
ness of the hour. He advised her to call the
stranger aside and repeat her inability to
lodge him. She accordingly sent her maid
to him, and with as much complacency as
she could coWmand, she recapitula:ed the
situation other family, observed that it grew
late, and mildly intimated he would do well
to seek for lodgings elsewhere.
The Doctor replied that he would by no
means incommode the family, but with her
leave he would smoke one more pipe with her
boarders. and then retire.
He returned to the company, filled his pipe
and with the first Whit his conversational
powers returned with double force. lie re-
counted the hardships endured by their an
cestors; he extolled their piety, virtue and
devotion to religious freedom. The subject OF
the days debate in the House Of Representa-
tivcs was mentioned Wy one o: the members.
A bill had been introduced to extend the
prerogatives of the royal governor. The
Doctor Immediately joined in the discussion,
supported the colonial rights with new and
forcible arguments, was familiar with the
names Of the influential men in the House
when Dudley was governor; recited their
speeches, and aprlauded their noble defence
of the charter OF rights.
During discourse so appropriately inter-
esting TO the delighted tomp,ny, no wonder
the clock struck eleven uuperceyed by them,
Nor was it wonder that the patience OF
Mrs. franklin became entirely exhausted
She now entered the room and addressed the
Doctor before the whole company, with
warmth OF manner and glowing with deter
minati'n to be her own protectress. She
told him panly that she thought herself i'm
pused on but that she had fiends who would
defend her, and insisted that he should imme-
diately leave the house.
The Doctor made slight apology and de-
liberatsy put Oh aiegreat coat and hat, took
polite leave OF the company, and approached
the street door, attended by the mistress and
lighted by the maid.
| While the nnotor end his damn, n;on. La,