Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1857-06-25
" Didn't stunt your growth" said voice

| me and mother held cOrcus, and decided that
| she was getting old, and blind like, and it TUX
! too long, and cost too much to sew up the legs
of my trowsers, and SO put stop to it, and
concluded that six foot five would do for
| fellow that couldn't afford the expensive lux
ury of a wife to make breeeheS for him. 1t
was only love for my mother that stopped my
growth. If I'd had any idea of a sewing ma
chine, there's no telling what / might
| done"
You have so many gold pieces in your
pocket, you can afford to get your trousers
made now. Why don't you and your mother
hold another caucus, and see what you can
do2 If she would let you expand yourself, you
| might sell out to Barnum, and make fortune
| travelling with Tom Thumb, and take the old
| woman along"
Stranger" said the rough, great man, ard
his whole face loomed up with mingled ex-
preston of pain and pride Stranger I spoke
a word here | didn't mean to slightly word,
like, about my mother. | would give all the
gold in my pocket to bring her back for one
hour to look upon this country as it is now.
She had her cabin here when Chicager was no.
where here she raised her boys-she couldn't
give them larnin', but she taught US better
things than books can give: to be honest and
useful, and Industrious The taught US to be
faithful and true to stand by friend, and
be generous to an enemy It's thirty years,
stranger, since we dug her grave by the lake
side with our hands {; and with many a tear
and sob turned ourselves away from the cabin
where where whe had been raised-the In
dians had killed our father long before, and
we'd nothing to keep us-and SO we went
to seek our fortunes My brother, he took
down to st. Louis, and got married down
there som'ers and just went where the wind
blowed, and when I'd scraped money enough
together, came back and bought few acres
of land around my mothers old cabin, for
the place where I'd laid her benes was sacred,
like Wal in the course of time it turned up
right in the middle of Chicagar. | couldn't
stand that loved my old mother too we'll to
let the omnibuses rattle over her grave, so /
come back about fifteen years ago, and quietly
moved her away to the buryin' ground and
then | went back to Texas, and wrote to an
agent arterward to sell my land What cost
few hundred to begin on, l sold for over
for over forty thousand-if I'd kept it till
now, twould been worth ten times that-but
got enough fort. | soon turned that forty
thousand into eighty thousand and that into
twice as much and so on, till | don't care
what I'm worth. | work hard am the same
rough customer remember every day of my
life what my mother taught me never drink
! nor fight wish | didn't swear nor chaw but
them's got to be kind O second natur' like, and
the only thing troubles me is my money-havnt
got no wife nor children, and I'm going now
to hunt up my brother and his folks. If his
! bows is clever and Industrious and amt asham-
! ed of my big boots and old fashioned ways,
and his gals is young women and not ladies
! if they help their mother, and don't put on
MORN two frocks q day, I'd make em rich
every one on 'em.
"Now, gentlemen, 'tant often I'm led to
tell on myself, after this fashion But these
old places, where l trapped when ! was boy
made nae feel like child agin-and just feel
| like tellin' these youngsters about the changes
and chances feller may meet in life, if he on
lv tries to make the most of himself
But, boys" said he, turning to party Of
young men, there's something better than
money Get education. Why, boys, if had
as much larnia' as money could be President
in 1857 just e-a-s-y. Why, could buy up half
the North, and not miss it out of my pile
Bot get larnn don't chaw tobacco don't
take to liquor don't swear and mind your
mtohers-thats the advice of q real live Suck
er and if you mind what say you may be
men land it aint every feller that wears a
goatee and breeches that's man, by long
ways) Foler out her counsels never do a
thing that will make you ashamed to meet her
in Heaven. Why, boys, | never heard my
mothers voice reprovin' me and | never done
a good thing and made a good move, but Pve
seem to hear her say, "that's right, Jack, and
that has been the best of all. Nothln' like
a mother, boys-nothin' like a mother"
All this had passed while waiting to wood,
lust out of Chicago. The great man was
swelling with emotions called up from the
dark shadows of the past his big rough frame
heaved like great blow upon the ocean
Tears sprung to his deep set and earnest eyes
they weed up to the brim-and swan
ronnd asking to be let fall as tributes to his
mothers memory-tributes to the love of the
past. But he choked them down and humming
q snatch of an old ballad he thrust his hands
down into his pockets, walked back to the end
of the car, pulled the gigantic collar OF his
shaggy coat up around his ears, buttoned 1T
close, and leaned back against the window in
silence.
The cars ratified on What a mind was
there what giant intellect, sleeping, buried
away from light and usefulness by rubbish
of prejudice. habit and custom-dOlng but halt
work for want of culture.
"a mute inglorious Milton" or rather Web
ster, going about the world with his own SOUL
vet bound by chaius of ignorance which pre-
cluded his doing but moiety Of the good 1t
lay in his power to do.
All the way through our long, tedious jour
ney, he had been ever on the watch to do good
He gave up his seat by the fire to an Irish
woman and her child and took one farther
back soon young girl seated herself oy MS