The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1858-11-25
Keep the Staff in Your own Hand.


Keep the Staff in Your own Hand.
There was living at Harlem, an ole
man who related the following story o
himself. He was possessed of a good
farm, With servants aud everything nee
essary for his business, and bad but one
child, son, who having married. it was
agreed that the young couple should live
in the house with the parent, as be was q
widower. Things went exceedingly vel
for some time, when the son proposed to
the parent that he should make over to
him his estate, promising to build new
house and otherwise improve the farm
The father, through persuasion, gave him
deed or gift of it, and everything be-
longing to it.
After q few years, as the father grew
old, he grew little fretful and dissatis
!sied, while the son thinking that he had
nothing more to expect from him, forgot
bis filial duty, and used his father worse
than be did his servants. The old ID an
was no longer permitted to eat at the ta-
bic with bis son and wife, but compelled
to take his meals in the chimney corner
and be continually otherwise i'll used BY
them. The old man ate bis victuals dai.
ly from a wooden bowl, which bis son
made for him. His grandson saw his
father make this bowl, and sat making
just such another.
Being asked by his father what he made
it for, he answered, 'for you to eat out
of when you grow as old as grandfather.
Although this ought to have turned bis
heart, and made him reflect that as he
dealt by his father, he might expect to be
dealt with by his children when be grew
old, still it had DO effect with him, and
the i'll usage was carried to such an ex-
tent, that the old man could no longer
bear it, and left the house and went to a
relation and neighbor of his, declaring,
that if bis friend could not help him to
get his farm back again, be should be o.
bliged to come and live with him.
His friend answered that he might
come and live with hiu, and, if be would
follow his direction, he would help him
to get bis estate again. "Take this bag
of dollars, carry it into your room, at Jour
sons, shut it up well in your chest, and
about the time they will call you to din
ner, shut your door and have all your
dollars spread on the table in the middle
of the room. When they call you make
noise with them by sweeping them into
the bag again"
The bait took Immediately. The wife
peeped through the key hole and saw the
dollars spread out on the table, and told
it to her husband. When the old man
came down they insisted on his sitting at
the table with them, and treated him with
uncommon respect.
The old man related to bis friend what
he had done, who gave him directions
what to do if his son asked the money
from him.
After a few days, the son discovered
the old man very busily engaged in count
ing out his money, and at the next meal
time asked what money it was that be
had been counting.
"Only the money I had received for
the discharge of one Of the bonds l had
standing out. l expect more in few
days, and I fear 1 shall be obliged to
take Mr.. N-'s farm, upon which |
have mortgage, as he is not able to
raise the money, and if the farm is sold
it will not fetch as much as will discharge
the mortgage"
After a few days, the son told the faith
er be intended to build house on the
farm, and would be glad if the father
would let him have the money.
"Yes child, all that / have is coming
to you. / intend gising you the bond
and mortgage / have, but then think it
will be best to put it all together in a new
deed of gift. l will get neighbor L
to call here ard get now"
Accordingly his friend and cousin, who
had devised the scheme, came to the
house, when the son gave the old deed
that another might be drawn from it.
When the old man got the deed in bis
hand, be broke off the seal and commit
ted the writing to the fire, saying:
"Bvni cursed instrument of my folly
and my misery!-and you, my dutiful
children, as this estate is all my own a.
gain. YOU must remove Immediately, uu-
less you be content to become my tenants;
| have learned by sad experience, that it
is best for a parent 10 hold the loaf under
his oaon arnl--and that one father can
better maintain ten children, than ten
children can one father"
The Albany Statesman, sAuding to
candidate for Office, who was defeated in
that city, says he had such an itching for