Meigs County telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy [Ohio]) 1848-1859, 1859-07-05

uclSnDOIJ iltu IlItI6 TOOul Wllnl0 ne
mothers with a small white bed, whit,
curtains, pretty carpet, a little Bible afte
she had learned to read, placed on a low
stand, beside which her mother sat anc
taught her beautiful lessons drawn from
the holy book, and knelt in the summer
twilights, and the red gloom Of the winter
evening fires, TO offerup such prayers as
rise from loving mothers heart as she
thanks God for her little one, and Graves
His richest blessings and His shelterina
care on the precious life He has bestowed,
! l had coarse, hard bed in corner oi
my parents room, "to save work" my
mother said, that is the keeping in order
another chamber. Into this | was hurried
early at evening, to be out of the way,
and told to say my prayers, sometimes by
the "help," sometimes by my mother
My mother always gave me kiss when
she laid me i'll bed, for she loved her child,
but she never had time to stay and talk
or pray with me.
She always hurried away to some press
ing or unfinished task, and 1 would lie
sobbing half-deined grief, for though l
longed for something different, there were
ever too few manifestations of affection in
our household for me to be well aware that
it was for loving words, gentle caresses,
tender, thoughtful care, that yearned.
In those days of childhood, though l
was keenly observant, the phase of life ex-
hibited in our household was still dim,
unpleasant problem to me. l used to sit
upon the door sill that faced our neglected
garden, for we did nothing So unprofita-
bIa 4 ba Dc a.
der upon the meaning of my fathers oft
repeated injunction "to save for rainy
day" We had plenty of rainy days, of
course, and /, with child's literal inter-
pretaticn, wondered that when they oc-
CURED l saw no fruits of this long-con-
tnued and pertinacious saving. We lived
az meagerly as ever, and perhaps even
more 50, for we were not liable TO the OBJ
servatIon of chance guests. What could
my father mean? AS grew older un-
derstood the matter better, but with no
greater reconciliation to the means en-
ployed to provide against the dreaded con.
tingency.
AS my parents Il ?vanced in years the
propensity became moIe marked. They
were penurious in all household expenses
that tended toward personal comfort,
though there were some ostentatiOus at
tempts az display. We had always lived
in large house which had comprised
portion Of my mothers inheritance. We
lived in it, | iaucied, for long time
solely because its bequest to my mother
WAS coupled with a proviso that she
should occupy ii and keep it in repair, and
there were other heirs ready to take ad-
vantage Of any failure on her part. 9th
erwise | presume, we should have lived in
a smaller house, and my father woald
have added the difference in the rent TO
his savings.
In my childhood there were many un
furnished rooms in this house, large, high
and dim, and full Of echoing sounds if
foot fell upon their creaking floors, but
when l returned from school these were
handsomely furnished, though not without
many frowns and much complaint from
my father, who informed me, often enough,
that all this expense was incurred that l
might have my chance with the rest Of The
world.
Your mother and l have pinched our
selves, and worked, and saved, all our
lives for you," he would say. "We're
fixing up the old hous for you. If your
grandfather hadn't left you money to pay
for your schoolin' l puldn.L have done
this. But now you're eddicated, you shall
have nice home, and ime by you'll get
married to somebody that's got money
Yis, we've been savin' for you; we'd no.
body else to save for.'
Il thought it was Tor rainy day."
N XIaraH Yopt1x sEUa, IL
come at last, papa?" t.g 'a
"Hush!" Numbered my incensed father,
you'd hetter not let me hear any more of
your mpudence, or it'll be rainy day'
for you, when your old father dies, and |
cuts you off with Shillin' in his will"
1t was soon af.er this conversation, that
he expectation of guests had led my
mother into the usual extravaganza which
called down my fathers wrath, as re-
corded at the commencement of tbs sketch.
AS he walked down the street in the di-
'ection of his store, looked after his
oortly, well-clad figure, for he no longer
iefied public opinion and custom in his
lress and even his back seemed to frown,
10 angry was his air. l sighed as |
hought that my father, a man who
his wealth by hundreds of thou
ands, should have the meanness to make
lis home and family wretched about pit
ful expenditure in food, and then as L
urned and looked upon my mother as
he stood beside the table, with the eager,
nxious look on her wrinkled face, ponder
ng how she should save dinner from
ur costly breakfast, painful as the scene
vas, its ludcrous side caused me to burst
ntO irrepressible laughter.
My mother looked at me with astonish-
1ent. \
"ForpiYe me- / said hnrnhlu nninn