The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-06-16

brow wore a slight frown, as che thought
how she had aided her husband in amassing
the wealth that was surely his, by practicing
household economies, by avoiding equally
the extremes of meanness and wastefulness,
by constant industry, by scores of hints and
suggestions, gained from her reading, that
applied to the cultivation of the soil had
coined themselves, and spread similar pros
perity about their home; and she rebelled al
this denial of the fruits Of her labors to the
child for whom she lived and hoped.
But entreaty and remonstrance were alike
useless. Mr.. Whately, from being firm be-
came obstinate, and Richard and his mother
were striving to reconcile themselves to the
slow but inevitable delays of an education
earned as gained, when an unforeseen cir
cumstance changed the whole current Of
affairs, and gave the father that opportunity
of relenting for which he had, perhaps, been
longing.
L Mr.. Whately got into dispute with a
neighbor about the dimensions and .conse-
quent value OF lot he had purchased of him,
the neighbor claiming that by actual survey
the field contained larger superfcies than
had been named in the contract, and as the
land was valuable, he was not inclined to
abide by his bargain. There were serious
threats of litigation, and as both men were
obstinate, there was prospect Of consider
able trouble and expense.
The evening that followed the quarrel was
spent by Mr.. Whately in talking over the
matter with his family. He was not dispos-
ed to give up his bargain, nor to yield to the
increased demands of his neighbor. There
had been some legal informalities in conclu-
ding the bargain, which Mr.. Wbately had
intended to set right when opportunity serv'
ed, but which now gave his opponent de-
cided advantage over him. In the meantime
he had ploughed and planted, and there was
now fine and valuable crop growing upon
the disputed field.
81 don't see what you can Go, father
were Dicks last words, as he retired 10 his
room, "except to have the field surveyed
again, and if it turns out to contain the num-
Der Of acres specified in the contract, your
claim will be binding as soon as the papers
are properly executed; and at any rate
you will have figures to oppose to neighbor
MS"
81 know it, boy-I know it. But then
the expense. These fellows that come ant
walk round field with their chains ant
compasses, and levels, and then make few
figures on paper, seem to think because
they've got little larnin' they can charge
US poor tilers Of the soil anything they
please. l wish 7 knew how much lane
there was in the lot, but do hate despe.
rately, to pay out SO much money, ,and then
perhaps lose it and the lot together, after
ALL"
Next morning, long before sunrise, Dick
stood beside his mothers bed. ...
Mother" he whispered in her cor. I"
want little help. want you to give me
the longest line-clothes line or bed cord
in the house and then come with me to thu
N. lot. I'm going to survey it,"
But Dick"
"No time for explanations now. cal
do it if you will help me-will you ?"
In quarter of an hour the pair were or
their way to the field, carrying the cord from
the best spare bed. On the way, Dick ex
planned to his mother, that, as there were nc
lines to run it was only to measure the sides
and angles of the field, when his arithmetic
and the little knowledge of geometry he hat
picked up, partly by her aid, would enable
him to find the actual superfcies.
The field was thus actually surveyed, and
by noon the calculation was placed in Mr..
WIS hands. On the strength of it Mr.. w
resisted his neighber.
1t is not necessary to enter into the lega
points involved in the case. Mr.. Whatell
gained the cause, his neighbor having beer
at the expense Of bringing q surveyor ant
his assistants from the county town only tt
verify Dicks calulations.
Considerable merriment was excite,
through the country by the relation of tht
story of Dick Whately's BEDFORD survey
and his mother submitted to good deal o
jesting about the novel manner of her debu
in "carrying chain" But both mother an
son could we'll afford to pass these matter
lightly, as the affair was the means of indu
cling Mr.. Whately to bestow upon his Sol
liberal aid in obtaining his education.
That he did so, am sure he never regret
ted. He is as proud of his son to-day, as hi
wife can be, and that is saying great deal
seeing that the mothers pride is of mucl
longer standing. Richard Whately, at thir
ty, is the most famous civil engineer in th'
country, and has been engaged, and will b.
engaged, in the laying out and construction
of more railroads and public works, thar
any man of his time. The first fruits Of hi
professional labors, ne devoted to erecting
the long deferred home for his parents, in
style that far surpassed their original plans
1t ia still his home when he is allowed leis
ure for rest, for he is bachelor; and he as
serts that his mother has been to him th'
best "help meet" that man ever had.