The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1866-10-19
A True Story.

lated as a fact Similar cases often occur
in these days, that a parent having given
his all into the hands of his children, is
obliged to spend the remainder of his days
IN poverty and want:
Keep the loaf mder your oocn arm.
At this time there is living at Haerlem
an old man who relates the following re-
markable story Of himself:
He was possessed of pretty good farm
with slaves and everything necessary for a
| farmer at Haerlem, and but ole child, a
son, who marrying, it was agreed that the
young couple should live in the house with
| him, as he was a widower. Things went
exceedingly well for some time when his
son proposed to him, that he should make
over to him his estate, promising to build a
| new house and otherwise improve the farm.
The father through persuasion gave him
deed Of gift of it and everything belonging
| thereto
After few years, as the father grew old,
he grew little fretful and dissatisfied.
while the son, thinking he had nothing
more to expect from him, forgot his tllal
duty, and used him as bad as one OF his
servants. The old man was no longer to
eat his meals at the same table with him
and his wife, but obliged to eat his meals
IN the chimney corner, and continually
otherwise i'll used by them. The old man
eat vitrals daily from a wooden bowl his
son had made for him his grandson saw
his father make this bowl and set about
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 old
as grandfather Although this ought to
have turned his heart and made him reflect,
that as he dealt by his father, he might
expect to be dealt with by his children
when he grew old-it had no effect
upon him, and the i'll usage to the old
man was carried to such height
that he could no longer bear it, but lett the
house and went to relation and nelghbor
Of his, declaring that if his friend could not
help him to get his farm back again he
should be obliged to come and live with
him. His friend said that he might come
and live with him-and if he would follow
his directions he would help him to his es-
tate again. &C.," says he, take this bag
Of dollars, carry it to your room at your
sons, shut it up we'll in your chest, and
about the time you expect they will call you
down to dinner, shut your door and have
all your dollars spread on a table IN the
middle Of the room. When they call you
make a noise with them by sweeping them
on the table into the bag again.
The old man did as he was desired-hls
daughterIn came up to call him to
dinner, and finding the door shut, she had
the curiosity to peep through the key hole
saw the bag Of dollars, and the Old man
sweep them off the table. Surprised at it
she called her husband, but he could not
believe it. The next day lie old man
again counted his dollars, and then packed
up something in paper like papermoney.
HIS son went up to call him down, was
surprised with what his wife had told him.
They took no notice Of it to the old man,
! but when lie came down, insisted on his
sitting at the table with them, and behav-
ed more than ordinary civil towards him.
| The old man related to his friend what he
| had done, who gave him directions what
to do if his son asked him for the money.
After few days the Old man having been
very busy in counting the money again, his
son asked him what money that was he had
been counting Only some money re-
| ceived from the discharge of one of the
bonds had standing out. | expect more
in few days, and fear [ shall be obliged
to take Mr.. Ms farm, upon which I
idNC lHOltSdSc, DIS Hc Is HOI dUIc u
raise the money, and if the farm is
sold it will not fetch as much as will
discharge the mortgage After few days,
the son told the father that he intended to
build a house on the farm and wonld be
glad if his father would let him have the
! money, Yes, child, all that | have is only
coming to you'll intend giving you the
bonds and mortgage that [ have-but then,
| think it will be best to have it put alto
gether in new deed of gift. will get
ncighbor Ito call here and draw a
new one" Accordingly his friend and
cousin who had devised the measure came
to the house, and the son gave the father
the deed that another might be drawn after
it. When the old man got the instrument
into his hand, in the presence of his friend,
he broke off the seal and committed the
writing to the fire saying, Burn cursed
instrument of my folly and misery! and
you, children, as this estate is all my own
again, you must remove Immediate y unless
you will consent to be my tenants. | have
now learned that it is best for parent to
hold the loaf under his own armand that
one father can better maintain ten children
than ten children can one father"