Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1866-02-08

| Father ploddeu along Oh sAdI wages, anu
had remote hope of reaching the cabin.
when ashore, he lounged in his round
/ jacket, and kept on loving my mother, who
waited in patience for turn in the long
lane of their courtship. She snubbed Uncle
Zeb whenever she had a chance, and always
| inquired about father, Of him, by the name
of Esau. Grandfather, as well as Uncle
Zeb, grew comfortably rich. His invest
ments in sloOps and schosners were fortu-
nate ones, and he talked Of buying a ship to
fit out for whaler. Feeling the need of a
helper, FOR the first time in his life he turned
his attention toward his youngest son, who
was then at home, waiting for Captain
| Southerd to harvest his turnips. A propo-
sal of partnership was made to father, which
he accepted; and thus his sea life ended.
He was married at once, and he and mother
took to housekeeping with one feather-bed,
| six small silver spoons, and a hearty affec-
ton for each other. Father applied himself
to business, and the house that was thus
| founded became in few years one CT the
richest and most influential in our part OF
the ceuary. Grandfather very soon saw
| that it would only be necessary for him to
take his share Of the profits, and that he
could safely give up all business matters to
his partner.
Ia year from the date of their marriage
/ was born, and at the time of Uncle Zeb's
arrival from Liverpool with my COW and
calf, was five years old. That voyage was
the last one that Uncle Zeb made. Finding
us prosperous, he concluded to retire from
| business. He invested his money outside of
the family interest, but considerably took
up his abode with grandfather, and INDUCED
grandmother with the care of him. He occu-
pied himself with watching the domestic
and business transactions of the house of
A. G. & Son, and banking his money as fast
as it came in. 4a -a aea
For few years cannot remember mach
concerning Uncle Zeb; the traits l recall
belong to my present knowledge of him.
| When went to school, it was one of my re-
creations to go to grandfather's to dinner at
midday, and one of my miseries to sit next
to Uncle Zeb at the table. His dog, "Die,"
squatted on the other side of him. We had
to wait till Uncle Zeb was carefully helped,
by himself, to all the best bits on the table
Then he would give Die titbit, making her
snap her jaws for it, and then one to me
A snarling was kept up between him and
the dog through the whole meal.
He would not have the potatoes on the
table they must be kept hot on the kitchen
frey so grandmother sat fork in hand, watch
ing him; when he wanted one, she fshed it
| from the kettle, and he ate it scalding hot,
with noise. Grandmother occupied a child's
high chair, and .wore a black satin hood
over her high crowned cap. She never
dined or supped till after Uncle Zeb and
had the best of times after he and Die had
retired from the table, Grandmother took
excellent care of her graceless son. He
wore rufled cambria shirts; and many an
afternoon when the SUMS rays slanted
through the narrow kitchen windows, and
made her resemble, in her shining specta-
Giles, an owl, have [ seen her laboriously
plat his ruffies with q case-knIfe. On Sun
days she combed his hair; it was fine and
straight, and Of the color Of wet sand. 1t
was unchanged to the day of his death. On
Sunday afternoon he went to church in a
great camlet cloak, and carried cane with
leather tassals. He listened to the sermon
with an air of respect, and broke grand
mothers heart with deriding it after he got
home.
Now and then he had visitsr-some
piratical looking captain or foreign mer-
chant; the visitor was never introduced to
any of the household, but was entertained in
the parlor with tumblers of red wine and
eQuivocal stories. AS he never minded
whether I came or went, / sometimes had
the benefit of the latter. His laughter always
arrested me; it contradicted him, it was 80
racy and hearty. His teeth glittered in his
sardonic face, and lighted it up; they were
long, white, and regular, and like his hair
they never changed.
Two visits per diem were Uncle Zeb's
allowance at our house. The first was made
an hour or so after dinner, when he loitered
in the kitchen, and tickled the servant
the servant girls or poked them with his
cane. Afterward, with his hat in his hand,
he sought mother, and however long his
stay, he held his cane and hat as if on
visit CT ceremony. He talked well; he was
sarcastic and witty, and never bored any
body. The second visit was made after sup
per, when father was at home. There was
no confidence between the brothers, and no
sympathy; but they passed cigars to each
other, and enveloped themselves in clouds
of smoke, and discoursed through it on COM
monplace subjects.
AS soon as 1 was fedged, was sent to
boarding school. My vacations were short,
and / did not observe what went on at
home; things seemed to run smoothly in
the grooves Of habit. | accepted appear
ances for realities. The business of A. G..
& Son had greatly increased. All the year
through, their ships were arriving in port,
or were fitting for sea. Our household was
gay one, and grandfather's house was full
Of corners and goers. He knew little of the
private affairs Of the concern, but smoked
his pipe, and burnt holes with its falling
ashes in his fine blue pantaloons, in peace
and tranquility. Uncle Zeb had given up
ruffied Shirts and had taken to Marryatt $
novels. He neither bought nor sold; he
never gave advice, or asked an opinion. He
had habit of going to funerals, but he
went in cheerful state of mind, as if the
deceased had done him a favor by dying.
He was respected as moneyed man. The
world admires what it dare not be q con-
sistent, selfish skeptic; and our little world
gave its admiration to my hard-headed
Uncle Zeb. He was cautious, because he
was cold-prudent, because he was indiffer-
ent. As token of the respect Of his towns
men, he was elected representative, and had
seat in the State House for several years.
He brought home great many volumes of
revised statutes, which Grandmother stored
in the garnet, with the dried herbs. What
he did as a member Of the honorable body
of representatives nobody knew. He only
spoke of the toughness of the pie-crust, and
the hardness of his bed at his boarding
house.
When I was eighteen left school and
came home for good. l was the only young
woman in the family connection, and was
considered worthy of much attention. Uncle
Zeb, however, did not like me- He had his
way of exasperating me- He always talked
as if he knew that must know that virtue
was only pretence. 1t was game we