Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1866-08-03

y School MA'm OF FoErr iEARs.-A let
ter from Newpor; in the Providence Journal
says
\ gentleman who was born in Newport. whilst
on short visit to the place Of his birth. remeu-
bered that he vas sent 10 school 10 Marin Jones
when but two years Of age, and that he. and
another child Of about the same age, were fre-
quently, during school hours, placed in a cradle
and rocked by Becky Jones, Marin Jones's
daughter, who assisted her mother in the school.
The impression Of the schoolroom had remained
fresh or his mind. There was a small fireplace
across the angle Of the room, with tiles
on the jams, and the heavy beams on the sides
Of the room were met At the ceiling by other
heavy beams running overhead. This impress
sion he sometimes supposed later ia life was 4
creation Of the mind and had no fouAdation in
reality; but he clung 70 It tenaciously, and At
last had It confirmed, and in this way
Passing up Thames street, he came upon an
old building that he felt confident was the scene
Of his early school days. Pausing to survey it,
ne asked an old man in the neishborhood If
Marm Jones kept a school there forty years ago.
Yes" was the reply, ''and she keeps school
there now She had daughter Becky, who
assisted her in the school; is she still hyinc,-'
ANHs 1aAAA tAlN NAA AAALs Ai-A u Inc same
house. She is the widow Smith. now This
was enough FOR the inquirer; who at once knock
ed at the low door. The rap was answered by
woman past the prime Of life, and he asked.
"Are you Mrs. Smith, formerly Becky Jones,
who kept school here forty years ago with Marin
Jones - ''Yes sir she replied we'll
said he, Il came to school here at that time.
and was then but two years old ''If that Is
So" said the woman, looking ntcutly at hun.
your name must be either Benjamin Long or
George Short, for We had two children Of that
age, and we used to rock them in a cradle when
they were tire" My name is Benjamin
Long," said the gentlemen; IL remember the
rocking, and am snxi0us 10 see your mother and |
the school room
On entering chamber above, to which he /
was conducted, be said at once, this Is the /
school room; there Is the fire place in the angle,
with its tiles. and there are the great beams /
overhead and down the sides Of the ROOM -
Then the old lady, Marin Jones, woman Of |
ninety, came in, who, when asked the same
questions that had been put to the daughter, said,
I'VE had at that time two children placed under
our care. and they were each about two years Of
age, and to keep them quiet We used to rock
them in a cradle. Their names were Benjamin
Long and George Short ''This Is Benjamin
Long," said Becky. The old lady Looked in
credulous for q moment and then exclaimed,
"Why, BENJAMIN, how thou hast changed; for
thou hadst then soft faxen hair and thy com
plexion was fair there must be something in
the air Of New York that has changed its color
and made thee 80 brown The babe she re-
Aembered, but she could not recognize in the
strong and active man the child she had cared
for in its infancy Where will you find another
instance of a school kept for forty years IN one
place and By the same school masm =,