Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-03-23
VOLUME XVI.
WIDOW HAWKINS TRIALS.


chance there against starvation, and ye
the Hawkinses had held to it for many gen
erations. There was tradition that "tht
old man of all had been put ON that plact
and compelled to earn living" What
ever may have been the truth of that, i
was certain his descendants had alwayl
shown great attachment to the old home
stead, and would answer any disparaginl
remarks concerning the land by quoting
"Granther Hawkins" who used to say
There's master lot of rock, which
gives the farm a dreadful uneven look
but there's spots where the sils is as gooG
as can be found in this 'ere section"
The present owner and occupants were
the Widow Hawkins and her two sons
Ephraim, man of nearly forty years, and
Solomon, who was "just turned twenty
And these two boys were the source oi
all the poor woman's trials
Not that they were bad, or even ill-dis
posed, but simply trying"
The husband and father had died when
Solomon was babe in arms, and "the
boys had been brought up without any
head" as the widow expressed it.
Ephraim inherited the family name and
most of the honors which had fallen sue
cessively to their share-such as being Sc
Committee" But his father, grandfather
and great grandfather had been Deacons,
and as vet he had not been "chosen," al
though several vacancies had occurred
since his years and experience had rem
dered him eligible to that office.
1t was great trial to the widow, for,
with mothers partiality, she deemed it
fitting that the fathers mantle should fall
upon the son, who was in every way
worthy to follow in the footprints of his
SIRE And another thing "tried" the
widow. Ephraim had never shown any
matrimonial inclination, although his duty
had been faithfully held before him line
upon line, precept upon precept," but
with strange perversity common to human
nature, land 1 should like to add, for the
sake of truth, that it reaches its highest
development in the masculine persuasion, ]
he seemed deaf to her fond entreaties and
blind to his own interests.
Wise and deep were the arguments used
by the widow, but Ephraim would coolly
put on his hat and make his exit in the
middle of her longest sentence. Many
and curious were the traps which she set
for her son, but he never for moment
became entangled in any of them.
Did she invite some of the farmers
daughters to "pass the afternoon and stay
to tea" Ephraim was sure to be absent at
supper time, and Solomon would have the
girls to entertain and "see home" And
and sympathizing with the poor woman
in her trials" seemed to consider it good
fun, and would persist in rehearsing what
the girls said about Ephraim's running
away from them. And many evenings,
when he should have been at home with
his books, or in meeting with his mother,
he would be idling his time away in some
farmers kitchen, in dangerous proximity
to rosy cheeks and flashing eyes, or away
on the ice, where some pretty girl would
cling closely to him, knowing intuitively
that the more helpless and dependent she
seemed, the greater would be the care and
attention given her.
No wonder Mrs. Hawkins used to sigh
and say, If Ephraim ever does get a
wife, and Solomon don't get more'n one, I
shall be thankful"
She had borne, with commendable spirit
and silence the remarks which were made
in her hearing; but there is a limit to hu-
man patience, and it is fact that women
can manage to say most cutting and irri-
tating things to each other under the garb
of sympathy and coincidence
It was at the sewing society, the first
which had "met" since Deacon Ellsbree
had been gathered to his fathers.
Mrs. Smith, with an elongated face, and
voice toned down to the proper key,
said: I felt so bad for you, Sister Haw-
kins, when I heard they was going to pass
your Ephraim by again, and take man
so much younger, and with so little expe-
rience. 1t seems kinder like put
upon you both. and slight upon your
husban' that's now dead and gone, it really
does" And she made desperate effort
to subdue the rising triumph in her voice.
'"Who have they picked out ?" asked the
widow, and she "looked ready to sink, >"
for she had thought, Surely they will take
Ephraim now."
{" It's not settled yet; but they are talk
in bout Carline's husban'," and then she
added, after moments pause, az wish
things had been a leetle different with
Ephraim."
Mrs. Hawkins tried to brace herself to
hear the rest. She was soon accosted with
"Glad to see you out to-day, Sister fHaw.
kins; shows you amt no feeling bout
Ephraim's bein' slighted; we all 'spected
you'd lot on his being chosen, but you see
'twouldn't do, no how"
The pale face flushed, and then she
looked up to find that every eye was upon
her, and every one waiting to see what she
would say.
She spoke up quite unlike herself. "No
I don't see why it wouldn't do; my Eph.
rains as likely man as there is in this
town, and there amt a person with the
right to speak agin him, and that's more'n
can be said of some folks that pear to
stand better chance than him."
1t was pretty still there for minute OF
so, and then Deacon Slocum's wife, who
was hostess on the occasion, said, "Don't
you be 'frontsd, Sister Hawkins, nobody
blames you"
"And who do they blame? Hasn't my
son always walked 'cord'n to his profes.
sion ?"
"Ye-a-s, but you know what the Scrip.
turs say"
"I know good deal that would be 8
rebuke to folks l could mention" But
she tried to smile as she asked, "What
partickler Scriptur do you refer to, Sister
Slocum?"
81 don't know as I can give you the
words straight. heard my husband talk
in it over; twas something bout dea
con havin' wife and children; guess
that they always have to, don't they?"
" 1t ought to be one of the qualifications,
severely remarked Miss Shambley,
lady of uncertain age. And then there
was suppressed litter among the younger
ladies.
With her heart so sore from havins
these two great trials of her life SO ruth
lessly brought before her, in such public
manner, twas no wonder that her reply
should have been given rather sharply.
''Ephraim's been slow maxim up hi
mind; it's his ways" and then with
quick glance at Miss Shambley, ait ain
as if he couldn't get any body to have him
yon know" #Hf
1t was well supper was announced, an,
the attention of the company turned t.
the strength of the tea and the quality O
the cake.
Poor old lady, she was quite bewildere,
with her own thoughts, and she wanted t.
get away from all those pitiless eyes an,
tongues, so she managed to slip out un
perceived, and arrived at home Just a
1.-THE boys" were going to milking, an
to their anxious inquiries as to what wa
the matter, only said she was "tired."
Solomon hurried off to the society, firr
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