The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1871-05-12
WIDOW HAWKINS TRIALS.


WIDOW HAWKINS TRIALS.
"The old Hawkins estate" was about
as bare, rocky and unpromising a farm
as you could find in all New England.
A Western man wouldn't have taken
single chance there against starvation,
and yet the Hawkinses had held it for
many generations. There was a tradi-
ton that the old man of all had been
put on the place and compelled to earn
a living" Whatever may have been the
truth Of that, it was certain his descen-
dants had always shown attachment to
the old homestead, and would answer
any disparaging remarks concerning the
land by quoting "Granther Hawkins"
of rock, which gives the farm dreadful
uneven look; but theirs spots where the
sile is as good as can be found in this
ere section
The present owners and occupants
were the Widow Hawkins and her two
sons, Ephraim, a man of nearly forty
years, and Solomon, who had 'just
turned twenty" And these two boys"
were the source of all the poor woman's
trials.
Not that they were bad, or even i'll
disposed, 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
successfully to their share, such as being
"Selectman" and member of the
School Committee. But his father, grand
father and great grandfather had been
deacons, and yet he had not been
" chosen although several vacancies
had occurred since his years and expert
ence had rendered him eligible to that
office.
1t was great trial to the widow, fol
with a mothers partially, she deemed
it fitting that the fathers mantle should
fall upon the son, who was in every way
worthy to follow in the footsteps 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. Zine upon line and precept upon
precept," but with the strange perversi
ty common to human nature, land
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 entreates and blind tc
his own interest.
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 she
set for her son, but he never for a mo
ment became entangled in any of them
Did she invite some of the farmers
daughters to "pass the afternoon anC
stay TO tea Ephraim was sure to be alb
sent at supper time, and Solomon would
have the girls to entertain and ''seo
home" And Solomon instead of blam
ing his brother and sympathizing with
the Door mother in cher trials" seemed
/, to consider it good fun, and would per
sist in rehearsing what the girls sale
about Ephraim's running away from
them. And many evenings when he
should have been at home with hi,
books, or in meeting with his mother
he would be idling away his time il
some farmers kitchen, in dangerou,
proximity to rosy cheeks and hashin;
ewes. or away on the ice where som,
pretty girl would cling closely to him
knowing intutively that the more help
less and dependent she seemed the grea
ter would be the care and attention Civ
en- her.
No wonder Mrs. Hawkins used t.
sigh and say, IfEphraim ever does &c
wife and Solomon don't get more'l
one. shall be thankful"
She had borne with commendabl
spirit and silence the remarks which
were made in her hearing, but Their
is a limit to human patience, and it is
fact that women can manage to sa
most cutting and irritating things I
each other under the garb of sympath
and coincidence.
1t was at the sewing society, the frs
which had met since Deacon Ellsbre
had been gathered TO his friends.
Mrs. Smith, with an elongated face
and voice toned down to the prope
key, said: II felt so bad for you, Si'
ter Hawkins, when | heard they wer
going to pass your Ephriam by agar
and take man so much younger an
with so little experience. 1t seem
kinder like slur upon you both and
slight upon your husband that's no'
dead and gone, il really does" An
she made desperate effort to subdu
the rising triumph in her voice.
"Who have they picked out p aske
the widow, and she "looked ready t
sink" for she had thought, surely the
will take Ephraim now"
at is not settled yet, but they ar