The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-02-15
,"Taken out of a pew in the church,

Taken out of a pew in the church,
some months since, Common Prayer
Book, bound in red. gilt, and lettered d.
L. Deborah Frankiin) on each cover.
The person who took it is desired to open
it and read the Eighth Commandment,
and afterwards return it in the same
pew again upon which no further no
tice will be taken"
The first great sorrow of her married
life was the death of their first child, a
most beautiful and intelligent boy, four
years of age. So engaging was he, and
so rooted in the hearts of his parents
that Franklin declared, thirty-six years
after, he could never think of him even
then without a sigh. When the reader
visits the grave of Franklin in Christ
Church burying ground he will observe
near it little stone, not two feet high,
which Franklin placed over the grave OF
his boy. He added to the usual inscrip-
ton these words I" The delight of all
who knew him." Their only other child,
Sarah, grew to womanhood, inheriting
and transmitting her mothers beauty.
During the last fifteen years of their
married life Franklin spent most of his
time in England, as agent for the Colon
les. Such was her dread of the ocean
that she never could be persuaded to ac-
company him or visit him. During his
absence she took care of all his affairs,
better, in some respects, than he could
have done it himself BY almost every
ship she sent him American nuts, ap-
Piles, and other products, and he sent her
in return all sorts of rare and beautiful
| g Il g., D.,
such as sets of china, articles of silver
ware, table-cloths, tea trays, blankets,
silk for dresses, and any curious house.
hold implement which he thought
might be useful On one occasion he
sent her large, handsome beer jug.
"I fell in love with it," he told her,
at first sight, for thought that it look
ed like fat, jolly dame, clean and tidy,
with neat blue and calico gown on,
good-natured and lovely, and put me in
mind of-somebody."
TO make the jug more welcome, he
filled it with pretty little coffee cups,
packed in salt.
During the Stamp Act troubles of
1I65, when the false report reached
Philadelphia that her husband had IA
vored the odious measure, the mob
threatened to sack his house. On this
occasion she proved herself worthy to be
the wife of Pennsylvania representa-
tive. Gov. erankln entreated her to
take refuge in his own house at Burling-
ton, and all lrer friends urged her to go.
For nine days, she says, people kept
persuading her to leave her house. At
length, she le her daughter go to Bur-
| lington; but or herself, she would not
bulge. -e -'.
[ am very sure" said she, that my
husband has done nothing to hurt any
body, nor have l given any offense to
any person at all, nor will L be made
uneasy by anybody. 1 will not stir, nor
show the least uneasiness. But if any
body comes to disturb me, I will show
a proper resentment"
And, indeed, she armed and fortified
her house, stationing her brother and
cousin below with guns and ammuni-
tion, and mounting guard upstairs her.
self, prepared to defend her abode. The
storm blew over, and very soon the truth
respecting her husbands conduct was
known.
For forty-fve years Benjamin Frank
lin and Deborah Read were united in
marriage.
She lived to see her husband the most
honored of Americans on both CONT
nents, and she lived also to see her daugh-
ter suitably married to merchant of
Philadelphia, Richard Bache. Her last
years were greatly cheered by her beau
tiful grandchildren.
She had the happiness of escaping the
anxieties and terrors of the Revolution
airy War. She died in December, 1774,
with only one regret, that she could not
live to see her husband once again. In
deed, she had been for ten years longing
and pining for his return but the press
ing business of the Colonies still detain-
ed him, and she died at last when he
was making his preparations for his
homeward voyage. Her body was borne
to the grave by some of Franklin's old
est friends, men who had known them
when, Al years before, they had begun
housekeeping, and ate their breakfast of
bread and milk from Eastern bowls.
There were scarcely any women at
that period who were what we now call
educated, and the letters of Mrs Frank
lin show that she was not gifted in the
use of the pen.
But she was faithful and atfectionate
wife, friend and helpmeet to her hus-
band, who was enabled to devote him
self to the public service because he had
at home wife competent and willing
to take charge Of his affairs in his alb
sence.- Woods Household Nagdzine for
January.