Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1872-04-03

to his first love, poor Deborah Read.
Her runaway potter was probably
dead, but he might not be; and she
seemed forever cut OFF from marriage
by the fact that her second husband
would be responsible for the debts of
irst. Such was the law Of the period.
franklin plying her foFlorn condi-
tloni always approaching himself as
the cause Of her woe, and not less
fond OF her than before, at last pro-
posed that they snould risk q mar
riage. Nor was the match 30 une-
quail as It seemed, for, bachelor as he
was, he had a son q few months old
upon his hands, which was set of
against the chances of Rogers Te-
appearing. In 1870, seven years after
Miss Read had seen franklin walking
up Market street, eating his roll, they
we're married. Rogers, as il turned
out, was really dead; nor did any of
his creditors apply to Franklin for
payment. The child was taken home
and reared as though Il had been born
to them in wedlOck. He was we'll
educated and afterwards became gov
ernOr Of New Jersey.
The marriage was eminently sue
cessful in every respect. One of
Franklin's mAxims in Poor Richards
Almanac was thus: "a man must
ask his wife to thrive" Nothing
more true. In vain shall a young
man, without much capital, toll and
deny himself, If he has a wife who
squanders his gains, and takes no
interest in his career. Mrs. Franklin
was one of the most industrious,
careful and friendly of women. Be-
sides attending her husbands little
shop, she bought rags, stitched PAM
phlets, folded newspapers, tenderly
nurtured his child and kept her
husband from being extravagant. He
was by no means of an economical
disposition. He was generous to a
fault, and l am sure was much in
debted to his wife for the rapidity
with which he made his fortune. In
the early years of their married life
he could sometimes boast-and he did
boast of it-that he was clothed from
head to foot in garments which his
wife had first woven and then made.
1t seems, however, that she was
not averse to q reasonable degree of
comfort and display. franklin mar
rates that for a long time after his
marriage he had nothing for break
fast but bread and milk, and he used
TO eat it out out of a two-penny earth
en- bowl with pewter spoon.
But" he continued, a. mark how
luxury will enter families, and make
progress in spite of principles.
Being called one morning to break
fast, / found 1t in a china bowl with
a spoon of silver. They had been
bought for me without my know
ledge by my wife, and had cost her
the enormous sum of three and twenty
shillings; for which she had no other
excuse to make but that she thought
her husband deserved a silver spoon
and q china bowl as well as any of
his neighbors."
We have another pleasing glimpse
of Mrs. Franklin in the early years
her married life, in an advertisement
published in Franklin's paper, the
Pennsylvania Gazette. franklin ad-
vertised everything, and this is one
his attempts in that way:
'Taken out Of the pew in the
church, some months since, q COM
mon prayer book, bound in red gilt,
and letters D. f. Deborah FrankIin)
en- each cover. The person who took
it is desired to open it and read the
Eighth Commandment, and after
wards return it into the same pew
again; upon which no further notice
will be TAKEN"
The first great sorrow of her married
life was the death of their first child
a most beautiful and intelligent boy,
fom 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 without a sigh.
When the reader visits the grave of
franklin in Christ Church burying
ground in Philadelphia, he will OBJ
serve near it a little stone, not two
feet high, which Franklin placed
over the grave of this boy. He eadded
TO the usual inscription, these words,
"The-delight of all who knew him."
Their only other child, Sarah, grew
to womanhoOd, inheriting and trans
mitting her mothers beauty.
During the first fifteen years oftheir
married life, Franklin spent most of
mis- time in England, as agent f T the
colonies. Such was her dread for the
ocean, that she never cOul be per-
suaded to accompany him or visit
him. During his absence she took
care of all his affairs, better, in some
than he could have done it
himself
BY almost every ship she sent him
a p1nrinnWN nnrIaa and nflnN
products, and he sent her in return
all sorts Of rare and beautiful things
in fabric and household furniture,
such as sets of china, articles of silver
ware, table cloths, tea trays, blankets,
silk for dresses, and any curious
household implements which he
thought might be useful. On one
occasion he sent her large, hand
some beer jug.
"I fell in love with it,n he told her,
% at first sight, for I thought that it
looked like a fat jolly dame, clean
an6 tidy, with a 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 cups, packed !
IN salt.
During the Stamp Act troubles Of
1906, when the false report reached |
that her husband had |
favored the odious measure, the mob |
threatened to sack his house.
On this occasion she proved herself |
worthy to be the wife Of Pennsyl- /
Yania's representative Governor
entreated her to take refuge /
u his own house at Burlington, and
vi her friends urged her 10 g.J.
For niue days she says, people kept
her to leave her house.
At length she let her daughter go to
but for herself, she would
lot bulge.
"I am sure,D said she, that my
husband has done nothing to hurt
.nybody, nor have I given offence to
my person at all nor will be made
lneasy by anybody. will not stir,
Tor show the least uneasiness. But
f any body comes to disturb me, l
will show proper resentment
And, indeed, she armed and firth
led her house, statiOnihg her brother
nd cousin below with guns and am
and mounting guard up
tajrs herself, prepared to defend her
bcde. The storm blew over, and
cry soon the truth respecting her
conduct was known.
For forty-fOur years Benjamin
rankin and Deborah Read were
nited in marriage.
She lived to see her husband the
.,..k T,,r,o-ad of A uacrfaaua On hrfh