Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes Co., O. [Ohio]) 1870-1895, 1873-10-02

: The pen OF the Huthor and statesm2n,-
l5l The noble and wise of the land.
The loving and motherly woman,
Who'll wisely mold all with her hand:
vi -Rsrai Fep Yorker.
PENELoPE'S WEB.
Ny father and motheri-n-lawl wer
sitting, one on; each side of the opel
fire. My father was reading the. Conn
& try Gentlepsan-my mother was knitting
a mitten., She usually was knittfn.
either mittep, or little red stocking
; For q baby's. Shoe, or wristlet, or.
shawl. Her eyes were not good by gas
light; and, as she was a-managct
of the Old Ladies' Home, visitor a
the Orphan Asylum, and a friend ant
protector to forlorn children in general
she was never at a loss where TO bestou
her knitted goods. Not baby on oul
square but came into an inheritance o.
mothers pretty work as surely as into ,
world of sin and misery. '- -
IL Missing the click of the needles, a;
one does. miss a quiet sound to which
the ear has grown used, 1 looked up
My mother had laid down her work
and was engaged in tying knots at diff
ferent intervals in 4 length of doubled
worsted. My father had dropped hi:
paper, and was regarding her with an
amused smile, in which there was l.. a
world Of tenderness and gentleness.
"What are you trying to do, mother,
dear? ?" said I, at last. ''
II am trying to see whether l can re-
member how I used to make harness?'
answered the dear old lady, with smile
and little sigh. "Not the kind they
put upon horses!" she explained, see
ing my puzzled look; "but that which
belongs to a loom.v .--. q.
+ 81 never saw a loom!!" said 1.
"Ah, then can hardly make you un-
derstand. The harness is a very essen
tial part of an old-fashioned loom"
'Did you know how to weave" 1
asked.
"That she did, as well as Penelope
her namesakei' said my father, answer
ing for her. II think, however, she
would have disposed Of the suftors more
easily than that lady did," And my
father quoted some Greek which SCUM
ded very nicely though I didn't under
stand it, The old gentleman read the
classics a great dealin the original, and
was rather fond of quoting them. 81
believe . he continued, after pause
''that 1 owe my wife to her skill in
weaving"
"Tell me about it," said i, glad of
anything to divert me. Hou see my
husband was away about his business
as an insurance adjuster, and there had
been so many bad accidents that could
not help being anxious about him.
"Yes, do father." said my mother.
Swell, you must know, then," the old
gentleman began; "that 1 was an only
child, and my parents naturally thought
a deal Of me. They moved from Yer
mont in the Genesee country at very
carly day-indeed my father was one of
the first settlers OF Bloomfield, Some
day We will so back there, and see the
old place. 1t was wild enough when
they went there; but in my time the
wilderness was subdued, and blossoned
like the rose. My father farmed two
hundred acres, and owned sugar-bush
and a potashery. Potash used to be
called Genesee money in those days, be-
cause the merchants made their remit
tances to New York and Montreal in
that coin. Well, always had turn
for books and study. and 1 was not
more than twelve years old when nv
father promised nae, that if 1 would stay
and help him till 1 was eighteen, he
would send me to college. 1 was very
happy in the prospect, for from the mo-
ment he said SO, 1 knew the thing as
sure as any human arrangement can be.
So went to school winters, doing my
Latin and Greek with the minister, and
helping on the farm in summer, till
was eighteen. My birthday came in
June, and mother began directly to make
my new shirts.
"Motherw said 1, one day; "why, did
my father select Dartmouth for me?'
"Your father and his brother both
went there, and his folks lived in that
neighborhood," answered my mother.
s"I never knew my father had broth
er!" said I, surprised.
Z f'My mother started, and looked
troubled. Then she said, impressively:
Abner, you must never mention the
matter to your father. He never has
spoken his brothers name since he
moved out here, and he will not allow
me to do so. You were named for your
uncle, but then it was your grandfa-
theirs name as WE'LL"
"But how did it happen ?" asked.
|"What was the cause of the quarrel, for
Il suppose there was quarrel?"
"A girl, of course!" said my mother,
with a tone. of bitterness very; unusual
with her. "Your father thought there
was only one woman in the world, and
that was Penelope Morril; and she
thought there was only one man in the
world, land that was Abner Hoyt. 1 don't
know how much she was to blame. My
sister Abbey always took her part, and
said Penelope was over-persuaded by
her folks to say she would have Nathan.
Anyhow, she broke off her engagement
to your father andmarried Abner. Then
your father: married me, and we moved
out here. That is all know 49,. ~
.aDid Uncle Abner have any family ?"
/ asked, after a short silence.
81 believe he had. They moved away
from the place, and both he and his wife
died young. Abbey always kept up her
friendship with Penelope; but l asked
her never to say anything about them
in her letters. When you ain Ver-
mont, Abner, you must 60 to seeeAunt
Abbey" .s..-.-s ...--....-..-l --. ..
L