The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-01-14
PESEE.0PES WEB.

PESEE0?ES WEB.
My father and mothor-in-iaw were
sitting one on each side of the open
fire. My father was reading the
Country Gentieman-my mother wa s
knitting mittcn. She usually was
knitting mitten She usually was
knitting either Il mitten, or little red
stocking, or baby's shoe, or wristlet.
or shawl. Her eyes were not good
by gas-light; and a. she was a mana
ger of the Old Ladies home. visitor
at the Orphan Asylum, and friend
and protector to forlorn children in
general, she was never at q loss where
to bestow her knitted goods. Not Z
baby on our square but came into ali
inheritance Of mothers pretty work
as surely as into world of sin and
misery.
Missing the click of the needles. as
one does miss quiet sound to which
the ear has grown used, looked up
Ny mother had laid down her work
and was engaged in tying knots at
different intervals in length o
doubled worsled Nv father haC
dropped his paper, and was regard
ing her with an amused smile, II
which there was a world Of tender
ness and gentleness.
What arc you trying 10 do. moth
er dear ?" said at last.
Il am trying to see whether car
remember how | used to make har
ness" answered the dear old lady
with smile and little sigh. "Nor
the kind they put upon horses" =" she
explained, seeing my puzzled look
but that which belongs to loom"
Il never saw loom, said |.
"Ah, then | can hardly make you
understand. The h. -rness is a very
essential part of an old fashioned
loom"
"Do You know how to weave ~
asked
That she did as well as Penelope
her namesake," said my father, an
swering for her. II think, however,
she would have disposed of the suit
ors more easily than that lady did. .
And my father quoted some Greek
which sounded very nicely, though
didn't understcnd it. The old gen
tleman read the classics a great deal
in the original, and was rather fond
of quoting them, II believe" he
continued after a pause, that / owe
my wife to her skill in weaving"
Tell me about it," said !, glad o!
anything to divert me. You see my
husband was away about his bust
ness as an insurance adjuster, and
there had been so many bad acci-
dents that | could not help being anx-
ious about him.
Yes, do father said my mother.
We'll you must know then" the
old gentleman began, that was an
only child, and my parents naturally
thought deal of me- They moved
from Vermont into the Genesee coun-
try at very early day-indeed my
father was one of the first settlers of
Bloomfield Some day we Will go
back there and see the old place. 1t
was wild enough when they went
there but in my time the wilderness
was subducd and boss0med like
rose. My father farmed two hundred
acres, and owned sugar bush and
petasherv. Potash used to be called
Genessce money in those days, be-
cause the merchants made their re-
miitsnccs to New York and Montreal
in that coin. Well, / always had
turn for books and study, and | was
not more than twelve years old when
my father promised me, that If |
would stay and help him till | was
eighteen, he would send me to col
lege. was very happy iu the pros
pect, for from the moment he said SO.
1 knew the thing was as sure as any
human arrangement could be. so |
went TO school winters, doing my
Latin and Greek with the minister.
and helping on the farm in summer,
ill | was eighteen. My birthday
came in June, and my mother began
directly 10 make my new shirts.
80 Mother said | one day. why
did my father select Dartmouth for
meg'
"' Your father and his brother both
went there, and his folks lived in that
answered my meth
or.
""I never knew my father had
brother, said !, surprised.
My mother started and looked
Then she said impressive
ly: Abner you must never mention
the matter to your father. He never
has spoken his brothers name since he
noI ed out here, and he will not al
low me TO do so. You were named
for your uncle, but then it WAS your
grandfather's name as WELL
But how did it happen?' ? | asked.
What was the cause of the quarrel,
for suppose there was quarrelY
- A girl, of course, said my moth
er with a tone of bitterness very un-
usual with her. Your father thought
there was only one woman in the
world, and that was Penelope Nor
rill; and she thought there was only |
one man in the world, and that was
Abner Hoyt. | don't know how
much she was to blame. Ny sister
Abbey always took her part, and |
said Penelope was oycr-persuaded by |
her folks to say she would have Ma
than. Anyhow, she brokc off her en-
gagement to your father and married
Abner Then your father married
me, and we moved out here. That
is all can tell your
" Did Uncle Abner have any fam
Ily - / aetal flor a eb,.. c;1,.a.