The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1875-03-25
Selerf Sbry.
OUR BOB.

Mrs. Turner was q respectable, quiet,
good tempered, half religious woman; her
bones well clothed with flesh, and her
flesh well clothed with dark printed
gown and heavy shawl, over many under
strata of unseen habiliments. No young
women were more industrious, patient,
afFectionate, than her daughters Jane and
Mary. They were not pretty girls, yet
comely and meek. But mother and
daughters had one cloud which ever
rested over their otherwise sunny home,
one jar in their hearth music one fly in
their odoriferous ointment, one stumbling
block in their even path, one leper in
their camp, one nuisance in their family,
and that was Mr.. Robert Turner, son and
brother, who was known in the family
as "our Bob"
Mrs. Turner was the relict of Robert
Turner, builder and contractor of whom
history is silent. While he lived he was
a bustling, active tradesman, who was
seldom at home, but was ceaselessly NOV
ing to and fro, building bridges, houses,
and every form of structure requiring
stone and lime. He left behind, in ad-
dition to his wife, daughters, and Bob, a
picture of himself, which transmits to
posterity the only authentic information
regarding his outer man. There he re-
mains day and night over the chimney
piece in the parlor. within a gilt frame
pitted by the flies; his black hair combed
over forehead knitted like Peter Bells
with shows" and whens," his sharp cum
ming eyes bright with the vision Of profit
able contracts; and'as for his large, bony,
ugly hands, one of them grasps plan of
his most famous building, parish work
house, while the other holds large
watch, with red ribbon and large seal at
tached as if he feared time would be no
more ere the workhouse was finished.
The family owed nothing to him except
some "debris" secured out ofthe wreck Of
several failures, oCcasioned, as he said,
by his kind-heartedness in signing bills
for friends who never should have been
trusted. His house had been to him
but passing place Of call. Yet Mrs.
Turner had great opinion of Robert
she never called him Bob; and his
daughters were trainel to reverence
"hther," and to put down all his selfish
ness (of which he had abundauce) his
cross temper, and his oft doses ofwhisky
tOddy, to the cares, the necessities, and
unknown mysteries of his craft,
Bob was a strong, healthy, black head
ell, round faced, stout-limbed boy, who
whistled loud, never rested in one place,
demanded meals at all hours, coaxed or
bullied his mother as it suited him,
teased his sisters, slammed the doors,
broke the chairs, and loved himself SUI
premely. His father left his mother to
lake care Of him, and his mother made
over the trust to Bob himself. At his
fathers death she became The sole guar
dian Of the.son and heir. She doated on
Bob, and gratifed her own feelings by
gratifying his. She had not heart, she
said, to find fault with him. Besides of
what use was it to do so? for Bob she
often remarked would always have his
own way. It was very strange and very
wrong, no doubt. But so it was. She'I
could not, indeed, understand it, He was
not like his sisters, ''poOr things" She
knew she was too kind to Bob; in fact,
her indulgence might have melted a
heart of stone, but somehow Bob's heart
was either not stone, or if metal it would
not MELT. 1t was peculiar, and resisted
all the warmth of her maternal down |
She made every sacrifice to secure his
protection. The jelly which she expend-
cd upon him during the year in tithe to
obtain his piOls services, was immense.
But all was in yainl Bob remained the
same Bob, only more intense, if possible,
in his individuality. Her only consola-
ton was the acknowledged impossibility
Of putting an old head on young should |
ers, al d the admitted fact that "boys
would I've boys" and therefore Bob would |
be Bob. He was quite aware of the inn
preston which MS powerful will had |
upou his mother. From his infancy he
was convinced, by series of careful ex-
periments, that to gain any point he had |
only to make himself thoroughly dis
agreeable. No position occupied by his
mother was ever found impregnable.
Perseverance, conquered it in the end.
He had only to vigorously assail it by
eeaseess fusilade oftears, sulks, kicking
of the heels, knocking at the door, with
alndry other imperious or peevish modes.
OAsdemanding immediate submission, and |
the white flag was sure to be waved by |
his mother as a sign of capitulation, and
some genial nicely awarded as peace
offering to the victor
Bob grew up afne-looking young man
as people remarked. He got some sort
of employment as clerk in a counting
hOnse. He dressed WE'LL took lessons on
the flute, and told materially upon the
nerves Of the inhabitants of the upper
and lower flats of the house, not to mem
ton those of his own family. But as
"our Bob" was fond of music he must
cultivate his genius. He also wore a
Glengarry bonnett, andin all respects did,
of course, what other young fellows did.