The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-10-01
Pleasures OF Memory.
Boston Saturday Evening Gazette ]


the fOndness with which old age clings
to the reeollections of the past, when
| memory with her magic wand has call
ed up the scenes of years gone by-years
which, rounded and sealed, have lair
since their death in the tomb of eterni.
ty.
We have venerable grand aunt
Mrs. Betsy Parsons-whose unimpair
ed memory thus often delights those ol
Us who revel in the stories of past gen
Grafton, and one day we invited Mr.
Chardon, who is collecting material fol
a forthcoming book, to come over and
see the old lady, and listen to some Of
her old-time stories.
He brought with him Miss Peters Ia
whom he is engaged, and we introduced
them to Aunt Betsy.
"Chardon, Chardon," murmured the
old lady, as she scratched her head re-
Hectively with knitting needle -"lem-
me see. There was Sam Chard'n lived
over to the corner nigh to forty year ago
member he stole some pork outer Dea-
con Haines' cellar-hope 'twant you,
was lit ?"-and the old lady smiled pleas
antly, and Mr.. Chardon. who is about
twenty-six years old and painfully mod
est, blushed violently. as he said that he
didn't remember of ever doing anything
of the kind,
"No-come to think of ii, it couldn't
"a ben yon-this ere Chardon was a
dre'dful hansnm feller, praps twas yer
father. OF mebbe yer uncle" said Aunt
Betsy, placidly, as she resumed her
knitting.
This wasn't very pleasant for Mr..
Chardon, especially as Miss Peters, who
had never been in our vicinity before,
began to look somewh hat dubious, and so
We mildly suggested to the good lady
that Mr.. Chardon, was born in Noble
boro', long way from the corner, and
that he was going to write book.
"Law, yes," said Aurt Betsy, "curi's
] shouldn't "a known We. / was brought
up at Nobleboro', an member now all
about yer family. Yer pa failed, didn't
he, when you was goin' on ter 10 year
old, an Nancy Cousins giv'ye the mitten
on count of it? That was jest afore
you had the scrape with"
just at this terrible crisis, and while
Mr.. Chardon's face seemed as though a
match might be lighted at it, and Miss
Peters maiestically gathered her shawl
around her, we trod on the old lady's
foot with desperate hope that the tide
of recollection might be cut short.
"O-w-w-wp exclaimed Aunt Betsy,
"who's that treadin' on my foot. don't
We know no better?" and she regarded
us with such vindictive glare over her
spectacles that we have no hope of ever
being remembered in her will.
al think, Mr.. Chardon, We had better
be going" said Miss Peters, in an i'm
pressive voice, rising from her seat.
Don't be in such a hurry, Miss
Miss-I don't qnite git your name,"
said our worthy relative.
Peters," We suggested, as the young
lady stood undecided, and the wretched
Mr.. Chardon made frantic effort to
smile pleasantly.
"What, one of the Peterses to Sleeps
cot," said the old lady eagerly, "the're
r'lashuns OF mine."
MY grandfather and father lived in
Sheepscot," said the young lady. frigid-
ly, "but it was very many years ago"
"Bless you child" said Aunt Betsy
contentedly, "I member all bout 'em,
an y'r mother too; she never freckled as
you do, an her teeth was as white as
yourn. Yourn amt false ones, be they?"
said our relative eagerly. to which query
Miss Peters shook her head family,
and said she really must go.
"Why, never see no one in such
hurry" remarked Aunt Betsy, detain-
ing the young lady by her shawl, while
Mr.. Chardon looked as cheerful as
though he had killed some one, show
old be your"
With some hesitation the young lady
mnrmured "23."
"Lemme see," said the old lady, "Sam,
he marri'd yer ma-she was old Billy
Bixby's darter-in forty y-6ve-I MEM
Der p'tickerly N account of Sans borry-
in SO of my husban' to go on honey
moon with: you was born nigh about
year after, an now its seventy-five, an
accordin' to that you mus be lemme
see," and Aunt Betsy commenced count
ing her fingers with mathematical
precision that would speedily have
evolved thirty years from the past, had
we not contrived TO recall her attention
by telling her that Miss Peters was GO
ing, and that she had better say "good
by"
avail. if you must go" said our re-
lative reluctantly, 81 suppose you must.
That's proper pooty dress you're a
wearin'. but what made the drAssmaker
cut it 40 scrimpin? faint big 'nnff
round an it's too tight.
"You amt had fever nor nsthin',
have ye" continued the old lady in a
loud whisper, glancing at The lower part
of the young lady's from, which her
"pull-back" skirt displayed to excellent
advantage, "you look awful thin, yer
Inns aint bigger ronnd than pipe-stems,"
and, shaking hands cordially with Miss
Peters and her escort, with pressing in
vitation for them TO call again soon, our
good Aunt Betsy bade them adoo."
Chardon don't speak to us now, and
Miss Peters looked straight before her as
she passed us On Main street. What
have we done?
POTATOES AT $22, GOLD, A BARREL.
Private dispatches were received in
from Havana week ago announcing
that the edict against the importation of
foreign potatoes into the Island of Cuba