Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1875-06-26
REMIN IsCEN CEs.
WRITES ron TIKI NAgTixsBrRo IsDrpKsDxsr
BY A BERKELEY BOY.
AARON HIBBARD.

wing been mentioned in my last
chapter, with il taere came we'll
ing up from memory's fountain
some personal "reminiscences Of
him. | cannot do better than give
them while though OF.
II was customary for certain OF
my schooimaies under Mr., SOr-
,elie, al the old Stone Academy on
the hili, i am not sure that / spell
that name correctly to stroll with
me- 10 The country, on Saturdays,
10 steal green apples or rot the
harmless birds of their speekled
eggs. When we CHANGED TO en-
counter the farm of frie nd HiD-
bard in our excursions, / soon
learned from my more experience
ed companions, tina. it was their
rule 10 make an exception in his
favor. When | inquired the rea-
son for this, / was told that the old
gentleman was so good to the boys
that hey couldn't hear to bother
him. If any boy who was not in
this secret commenced a depreda-
ton on his orchard, instead of
hailoing after him in ali angry and
threatening lone, or railing the
dogs as certain other farmers were
tempted to do, Friend Hubbard
would kindly invite the intruder
to his dwelling, assuring him that
he had something there which was
Git to eat. To this he would add
that, when the fruit was ripe, he
would be pleased to see him and
TO give him as many apples as he
could eat.
OF course, such returnings Of
good for evil did not fail of effect.
1t Immediately disarmed the av-
erage "town-boy." AS for the
ripe apples, they were seldom or
never called for. The green ones
were what the boys were AFTER
These would have been all the
more palatable for being stolen,
Just a., the good book represents
"s,olen waters and bread eaten
in secret" to be AT anyrate, the
greener the apples the more they
were craved, seemingly perhaps
because we were forbidden by our
parents to eat the like.
The first time l remember to
have seen Friend Hubbard, was
when i was about IL years old. 1t
was at the old Court House. If l
remember Alright, it was more ele-
waited than its successor-at any
rate, there was stone wall in
front of 1t. There was no paved
sidewalk as before the new one,
and we boys commonly played
marbles in front of 1t While was
SO engaged with some OF my play
mates, a tall, stately and venerable
looking old gentleman mounted
the steps leading to the portico,
that stretched across the front of
the old Temple Of Justice, and
passed through it's sacred portal =
There was an awe about the place
for us youngsters, especially when
Deputy Sheriff Stewart was about,
for we were particularly in dread
of him, because of his stern looks,
as we read them. Hence we sell
dom ventured within the Court
House. But the broad brimmed
hat and shad-bellowed coat Of the
old Quaker were novelties to me,
for / had never seen one of his
sect before My curiosity vas ex-
cited, and | tinidly followed him
into the Court House for the pur-
pose of getting good look at him
He was at once placed on the wit
ness's stand to testify in some suit
wherein one Of his neighbors was
interested. Noticing that he Ike. 4
his hat on while other witnesses
took their hegd-coverings off, and
that he held up his hand, instead
of kissing the Bible, inquired Of
the first boy / saw why the dis
tinctiOn referred to was allowed.
The respondent, who was ragged
but notwithstanding specimen OF
Young America, said.
''Oh, it's bekase ne's sich a good
old man. and they likes him in
there. They knows he'll tell the
truth without swearing y
The legal discrimination in favor
Of the scruples of the Quakers rs
to the usual form of an oath, in
view ofthe "swear-not' injunction
of the good book, was not within
the knowledge Of the gamin who
had undertaken 10 instruct me-
Nor was it necessary to satisfy his
mind, in remembrance of what he
knew of the bearing of Friend Hib-
bard toward the boys at his farm,
where he was wont to exhibit the
Christian graces to even the most
''graceless scampsr that ever rob-
bed q birds nest or stripped a cher