The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1875-12-23
The Stone by the Roadside.

| Where the town OF Randolph now
carries on its busy traffic, Egbert Ba-
cons farm was once located. Egbert
Bacon was my grandfather. His farm
covered more than seven hundred
good acres, and he considered himself
wealthy, as he undoubtedly was. He
started in life poor boy, and his hon.
est accumulation was the result OF his
| toll.
Grandfather was a very peculiar
man. Many persons considered him
penurious, but he was really liberal /;
and from the fact that his charities
were given with secrecy, people sup
posed that he never contributed to
good works. It was in his old age
| land he lived to a great period) that
company of spectators bought his
land, because of the fine water power
that ran through it, and as soon as
they erected mills the place began to
go forward until Bacon's farm was a
thing of the past 1 can recollect
when the first mill vas built, and l
well remember my boylsh curiosity in
watching the mechanics who worked
upon it.
My grandmother was about the
same age as her husband. She did
not long survive his death, and miss
ed good friend and counselor when
she left me. Grandfather expected
me to be farmer, but as 1 never had
q taste for hard work, my thoughts
and inclinations went another way.
OF course, he was not atali pleased
with my stubboTnness, hut my good
grandmother always stepped between
~ Is @akh nd ct, Ta1A A.I "a
much from his displeasure.
The old gentleman was sturdy ms1
at seventy years. He invariably
dressed in brown clothes, and wore so
broad q brim to his low-crOwned hat
that he might easilythave been taken
for Quaker at first sight. But get
him angry once land his irritability
was easily aroused) and he would let
fly such sharp and vehement sem
tences that it was sometimes difficult
to imagine they were not profane.
was nineteen years old, and was
deep in love with Sallie Miller, the
young lady who played the organ at
the Cross Roads Church, and was the
finest dancer among all the girls in
the country. Grandfather had con-
ceived q dislike for Ssllie, because she
was a musician. He had no ear for
music, and "not moved by concord of
sweet sounds, /" and nothing so quickly
excited his ire as to serape violin
within his hearing, or strike chord
upon the piano.
Much against my grandfather's in
elination, he permitted me to enter
the law office of Mr.. Smart, as q
student. Had it not been for the
good offices of my grandmother l
should never had this wish of nay life
gratifled. But she smOothed the way
for my grandfather's consent. But he
never ceased to ridicule me for my
pretensions, and positively refused to
give me his consent to marry Sallie
Miller. 1t would not have been a wise
thing in me to cross the old gentle
mans whims, for 1 was his heir /; and
he could have found another without
much difficulty, so never urged my
case but humored him in every way l
could think of.
Once, when l was at home on brief
leave of absence, We were sitting
around the open fireplace, and there
was a CHEEKY fire of hickory wood.
Grandfather was smoking his pipe,
and alternately looking at the burn
ing logs and my grsndmother's frilled
cap.
tWhat are you thinking about, fs-
ther p she inquired. She always called
him by that name.
Il was thinking lie slowly replied,
taking the pipe from b between his lips,
and dropping both hands upon his
knees, that few years hence, and
one won't see good old hickory logs
burning upon andirons. Stoves and
CRATES, and that Internal coal that
makes gas enough to suffocate house,
hold, will supply the place of our old
fashioned fires.'
/ ought to have held my tongue,
for he was not speaking to me, but l
wanted to show off some of my smart
ness, and so replied:
'Oh my dear sir, there is really no
occasion for having a stove which
permits the gas to escape. We have
now gas-consuming stoves, and one is
not troubled in the way you suppose
shall never forget my grandfath-
er's look as he raised his eyes toward
me and repeated, I'VE have
Pray, Mr.. Emartness, permit me to
inquire how long have you been pos
sessed of this valuable Information q
I lave known it for some years, or
rather have heard 1t said that these
stoves were gas burners, but it's all q
lie there's not 8 word of truth in it,
I've known them to send out as much
gSs as would kill an OK il he were
confined in the atmosphere. Now,
sir, don't you feel like fool p
Come, DOW, father replied my
grandmother, don't be so severe on
the boy , (she called me boy to the
day Of her DEATH; 'he only told you
what he heard, no doubt, and OF
course every one is liable to mistakes,
especially about such matters
That puts me in mind continued
my grandfather, '0f asking you how
you are coming on with your piano.
playing friend +?
i scarcely see her, except on Sun
days.
iHumphu . returned my grandfather
clearing his throat. 1 DIDN'T like the
ejaculation, l had often heard it be.
fore, and 1 regarded it with the same
apprehension that q mariner does ar
ugly cloud that rises up to windward
tHumph . he continued, blowing 8
column of smoke toward the chins
ornaments and the mantle-piece
what are you good for !? He looked
squarely at me as he asked the ques
tion.
He evidently expected a reply, so
: answered MIN by saying that as yet
( didn't know.
! That's candid, at all events he re
! piled. pve been thinking a gooC
deal about you Of late, and it occurre'
; to me that you might make a poo
lawyer after all. And you know wha
q poor lawyer is. You remembe
Simmons, the man that used to boar,
. about upon the farmers during tn
!. summer time Well, he was wha
{. they term poor lawyer. He hadni
brains enough to make his profession
e support him, aud was ready to do writ
ing or saw wood, TO helm TO exc ont