Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1876-10-19
GRANDMOTHER'S REMINIS.
CENCES.

"a decided success, except the po-
tatoes," was Anna Holworthy's ver-
dict in regard to her centennial din
ner. as she and John, and Grand
mother Tyrell sat and slipped the ice
cream which made its crowning
glory. 'eYou need not try and look
as if you did not mind, john" she
added, trying to frown sternly at her
husband of a week. "You know
that those potatoes were all Jumps,
and the egg on the top wouldn't
brown, do what | would"
"Pm satisfied" said John, cheerily.
"It's grandma's duty to say some
thing unkind. She promised to love,
honor, and be a mother-in-law to me,
and America expects every woman
to do her duty in this centen--"
"Now, Johnr' demonstrated Anna,
while Grandmother Tyrrell smiled
placidly and said: 81 never object
ed to potatoes, however badly cook
ed, John, for I never can see one
without thinking of the days when
1 used to cry because there was no.
thing to eat but potatoes and milk,
and my sister Mary cried because
there wasn't enough of that"
"Was that during the WARP asked
John.
"Not exactly. You forget that I
shall not he a centenarian, as you
call it, for five years. Why, mother
used to tell me, though, that our
hard times were nothing to those
that she saw in the war. While
Grandfather Tyrrell was away she
took care of us little ones almost
without any help. His pay was but
scanty, at best; and after the Cont
mental money deprecated it would
not have been worth sending home,
even had he not needed every cent of
it to keep him alive. Mother spun,
and wove, and sewed--not only for
herself, but for her neighbors; and
titled our little garden patch with
her own hands; aud cut hay for the
one cow that was our mainstay and
support; and put on brave face
when father was home on leave, and
said that she was doing very well.
But she broke down at last, and
when he was discharged and came
back to Berwick she had been
obliged to sell our little house, and
we were all huddled together in what
Anna would call a hut-a little
square one-roomed place, with door
and two windows and a chimney,
just like those shoe-shops that
you'll see down in Essex County. II
was not much of a welcome for re
turned patriot, was it? 1t seemed te
discourage father; and my sister
Mary has often told me how he
turned white and sat down and
groaned aloud when he first looked
around the poor room. / was only
two years old then, and do not re
member much of that; but 1 neve
shall forget the day, three years af
ter, when he died. He never wa
well after he came home. An oil,
wound opened again and again ant
again and kept him weak; and final
" he overworked himself in the hay
field one summer day, and the en-
came,
"He lay on the high bed that me
ther had pulled out in the middle @
the room to give him air, and one b
one she lifted up us children to hea
his last words. They were not yer
grand or impressiye-we were onl
common people; but they were kin
and true and loving, and, a
though the Oldest of US five was bu
twelve years old we all felt the fore
of what he said and wept. Then b
bade my mother good-by. The
were still young Che was but thirty
three and she not yet thirty J, and