Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1878-01-03
The Stone by the Roadside.

w ICl6 ttiC lONH VI ItduuOipl IlOW
carlies on. its busy tralnc, Egbert
Bacon's farm was once located.
EIhert Bacon WAS my father. His
farm covered mere than 100 acres,
and he considered himself wealthy,
as he undoubtedly was. lie started
life poor boy, and his honest &c.
enm&latioa was the result OF his
tou.
Grandfather MSS very peculiar
nan. Many persons considered him
penurious, but he was really liberal;
aad from the fact taut his charities
were given With secrecy, people sup
posed that he never contributed TO
Eo1d works. It WAS in his old age
land he liY-d 10 great peliod) that
n company Of SpIcul4tors bought his
i2nl, because Of the fne water pow
G. nat I'm through it, AMI as soon
rs they erected the mills the place
leGan to So forward until Bacon'S
farm was a thing of the past. l re-
collect when the Grst mill was built,
and l we'll remember my boyish curl
osity 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 /
missed a good friend and counselor
Wien she left me. Grandfather ex-
yected me TO lie farmer, but IL !
never had any taste for hard work.
ny thoughts and lGcliua:ions went
another way. OF course lie was not
at ill pleased with my Stubborness,
mt my grandmother always stepped
between me and his wrath, and
shielded ne much from his displras-
ure.
The old gentleman vas 4 sturdy
man at 20 years. He invariably
dressed in brows clothes. and wore
40 bread g brim to his low-croWned
lat that lie might easily have been
taken for Quaker. But get him
angry once (for his irritability WAS
silly arousedl and he would let fly
such sharJ aad vehement Sentences
that it was SO netimes difficult O.
imagine they were not prJfane.
I WAS 10 years old, aud was deep
in love with Sallie, the young LADY
who played the organ at the C1oi5
Roads Church, and w!s the finest
da.- Ger among all the girls in the
country. Grandfather had conceiv
ed q dislike for Sallie because she
Was q musician. He had no ear for
music. and rs not moved by dis
cord or sweet sounds" and nothing
50 quickly excited his ire as to &c ~ g
violin within his hearing, or strike
Il chord upon piano.
Much against my grandfather's
iGcsin ton, he permitted me to en-
ter the law Office OF Mr.. Smart, as
student. Had it mol been for the
good Offices OF my gfardmo her, !
Should not have hal the wis'l OF nv
heart gratiGed. But she smlothr d
the way for my graldfathcr's con
sent. But ne neyer ceased to ridi
crle NE for my preten5:oas, and pos
ltIVelT foeIS9i - give m MS coa-
sent ID marry SI.he Miller. II
would not have ocsa wise thing in
ine to cross the oil gentleman,
Wins, for I was his h.ic aud hp
coai4 have found another withon,
1:uch difficulty, SO never urged nv
CT e, but humored him in every way |
] could think OF.
" hat are sou thinking about |
father Z" she inquired. Size always |
called him l'y that name.
Il VAS thinking lie slowly re- !
llitd. t&king the pipe from betwee,
his lips and dropping both his hani
upon his knees, that few yeir. !
hence, aid one woA't see good old |
hickory logs burning upon andirous,
stoves and erates, and that sinfernal |
coal that makes enough gas to suffo. |
cate household, will supply the
place # Gun Old fashioned fires"
o'is.t TO haye held my tongue, |
for be was not speaking to me, but I |
wanted 10 s.iuw off soule of my |
sm1ftness, and 80 replied
'Cfl rny d ar sir, there is really !
10 'acc;.@iJa for baEing stove which
permits The gas to escape. We have |
noT cas- con6a ming stoves, and one |
IS lot troubled in the way you sup
plse.''
Pray, Mr.. sm lrtHess, permit me
II inquire how long you have been
possessed of this valuable iaforna.
tion I have known it for some
years. Or rather, have heard 1t said.
tkst these stoves were gac-hurners.
cut It's al lie there's not word
q truth IN it. I've known them TO .
Sea1 out as much gas is would kill
an OK. ii he were confined in the at
mosphere. Now, cir, don't you
fePl like q fool 2O [