The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1879-01-11
ENSIGN Ransom.

scarcely remember the starting point OF
our conversation, Though It's scenes rise up be
fore me wildly us memory touches those mag
ic plates which she keeps stored up in her
mysterious chamber.
There were several young people Z, thered
IN Mrs. Mathis 'parlor." Pronahy there
was not another old lady in London al such
a"parlor" From the long deep VIVA, VS., the
sloping walls, the low ceiling, and the carp
ing OF birds, TO say nothing OF the scent OF wall
flowers and musk, one tancicd ones self in the
ground iioor apartment OF some quaint coun
try cottage. La Tact, it was II room ON the top
most story of u grand old house in an old CITY
square.
In that house Mrs. Martin had spent the last
happy married days ol her early womanhood,
end there it WAS her wish to remain Till she
died. TIE house was far too large and too
costly Tor widowed woman ; sole occupation,
and 80 she had rctrcatcd up and up, unlil ) G
had reached solitude and Il silence Nuch la,
occupant OF many country lligh-s.rcet mi "a,
nave en'lcd. n perfect curiosity Was her lit
tic habtation, lis walls co / with pictures.
IT. corners bright with danny old china, liz
whole rcpctc with every simple comfort Til,
old lady herself rarely went out now but SHE
did not lack visitors. Tncrc were some win
great names and great powers who, in The
world OF fashion, found NO temptation to forge
their old friend; and there were many more,
bright sauy lads, and sweet, enthusiastic,
girls, who found with her II refuge aud Il resi-
"herc tlIcy couiu fiuller their lncipicnt wings
safely aud happily.
| can only remember that at that time, some
great trial was running It's course, and all En-.
land WAS C yer for the sight of the evening pa
pers, which one oi lis had brought IN, and Tia,
contents "f which we had all been eagerly dis
cusslng, rashly giving our d'crru Judgments
on points over which the jury of twclv, "gop
men ana rue would have u spend many a.
hour ot weary considerations
one Wltlcss came In lOrOur special animal.
version. Ia her cross examination some dues
ton had been put Ia her which she had dcrlin
ti Z" answer, ANA ON appealing To the JUDI,
whether she was compelled Ia do SO, had r..
ccved An answer IN the negative
We all know what thal means" was ia,
dlcium OF our Juvenile leader IN which we a. ,
heartily Cuncurrcd. III what she musl huv,
answered would have been To her credit, slI,
WOULD not nave heslittcd whether the question
was Jusliiable or mol We may he sure tina
her answer would probably have evoked som,
iurther qucs ion, with Results still more dis
creiitabe to her"
There was quite lIlllc chorus of assent %,
thi7 point; only Mrs. Martin was quite silcnr
and gave her knlting-ncedlcs "A peculiar shit
winch We tad long learned 10 recognize .,
what would 1e described in parliamentary Ian
SudSe AS "murinurs Ol dissent"
'Dunt yoi think ~. too" asked one of lis
turning 30 the old lady with that ,lelercn,,
which we always felt Ia he due To her. eycl
when her wisdom differed from that of ou.
contemporary solomon.
Ny dear, IL may he so-but It may moi,
she answered. Il know little story ON TN,
very point / knew gentleman WHO Wa
present when the incident happened"
We we're all attention. A story was not I.
be slighled, even when told to prove ourselve,
in the wrong.
We'll" said Mrs. Martin, many years lack
long before ! was born, and that is nearly sixi,
years ago. young man came out of "A ii,tl
house at The eastern end of a town by the se,
There was plenty of life and gayciy at the 9th.
er end of the Town, which was enlivened d,
one or two barracks. Il fort aud castle. Bal
the eastern nd was very poor. and would hav,
been quit 10 Iely but for the fi-iicrmen ami
their boats. The bolse from whic the young
ass, cane was beyond even this hOmely bus