The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1880-01-16
The stone BY The Roadside

| AlnufieSR Is sure TO ul}O It's TeWaFus
|
The Stone BY The Roadside.
Where the town of Randolph now
carries Oh its busy traffic, Egbert Ba-
cons farm was once located Egbert
Bacon was my grandfather. His farm
covered more than 700 good acres and
he considered himself wealthy, as he
undoubtedly was. He started in life .
poor boy, and his honest accumulation
was the result of his toll
Grandfather was very peculiar man.
Many persons considered him penurious,
but he was really liberal and from the
fact that his charitses were given in Sc
cresy, people supposed that he never
contributed to good works. 1t was in
his old age land he lived to a great peri
od) that a company of SPECTATORS
bought his land, because of the fine
water power that ran through it, ami
as soon as they erected the mills the
place began to go forward until Bacon's
farm was a thing of the past. recol-
Iect when the first mill was bnilt and
well remember my boyish curiosity il
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 good
friend and counselor when she lett me
Grandfather expected me to be far.
mer but as never had any taste for
hard work my thoughts and inclinatIons
went another way. OF course he was
not at all pleased with my stubbornness
but my good grandm other always
stepped between me and his wrath arc
shielded me from his displeasnre.
The old gentleman was sturdy man
at 20 years He was invariably dressed
in brown clothes a nd wore SO broad 9
brim to his low crowned hat that he
might easily have been taken for &
Quaker at first sight. But get him an
| CRY once (for his irritabili,y was casil.
aroused) aud he would let fly sucl
sharp and vehement sentences that il
was sometimes difficult to imagine that
they were not protane.
I was 10 years old and was deeply
, in love with Sallie Miller, the young
I lady who played the organ at the Cros
Roads Church and was the finest dance
' among all the girls in the country
: Grandfather had conceived a dislk,
for Sally because she was musician
He had no ear for music and was no
ssmoved by concord of sweet sounds,
aud nothing SO quickly excited his ir
as to scrape violin within his hearing
or to strike cord upon the piano.
Much against my grandfather's in
clination he PERMITTED me to enter tn
i, law office of Mr. Smart, as a student
!, Had it not been for the offices of m
grandmother I should not have hat
q the wish of my heart gratified. Bu
she smoothed the way for my grand
6 fathers consent. But he never cease,
r to ridicule me for my pretentions an
! positively refused to give me his consen
!. to marry Sal1ie Miller. Il would nc
have been wise thing in me to eros
the old gentleman's wlims, for wa
4 his heir; and he could have fou1
another without much difficulty, SO
4 never urged my case, but hnmored hir
in every way could think ct.
"What are You thinking about
) father" my grandmother inquired
She always called him by that name
81 was thinking" he slowly replied
: taking the pipe from between his lip
aud dropping both hands upon hi
), knees. ssthat a few years hence, and on
: won't see good old hickory logs burn
inc on the andirons. Stoves and CRATE:
ard that internal coal that makes g
, enough to suffoeate a household, wi
supply the place of our old tashlone
!, fires"
/. / ought to have held my tongue, fo
), he was not speaking to me, but wan
; ed to show off some of my smartnes
d and SO / replied
: sob! my dear sir, there is really n
: occasion for having stovo which pc
!. mits the gas to escape. We have no