The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1880-10-14
Seven Sisters and Two Brothers.

1OfO, MASS, a LADY, past ninety, the
last member of q large family well
known in the town of Billerica, where
the old homestead, built more than two
hundred years ago, still remains upon
the original farm. Some records of
this family might be easily woven into
romance. There were thirteen chill
dren-nine girls and four boys; ono
died early in youth, three were mar
ried, but seven sisters and two BROTH
ers lived together to an advanced age.
The farm of a hundred acres, girded BY
forests, stretched far away from any
human habitation, wild and beautiful
in its loneliness. Orchard and meadow,
green slope, and fertile valley, with
running brooks, make up still land
goOdly to look upon. Six elms, famous
for their size, shade the wide velvety
lawn.
The house was never painted. The
front door, with it's fat stone step,
faces the south; an end door opens on
the west, while the long gable roof
upon the north-the road side-slopes
down to the low kitchen windows. In
side, the bricks of the big chimney
stand exposed in the hall, like the
bones of q skeleton suddenly revealed.
But the sitting room, with its low beam
and capacious corners, its fireplace and
high mantel of olden time, its broad
hearth suggestive of rollicking mirth in
winter evenings, while the storm
howled outside, rocking and twisting
these giant branches! Seven merry
girls filling that home with the fresh
ness of their youth, the charm of their
middle life and the peacefulness and
contentment of their serene old age.
Why didn't they marry? Tradition
says, that though many a young man
knew that road through the woods, and
many an Old-fashioned. chaise rolled
away in later years, these sisters and
brothers preferred the even tenor of a
single life. Two of them taught school
in their district. The boys titled the
rich acres. for their property was val
liable; the girls wove and spun. and
filled huge chests with blankets. COM
fortables and patch work quilts; knit
white bed spreads of curious designs,
marked hieroglyphic samples, and Kept
up the fame Of spotless housekeepers.
The nephews and nieces, counted by
the dozens, came here to find their WIS.,
its "the best times they ever had"
One by one the family died, and were
buried in row in the ancient grave
yard. Only the youngest sister-a
woman OF seventy-was left. Their
negro servant, who had been brought
up upon the place, and was devoted to
them, reached the end of man, and
went the way of all the earth. Tramps
began to wander by. Their cows were
sometimes driven off and MIXED; gyp-
sy bands would camp fearlessly behind
the trees. Finally, the surviving men,
Der said to a niece who had come to live
with he, "The time has arrived to 60.
I will give you so much to build me q
house. Let me know when it is ready
for use. Select some spot that you like,
but now it must be near other homes.
l will wait here and be the last thing
left.''
They carried out her plans; erected
pretty, convenient cottage, placed in
it her old-fashioned furniture, took
away all the mementoes of brothers
and sisters, and then one evening, near
sun set, leaving the supper table spread
in the new dining room, and the tea
kettle singing on the new stove, they
drove over for her. She was standing
by the dying embers in the old fire.
place, in the empty, desolate. room.
They had all been with her, she said,
the brothers and sisters, as children, as
youths and maidens, as middle-aged
people. as grayhaired and old. they
had waited for the final summons. As
she passed out she exclaimed. SHOW 1
will never come here again." and,
though she lived more than twenty
years after, she never did. remember
her, a tall, dignified woman, in spotless
cap and snowy lace parted on her neck,
with precision learned in the school
room. remarkable for activity, earnest
ness, cordially, and hospitality. The
minister, at her funeral made the we'll
chosen remark, s.She bore her sick
ness with ladylike patience" Not
even the most intense suffering was
allowed to disturb that. And who
knows but her last look came from .
glimpse of that household band, as they
stood waiting to meet her, radiant in
immortal y0uth!-Boston Transcript.