Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-08-20

VI Vouloo yOu Will Ut SUI pIlStu Wucu
l tell you that this old cradle, which
has been one of my daily companions
the past year, was made in 1745-in the
fall, which makes it 1872 years old. My
grandmother, who, rest her soul, is dead,
was the first occupant, the very day it
was finished. Seven of her brothers and
sisters, my great uncles and aunts, Occu-
pied 1T. My mother, ami blessed moth
er she was, too, was rocked in 1t, as was
her nine brothers and sisters, my uncles
and aunts. My mothers II children, in
Guiding myself, were rocked in the same
old cradle. Being the first child, 1t fell
to my lot to do great deal of rocking.
Think of me as little girl in home
spun, standing by this cradle and rock
ing rOsy-faced babies. Bless me, If had
penny for each time / have seen this
rock back and forth, could buy dozen
of the best farms in Waukesha county.
Ii do not stick closely to my text you
must overlook it, for you know people
especially ladies-of my age, the giddy
creatures, are apt to be more or less
| Eighty. had five boys and five girls.
They were all rocked in the old cradle
in which their great-grandmOther
grandmother, and mother had found
consolation and slumber times without
number. In accordance with the estab-
lished custom, my eldest daughter came
into possession of it the moment she had
occasion to use cradle, and in it she
rocked eight of my grand children. My
first granddaughter rocked nine little
ones in it, and her first child rocked my
first great, great-grand-child
"AbOut year ago the little one left it,
and begged so hard to have it by my
side the remainder of my days that they
let me have it. When l am not reading,
sleeping, or at my meals, l sit by the
side of the old cradle and recall the
chubby little faces l have seen in it.
think of them as their pOsessOrs grew to
manhood and wOmanhOod, and reflect
upon records they made. Counting visit
ing and neighbOr babies, it has held
more than enough for regiment, in
GLIDING girl babies. Statesmen, soldiers,
judges, and men and women of nearly
these rough boards. But l must not
time enough.
"Three Of my great uncles and two of
my uncles were soldiers under General
Washington in the revolutionary war.
One Of them, a major, was killed at Ger
mantOwn. The others returned to their
Connecticut homes after the war, one
being a colonel, and the others holding
commissions Of some kind. The colonel
served term in congress early in this
century. Only think of it they who de-
Tended our country more than century
ago, and whose bones have been whiten-
ing for many years, were little babies
and slept in this cradle.
-Four of my uncleS were soldiers in
the war of 1912. Two of them fought at
New Orleans under Jackson. One was
a major, two captains, and one lieuten-
ant. The major was an eminent lawyer,
and was supreme court judge in Con-
necticut at the time of his death. One
of the captains was often in the legisla-
ture and served one term as speaker of
the assembly.
"Cne of my brothers and two of my sons
were in the Mexican war. Both of my
boys were wounded at the stOrming of
Mexico. One was captain and the
other lieutenant when they came home.
My brother refused promotion and came
home as he went, a private. My son, the
captain, is lawyer in Cincinnati, and
has been Acknowledgements of Ohio.
The lieutenant served a term in congress
before the war from the same state.
Both are living. They were out here to
visit us last month. IcOuld tell you much
of my daughters, sisters, auntS, and
great aunts, not to mention grand
daughters and great granddaughter,
who have occupied this wonderful old
cradle, but | am sure you do not desire
me to go so fully into particulars.
"In the last war IL of my grandsOns
were soldiers. 1t was hard to have the
fine fellows go, but they were needed,
and would not have prevented their
enlisting had it, been in my power. |
hated slavery, and felt from the start
that the war would kill it; and thank
God. it did. Five of the dear boys never
came home. One was killed while lead
ing his regimentin Gen. Grants attack
on Vicksburg, in June, 1868. Two, cap
tains, were with Reynolds at Gettysburg,
and were captured and taken to Libby
prison, where they died-starved to death.
Another was killed at Lookout mountain,
and the other lost his life at the time of
the mine explosion in front of Peters
burg, Virginia. The other six were
wounded, two of them losing an arm
One was brigadier general, two were
colonies, one a captain, one lieutenant,
and the other sergeant at the close OF
the war. The brigadier general, one OF
the colonies, and the two captains who
starved to death, spent their babyhOOd
or a good part of it, in this old cradle.
"When alone in this room it is easier
for me to recall the faces I've seen in
that cradle than it is for me to keep my
mind from wandering in that direction
so you see have good company when
alone. You now understand why prize
it so highly. No one can tell how much
1 enjoy it.
"Rut wait moment. There are two