Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1881-08-20
A WONDERFUL OLD CRADLE.
BY ]. A. WATROUS.
From the Oshkosh Northwestern


the length of match, but not as large
and comedy, 1t has been there several
years. Its history is well worth record
ing.
Three years ago last summer l accept
ed an invitation from my friend Will
liams, who then resided and still resides
in the northern part of Waukesha cOun-
ty. on the eastern shore of one of those
charming little lakes which has done so
much TO make the county famous as a
summer resort. 1t was a delightful
spot, and Mr.. and Mrs Williams, whom l
had known for some years, are delight
full people. The promise that my stay
would be pleasant one was all that any
reasonable mortal could expect.
After dinner my friend conducted me
to room away from the noise and con-
fusion incident to portion of every
farmers house and introduced me to his
mother, called Grandma" by the family,
and who was referred to byeithe family
as Grandma Williams"
Only the day before my new-fOund
venerable friend entered upon the 92d
year of her age. Her greeting was gen.
uine and cordial. Mr.. Williams, War
rem +. WILLIAMSBURG of the best known
farmers in the cOunty-explained that
the character of his duties was such that
he could not remain with me that after
noon, and that would lose nothing by
his absence as Grandma" was excellent
company.
found her all and far more than had
been promised. She was we'll preserved,
had sweet voice, her mind was clear,
memory unimpaired. She was also a
most charming cOnversatiOnalist. For
fhn mt hn-
came enthusiastic over the growth of
the country, gOssiped about Old-tlme and
modern statesmen, and talked about the
the first railroad built on American soil,
the year it was completed, which was in
1927, and the comparisons she drew
were amusing in the extreme. ut was
a long, long time ago." said my enter
tainer, "but l can see that Odd-lOOking
little engine and those strange and won
derful cars just as though it were yester-
day. Why. that little three-mile road
they called it the Granite-at Quincy,
Mass, with all of its cars, engine and
other property, did not cost as much as
the engine you just heard whistle at
Hartland. What progress has been
made in these 80 years. 1t is beyond my
comprehension. They tell me we now
have in America over $4,000 miles of
railroad, built at an expense of billions
of dollars. Little we thought, 30 years
ago, that such results would follow the
feeble effort made at Quincy.
While the intelligent old lady was re-
flecting upon some of her texts-think-
ing of some of the changes-I walked to
the window and looked out upon the
gem of lake. Upon my return it so
happened that l changed my seat from
the right to the left side of my venerable
and already highly-esteemed friend. AS
did so, my attention was attracted to
piece of furnitureInOt previously noticed.
1t was an old, Old-fashiOned wooden
cradle, more than brOwn-black, with
age, deep as bath-tub, narrow, on board
rockers, and taken all in all, the most
ungainly piece of household goods ever
saw. There were no children in the
house; there had been none for many
years. Why does Grandma keep that
hOmely old cradle in her room?
Looking up, she caught me cycling the
relic, and in the sweetest possible man.
ner said: "They all look at the old
cradle just as you are looking at it,.
Would you like to know its history"
did desire to know something about
it, but had not the requisite courage to
tell her that a condensed and very brief
story about it would answer every pur-
pose. The fact that the cradle was in
her room, by her side, empty, and no
children in the house and the zeal she
manifested when speaking of it, led me
to fear that the old relic was her par
ticular hobby. People who have hob
bies are essential in this world, but do
not take kindly to them. Indeed | really
relish taking myself away from them.
I have stood by and seen few people
ride few hobbies to death. That may
account for my poor appetite for hob
bies and their riders. | have noticed,
too, that Warehouses; are full of hobby
riders. But before could make up my
mind to leave the room, the history of
the old cradle commenced to unfold, and
/ have always been glad that it did, for
my venerable companion was most en-
tertaining and gave a history that is
we'll worth preserving.
The animation shown by the old lady
had greatly surprised me from the first.
MY surprise was increased when her
sketch of the old cradle began. Her eyes
sparkled; her wrinkled cheeks were not
as crimson as the rOmping school girls
but they were quite rosy. After relating
Stat the old cradle.was made from boards
hewed from an apple tree which for
many years grew on the ground where
now stands the palatial residence of
Marshal Jewell, of Hartford, Connecticut,
and that the tree was killed by light
ming stroke, she kept me i'm anxious
suspense by fixing her eyes on the relic
and keeping them there for at least ten
minutes. When they were raised, two
tears fell from them, marking each
withered cheek, and there was more than
a slight tremOr in her voice as she spoke.