The commonwealth. (Scotland Neck, N.C.) 1882-1884, 1883-01-18

the parish Of Aston Cantlow. 1t was
here that Shakespeare's mother was
born,th youngest daughter o: farmer
Robert Arden. There are many rea
sons for the supposition that she was
born in 1884, and the discoverer of
the Lucy record seems satisfied that
was the year of her birth.
She was her fathers favorite dauph-
ter, and when he died, il 1856, her
name is the first one mentioned in
his will. Old Robert left his child,
the comely young Mary, (for she
must have been beautifully, portion
of his property in land, aid the crop
then growing upon the ground at a
place called Ashbies. He also men
tions her ia various other ways, evin.
cling special regard and tenderness
for Mary above any Of her sisters.
One item of his bequest to her or
ders the payment Of legacy of fG.
13s. 4d., to be paid before any divis-
ion is made Of his property. Mary is
also named executrix of her father,
estate, proof of the parents conf
dence in the child.
One of Robert Ardea's tenants
happened to be Shakespeare's grand
father, and it is quite likely that he
followed the body of Mary's father to
his grave in the old burying- place of
Wilmcote. 1t is not unreasonable to
suppose tnat John Shakespeare. his
son. then young tradesman of some
twenty four years. went to the funer.
al with his father. Perhaps he there
saw pretty and gifted Mary Arden
in tears bending over the coffin, and
as pity is akin to love. then and
there resolved to marry her. At any
rate, John Shakespeare became the
accepted lover of Mary Arden, and
married her about the year 1857.
The dignity of burgess of the town
of Stratford was conferred OF: Shake.
speare's son, after his marriage with
Miss Arden, who bringing him as her
wedding portion twenty-five broad
acres, and six pounds thirteen shil.
lings in cash, added no small consid
Grafton to his start in life. John
brought Mary at once to his house
in Henly Street, some four miles
from her cottage in the country The
house, greatly altered, Of course. is
the low dwelling shown to this day as
Shakespeare's birthplace.
England in those days, as now,
had pleasant custom of putting
flowers very profusely in the front
windows even of the smallest houses,
and we may be sure that the mother
of him who knew so we'll every flower
that bloomed, and who loved them
all with poets tender enthusiasm.
would bring ready hand to the dec.
Grafton Of her new home.
1t was a sad time in her land when
Mary Shakespeare came into STRAIT
ford as q young bride. The horrors
of Smithfield were casting deep
gloom all over England. Disasters
were heaping up national misfort-
unes da, by day, and no one knew
how great a calamity might yet be in
STORE for Britain. The Queen Mary
was then just dead, and Elizabeth
took the sceptre amid the acclama-
ton of the land, On the 18th of
september, 1858, John Shakespeare
came up to the font In Stratford
church and presented for baptism
Mary's first child, a daughter whose
name was called Joan.
Then came in due order other
children, Margaret dying few
months after her birth. In April.
1868, Mary's tirst-born son opened
his eyes in the daylight Of Stratfora.
and William Shakespeare began to
live his life. HIS mother saw him
grow into boyhood. watched his
young powers ripen inLo genius, fol
lowed with keen maternal eyes his
various fortunes, and no doubt well
coined him hack to Stratford after
all his trials, In 1903 Shak espeare
saw his mother laid in Stratforl
earth, and Imagination pictures the
'.great heir Of fame" looking down
into her humble grave.
Only in Shakespere's own words
the expression of Shakespeare's grief
FOR his mothers death can be
adequately mentioned. In Henry
V. he put on immortal record these
memorable lines:
"a testament of noble-ending love,
it forced
Those waters from me which | would
have stopped;
But had not so much of man in me: