The Penn's Grove record., 1884-01-19
HIDDEN

HIDDEN STRENGTH.
In one or the praIrle towns of North
EN- Iowa, where the Illinois Central
Railroad now passes from Dubuque to
Sioux City, lived a woman whose expe'
rience repeats the truth that inherent
forces, ready to be developed, are wait.
ing for the emergencies that life may
bring.
She was born and drought up in
| New England. With the advantages
of a country school, and a few terms IN
a neighboring city, she became a fair
schoiar-not at all remarkable; she was
married at t%wenty-one to a young
farmer, poor, but intelligeaxsfsn ambi-
tisus. In ten years afes eath of
their parents they emigraS& WTowa,
and invested their money in land tlat
babe fair to increase in value, Tut II
away from neighbOrs. Here they i've !,
a happy family for five years, when he
| died, leaving her, at the age of thirty
five, with four boys, the eldest nearly
fourteen, the youngest nine. Tpe blow
came suddenly, and at first was over
whelming. Alone, in what seemed al
most a wilderness, she had no thought
of giving up the farm. Ii was home.
There they must stay and do the best
they could. The prospect of a railroad
passing near them in time, was good
then some of the land might be sold. A
little money had been laid by-nothing
that she ought to touch for the present.
Daniel, the hired man, who had come
out with them. and who was a devoted
friend and servant, she determined to
keep-his judgment was excellent in
farm matters. Hitherto tie boys had
gone regularly to school, a mile or two
away; for a settlement IN Iowa was
never without its school house. They
were bright and quick to learn. Their
father had been eager to help and en-
courage them. Newspapers, magazines,
and now and then a good book, had
found their way into this household.
Though very fond Of reading herself,
with the care of her house she had drift
ed along, as SO many women do, until
the discipline of study, OF any special
application, had been almost forgotten.
1t was the ambition Of both parents that
their sons should be well educated.
Now Jerry and Thede, the two oldest,
must be kept at home during the sum-
mer to work. Nate and Johnnie could
help at night and i'll the morning. The
boys had all been trained to habits of
| obedience. They were affectionate, and
she knew that she could depend upon
their love.
One evening, alone in her bedroom,
| she overheard some part Of a converse
ton as the children were sitting to-
gether around the open fireplace:
II don'tmind the work." said Tneo-
dore, "if l could only be learning, too.
Father used to say lie wanted me to be
a civil engineer"
eff father was here" said eleven
year-old Nate, ''you could study even
ings and recite to him. l wish mother
could help; but, then, | guess moth
er's-"
''Help, how?" she heard jerry ask
sharply, before Nate could finish his
sentence; and she knew the boy was
jealous at once for her. ''Isn't she the
best mother i'll the world?"
Yes, she Is; and she likes stories,
too; but l was just thinking, now that
you can't go to school, if she only knew
a lot about everything, why, she could
tell YOU"
"Well," replied Jerry, with all the
gravity of a man, tive must take hold
and help all we can; it's going to be
hard enough for mother. l just hate
to give up school and pitch into work.
Thede, you shall 60 next winter, any
way"
"Sha'n't we he lonesome next win
teri" said little Johnnie, VINO had taken
no part in the talk until now; 'won't
mother be afraid? | want my father
back" and, without a word of warn.
ing, he burst INTO tears.
Dead silence for a few minutes. The
outburst was so sudden, she knew they
were all weeping, 1t was Jerry again
who spoke first; Don't let mother see
us crying. Come, Johnnie, let's take
Bone and all go down to the trap;''
then she heard them pass out Of the
house.
Desolation fell upon that poor mother
for the next hour. Like a knife Mates
remark had passed through her heart.
'Father could have helpedl" Couldn't
she help her boys, for whom she was
ready to die? Was she only ''mother, "
who prepared their meals and took care
Of their clothes? She wanted a part in
the very best of their lives. She thought
it all over, sitting up far into the night.
If she could only create an interest in
some study that should bind them all
together, and in which she could leadl
Was she too old to beginP Never had
the desire to become the very center of
interest to them taken such hold upon
her.
A few weeks after, she said, one
morning, at the breakfast table; "Boys,
I've been thinking that We night begin