Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-08-22
Taking Down the Sign.

in the old, historic and beautiful town OF
Lexington, Mass, more than fifty years ago,
there might have been seen across the front
OF large, misunderstanding building on
the principal street sign bearing these
words: William Sin0ndS, Inn Keeper
Ihat tins house was the resort of sleighing
parties and me1rymaking generally needs
not TO be told, nor that the hot mugs of flip,
egg-nog and other drinks were the chief at
fractions OF the place. This same William
vas alert Tor the pennies of his customers,
hoping thereby to replenish his excheouer'
Now, at the head OF this family was a
woman OF sterling character, Christian,
and mother, with noble boys growing up
TO manhood surrounded by these contamf-
mating influences, for whom she felt the
most active interest. Having expostulated
in vain with the good husband and father
in regard to this business, and implored
that the sign be taken down, and the legiti-
mate products of the farm constitute their
support, she took the opportunity one day.
on his absence in distant part of the city,
10 say to the boys The sign is coming
down.
That the magnitude Of the work NAV be
more apparent, We will say that the sion
covered nearly the entire front of the
house in length, and was of conforming
width, the thickness being such as in those
times was deemed proper for substantially.
Assembling her forces on the front piaz-
"a, with ladders and ropes, the Oldest bows
mounted the ladders. and soon the obnoxi-
Gus object was swinging in mid-air. on it
way to the ground. Being safely landed.
the next thing was to get it up into the gar
ret. " Where there is will there is q
way It was pushed up the first flight of
stairs without much difficulty, but the sec
ond flight was narrower and winding,
which caused it to stick fast A call to the
mother was readily responded TO, and with
cheering words and her determined Now
boost, boys, for your life," up it went,
with the aid Of her sturdy shoulders the
good woman saying, There let it stay.
boys
Upon the return of the father at night,
all was as serene as though nothing had
happened, the boys having been instructed
to say, when asked where the sign was.
" Go TO mother" Not having occasion TO
pass the front of the house for two DAYS.
the loss was not discovered by the father
until on the third day, when, on coming
from the barn with a wheel-barrow, his
youngest son, lad of 10 years, helping, he
looked up, and turning to the boy with u
face liyid with rage, he said:
" You villain, where is that sign?'
VIA ASdAi Ct 4I4L VI laughter,
the urchin replied
" Ask mother"
Dropping the barrow, with hasty, ner-
vous strides, he made his way to the house,
from whence, after a lapse of about ten
minutes, he came forth with the pleasantest
look upon his face-a look which it con-
tinued to wear as long as he lived.
What was said is not related, but the
mothers love conquered Through the
many changes of occupants of the old
tavern, that sign has remained where it was
placed at that time. until little while ago,
when it was given in keeping of the His
torical Society of Lexington
This faithful mother reared these bows to
noble manhood. the youngest, now at a ma
ture age, giving The facts of this history.
Mrs. SimOnds was sister of Cyrus Pierce,
teacher of the first normal school, then at
Lexington, subsequently at Newton The
spirit of this worthy woman is such as the
soil of Lexington abundantly produced
during revolutionary times. and such as
should be emulated during all time. A
granddaughter, OF this city, active in tenn
perance reform and works of charity gen.
orally, is proof incontroyertible that true
worth descends even to the third and fourth
generations.-LCambridge Tribune.