St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1885-09-03
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 a large, sub
stantial looking building on the prin-
cipal street, a sign bearing these
words civilian SimOnds, Inn-keep-
err" That this house was the resort of
sleighing parties and merry-making
generally, needs not to be told.-nOr
that the hot mugs of flip, egg nOg, and
other drinks, were the chief attractions
of the place. This same William was
alert for the pennies of his customers,
hoping thereby to replenish his ex
chequer.
Now, at the head of this family was
woman of sterling character, Chris
tian, and a mother, with noble boys
growing up to manhood surrounded by
these cOntaminating influences, for
whom she felt the most active inter
est. Having expOstulated in vain with
the good husband and father i'll regard
to this business, and implOred that the
sign be taken down, and the legitimate
products of the farm constitute their
support, she took the opportunity one
day, on his absence in il distant part of
the city, to say to the boys, "The sign
is coming down"
That the magnitude of the work
may be more apparent, we will say
that the sign covered nearly the entire
front of the house in length, and was
of conforming width, the thickness be-
ing such as i'll those times was deemed
proper for substantially.
Assembling her forces on the front
piazza, with ladders and ropes. the
oldest boys mounted the ladders, and
soon the obnoxious object was swing
ing in mid air, OH its way to the ground.
Being safely landed, the next thing
was to get it up into the garnet.
''Where there is will there is a way"
1t was pushed up the first flight of
stairs without much difficulty, but the
second flight was narrower and wind
ing, which caused it to stick fast. A
call to the mother was readily respond
ed to, and with cheering words and
her determined ''Now boost, boys, for
your life :" up it went, with the aid of
her sturdy shoulder; 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 hav
ing been instructed to say, when ask
ed where the sign was, go to moth
er." 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 com
ing from the barn with wheelbarrOw,
his youngest son, Il lad of ten years,
helping, he looked up, and turning to
the boy with Il face livid with rage, he
said:
"YOu villain, where is that sign ~
Quakiug with fear, yet full of laugh
ter, the urchin replied
ASK mother"
Dropping the barrow, with hasty,
nervous strides, he made his way to !
the house from whence, after the
lapse of about ten minutes he came
forth with the plcasantest look upon
his face, a look which it continued 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 IA little
while ago, when it was given in keep
ing of the Historical society of Lex
ington.
The faithful mother reared these
boys to noble manhood, the youngest,
now at a mature age, giving the facts
of this history. Mrs. Simonds was
sister of Gyms Pierce, Esq, teacher of
the first normal school, then at Lex
ingtOn. subsequently, at Newton. The
spirit of this worthy woman is such as
the soil of Lexington abundantly pro-
duced during revolutionary times, aud
such ~ should be emulated during all
time. 4 GRAND daughter of this city
active in temperance reform and works
of charity generally, is proof incontrO-
vertible that true worth descends even
to the third and fourth generatiOns.-I
Cambridge Tribune.