The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-01-13

hhAuSulDS anu EAlOllGu ltlG Ul6NN anu
policy Of their ancestors. A gentleman
present mentioned the subject of the days
debate IN the House of Representatives
a bill had been introduced TO extend the
prerogative of the royal governor. Frank
lin Immediately entered upon the subject,
! supported the colonial rights with new
and forclble arguments, was familiar with
the names of influential men in the legis-
Iature when Dudley was governor, re-
cited their speeches and applauded the
noble defender of the chamber rights.
During a discourse so appropriately
| interesting TO the company it is no won
der the clock struck IL unperceived by
| the delighted circle, nor was it wonderful
that the patience of Mrs. Franklin grew
quite exhausted. She now entered the
room, and, before the whole company.
! addressed the stranger with much
warmth; told him plainly she thought
| herself imposed on; observed that. while
1t was true she was a lone woman, she
had friends who would protect her, and
concluded by insisting on his leaving the
| house. The doctor made a slight apology,
deliberately put on his great coat and hat,
took polite leave of the company, and
approached the street door, lighted by
the maid and attended by the mistress.
1T appears that during the
evening ! fierce snowstorm
had set in, and the streets
were already knee deep in drifting snow.
No sooner had the maid lifted the latch
than the door was blown open with force,
the light extinguished, and the entry
nearly half filed with drifted snow and
hail. AS soon as the candle was re-
lighted the doctor cast woful look to-
ward the door, and thus addressed his
mother:
My dear madam, can you turn me
out of your house in this dreadful
GfOrO12 I a m a CT in
and shall certainly perish in the streets
You look like charitable lady. l
shouldn't think you could turn a dog
from your door on this stormy nightp
"'DoN'T TELL ME OF CHARITY
said the offended matron. Charity be-
gins at home. 1t is your own fault you
tarried so long. To be plain with you,
sir, don't like your looks or your CON
duct, and fear you have some bad de-
signs in thus introducing yourself into my
family
The warmth of this parley had drawn
the company from the parlor and by their
united interference the stranger was per-
mltted TO lodge in the house; and, as no
bed could be had, he consented to repose
in an easy char before the parlor fire. AL
though her boarders appeared to confide
perfectly in the strangers honesty, Mrs.
Franklin did not. With suspicious caution
she collected her silver spoons, pepper
box and porringer from her closet and
by securing the parlor door by sticking a
fork over the latch, carried the plate to
her chamber charged the negro man to
sleep with his clothes on, to take the
great cleaver to bed with him and to
awaken her and seize the vagrant at the
first noise he made in attempting to plum
der the house. Having thus taken every
precautiOn, she retired to bed with her
maid, whom she compelled to sleep in her
room
Mrs. Franklin rose before the sun,
reused her domestics unfastened the
parlor door with timid caution, and was
agreeably surprised to find the stranger
quietly sleeping in the chair. A sudden
transition from extreme mistrust to per-
feet confidence was natural. She awak-
ened him with cheerful good morning.
inquired how he had rested and invited
him to partake of her breakfast, which
was always served previous to that of the
boarders.
And pray, sir said the old lady,
as she slipped her chocolate, ''as you APP
pear to be stranger here, to what dis
tant country do you belong7'
I belong, madam, in the city ofPhila-
delphia'
''It was at the mention of Philadelphia,
the doctor declared, that he for the first
time preceived any emotion in her
Philadelphia she said, and the feel
ing of a mother beamed in her eye. If
you live in Philadelphia, perhaps you
know our Benz
"'Who, MADAME
"'Why Ben F'ranklin-my Ben. Oh!
he's the dearest boy that ever blest
motherp
WHAT said the doctor lis Ben
Franklin, the printer, your son2 Why,
he is my most intimate friend. He and [
lodge in the same ROOM
"'Oh, God forgive me' exclaimed the
old lady, raising her watery eyes to
heaven, and have suffered an acquaint-
ance of my Benny to sleep on this hard
chair, while myself rested on a good
bedp
Show the doctor discovered himself to
his mother he has not informed us, but.
from the above experiment, he was firmly
convinced, and was afterward heard to
declare, that natural, intuitive affection
did not exist"