The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-03-17

VIII place your humble servant we leave
YOU and your readers TO decide after
reading this sketch.
From my parents we have learned that
we first saw the light of this world Aug.
3, 1s44, about 4:i5 p. m. This event
took place in the town,of Cranston, X. j.,
in house directly opposite the way from
the house where George Howard was
born, and within mile from the birth
place OF George knight, and the two
George Spragues. The mother OF George
Hoppin was born within sight OF our
window at this place. My father was the
thirteenth child and fifth and youngest
son of his parents. My mother was the
first child Of her parents on both sides,
each by second marriage. We are the
first child OF our parents born seven years
and seven months after her marriage.
Grandfather Arnold had an especial inter
est in our birth as the son and heir of his
youngest son. AS soon as he heard we
had arrived in town he was anxious to
see the emigrant, as he was confined to
his room with what proved his last i'll
ness aud as he died when we were just
four weeks old we cannot justly describe
how he looked or what he said TO us on
this occasion when introduced. not quite
three weeks old. Not being able TO repeat
the Interview, personally, we must rely on
our mothers testimony, who told us that
the old gentleman looked us over care
fully and after a long pause uttered the
first prophecy as to our future career.
lie said "he would do honor to his family,
and would take rank above the average
of men.
OF our boyhood days the first five years
were spent. in Cranston; the next two in
Seekonk, Mass, (now East Providence);
the next one i'm Warwick; the next three
in Cranston; the next six in North Provi-
dence, being two years at Mt. Pleasant
aud f,,,r 1.,.t tIa To- for L.,
next six in Cranston. From 1868 TO 1886
in North KingstowD, and since 1886 in
Providence.
When we were about one year old a
sickness fell upon Us that left its mark
SO plainly that all may read IL at glance.
The year we lived in Warwick and also
the year we lived in the Dexter Farm in
North Providence, we submitted to a
severe surgical aloperation The first was
under the direction OF DR.. Henry W.
Rivers, the second under l.. l.. Miller
and his son-in-law, William &. Beckwith.
While these operations were improve
ments, cure was impossible. How much
we have suffered IN pain no man can real
ize. How many times we have been in
suited or Inundated by the thoughtless
we Will not tell. IL came so often in our
youthful days as TO change in great
measure our life's destiny. IL nerved us
TO endure tue surgeons Knife and to bear
faith that the blessing bestowed on Others
might be bestowed also upon u. Mis-
fortunes such es ours make enc super,
sensitive, and perhaps we have taken
affront where none was really intended.
BE that as IL may, We do know that we
have passed such things by in utter con-
tempt as below our notice TO recognize.
We remembered that we picked berries
one summer and got enough money 10
buy book. We do not suppose that any
one ever enjoys SO keenly or so satisfac-
torily as the hrst. o read a book that
was mine, bought and paid for, was a
great treat IL was novel writt%@ by
4. s., Arthur and was entitled "Ten
Nights in Bar room, or what | saw
there" III all novels will leave the So me
impression upon the readers that this did
upon me then such authors would be
divinely blessed. From that day we have
known where we stood on this ion.
The next book was Of a soberer hue, il
was "God in History" a series of lectures
by Hollis Read. This was the start of
my library, now quite respectable in
numbers. A literary venture In another
dir ction was to induce father TO sub
scribe for the Boston Cultiyator, (which
we remem er father continued to have for
many years. Several years the kepubli-
can Herald and Post published In this
city was In our collection OF reading mat
ter. Tue two tooks above named with
the Cultivator first formed our love of
reading. Our severe misfortune kept us
about the house more or leys and reading
n eiped TO make us forget our trouble.
No doubt the finer desire we had TO read
had much TO do with IL for we remem ber
n certain box we had filed with pictures,
mostly OF what we know not, but was
ever anxious TO find out. Among these
treasures were several copies Of "Glea-
ton's," afterward "Bsllou's Pictorial
4 -.
at Boston.
We come now TO another act in life's
drama. While undergoing our second
operation, the doctor brought us out
Arnold's History OF Rhode Island. II ever
one enjoyed reading book, then / did