The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1896-09-30
on discussed was one brought in by

for her, and the first meeting proved
success. She had to study each day
to be ready and wide-awake for her
class. They lived in limestone region.
Different forms of coral abounded, and
other fossils were plenty. An old cup
board in the shed was turned into
cabinet. One day Nate, who had wan
dered two or three miles, brought home
piece of rock, where curious, finger
shaped creatures were imbedded. Great
was the delight of all to find them de-
scribed as orthocoratites, and an ex-
cursion to the spot was planned for the
next holiday. Question after question
led back to the origin of the earth.
She found the nebular hypothesis, and
hardly slept one night trying to COM
prehend it clearly enough to put before
others in a simple fashion. BY and by
they classified each specimen, and the
best of their kind were taken to shelves
in the sitting-room.
Her enthusiasm in study was aroused,
and far from a hardship, it now be-
came delight. Her spirit was con-
tagious. The boys, always fond of
" mother" wondered what new life
possessed her, but they accepted the
change. She found she could teach,
and also inspire her pupils.
They heard of gully five or six
miles away, where crystals had been
found. Making holiday, for which
the boys worked like Trojans, they took
their lunch in the farm wagon and rode
to the spot; and, if their search was
not always successful, it left them the
memory of happy time.
In the meanwhile the farm prospered.
She did all the work in the house, and
all the sewing; going out in the garden,
too, here she raised few flowers and
helped to gather vegetables. Daniel
and the boys were bitterly opposed to
her helping them.
Mother" said Jerry, if you won't
ever think you must go out I'll do any.
thing to make up. 1 don't want you to
look like those we sometimes see in the
fields"
Generally she yielded; her work was
enough for one pair of hands. Through
it all ran the thought that her children
were growing up; they would become
educated men; she would not let
them get ahead-not so as to pass her
entirely.
Winter came. Now Daniel could see
to the work; but these habits of study
were not to be broken.
boys, let us form history club"
was the proposition. cit shan't inter-
fere with your lessons at school,"
They took the history of the United
States, which the younger children
were studying. Beginning with the
New England settlements, and being
six in number, they called each other,
for the time, after the six states, per-
suading old Daniel to take his native
Rhode Island.
"That woman beats all creation" he
was heard to exclaim, " the way she
works all day and goes on at night over
her books"
The mother used to say she hardly
knew if she were any older than her
boys when they were trying to trip
each other with questions. The teacher
of the district school came over one
Saturday afternoon.
81 never had such pupils" said he,
"as your sons in history; and, in
deed, they want to look into every
thing"
Afterward he heard with delight the
story of their evenings work. The
deep SHOWS often shut them in, but the
red light shone clearly and brightly
from that sitting-room window, and a
merry group was gathered around the
table.
Every two weeks an evening was
given to some journey. 1t was laid
out in advance and faithfully studied.
Once Theodore remembers a shout of
laughter was raised when nine o'clock
came by Jerry's exclamation:
60, motherl Don't go home; we are
all having such good time"
Five years they lived in this way,
and almost entirely by themselves.
They studied botany. She knew the
name of every tree and shrub for miles
around. The little boys made a col
lection of BIRDS eggs, and then began
to watch closely the habits of the birds.
1t was a pure, simple life. 1t would
have been too wild and lonely but for
the charms of this devoted mother.
Her hours of loneliness were hidden
from them, but she learned to an un
usual degree to throw every energy
into the days work of study, and create
as 1t were, fresh enthusiasm for the
present nOur. her loving SaCrluce was
rewarded. Each child made her his
peculiar conlidant. She became the in
SEPARATION of his life.
English history opened wide field
to the family. One afternoon she
brought in Shakespeare to prove some
historical question. 1t was rainy day
and the boys were all at home. Jerry
began to read Hamlet" aloud: il
proved treasure that brought them
into new world of delight Sometimes
they took different characters for rep.
resentation, and the evening ended in
frolic, for good-natured mirth wat
never repressed.
First of all preparation had beer
made for the Sabbath. There was
church in this town, but at distance
of several miles, and during many days
the roads were not passable, She haC
leaned upon infinite strength, gather
ing wisdom through all these expe
riences. The secret of many prom
Use had been revealed to the under
| atandino and ahOve everUthino she de-