Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-06-18
MISCELLANEOUS.
Our Own Folks
A TOUCHING DOMESTIC SCENE.

Mrs. Montague was the mother of
thirteen children, all grown up ex-
cepting the two youngest, and mar.
ried and settled within visiting dis
tance of the old homestead, Mr..
Montague seemed like one of the old
patriarchs when the children and
grandchildren all came home to
Thanksgiving; and Mrs. Montague
was addressed by the minister when
he called as "a mother in Israel"
The MOntagues were very well of
now. Mr.. Montague had for years
been adding acre to acre and field to
field; but he and his wife had begun
poor, and there was as much differ
ence in the bringing up OF their old
est son and of their youngest one as
though they had belonged to differ
ent families.
There were three sons born before
there was daughter i'm the house !;
consequently the oldest boy, from
his earliest remembrance, had been
kept at work both indoors and out.
" When he was only three years
DID," his mother said, 81 used to tie
Nelson into a rOckiug- chair and give
him the baby to hold. He cheerily
sang DO, ra, do, RAJ and was O
happy child" but his strong, healthy
parents little realized how the child,
Nelson, dreamed at night of rocking
the baby, and was still at work even
while he slept. His parents never
seemed to realize that his little legs
might get tired, running here and
there on errands all over the farm
and all over the house. There was
always so much to be done on New
England farm.
Mr.. and Mrs. Montague were al
ways up, early and late. There
were the cows to milk, and butter
and cheese to be made, ploughing,
planting, haying, harvesting !; then
when women came, though there
were plenty of apples and potatoes
in the cellar, with corn and nuts in
the attic, there was plenty of work
still. The wood to be got up and
chopped, the apples to be pared and
dried, spinning to be done, and a
pile of stockings to he knit for the
many little feet that kept coming to
their home.
AS one of the girls said, long af.
terward, when relating an incident
Of her girlhood, 81 went to our
neighbor Blossoms and took the
baby with me; ! do not remember
which, there always was one." She
met a young man at this neighbours
house, who accompanied her part of
the way home and carried the baby.
That young man she afterward mar
ried. And his part Of the story was,
Ethel looked so matronly with
that sweet child in her arms, !
wanted to propose at once"
Little Nelson had none OF the
leisure moments that generally. lads
of his age enjoy. The farmhouse
was by no means furnished with
modern conveniences. Nelson had
wood and water to bring from a dis
tance for his mother, who not only
did the honsework for all the family,
but also cut and made by hand all
the garments worn by them though
she did not spin and weave and dye
the cloth, as her mother had done,
and so her tasks were, accordingly
considered light by contrast. In
those days there we're no sewing ma.
chimes heard of. Thus the winter
evenings as well as the summer days
witnessed no idle moments.
Early in his young life there was 6
a little rake provided for Nelson
who thought it very manly to rake
after the cart; and his father bOastet
that his little boy saved him seventy
five cents per day In haytime. The
consequence of all this was that theil
oldest son grew up hardy and tough
though his growth was checked BY
Overwork. His parents saw too lat'
that they had kept him when almos
a baby turning the grindstone, pick
ing up apples and potatoes, ant
while yet growing lad had ex
pected mans constant hard labo
from him. And yet they loved him
their first born; what with their In
dustrious habits and ambition to ge
on In the world, they had not real
lied that the accomplishing chill,
was being stunted In his growth.
But 1t was far different with hi
youngest brother, who was NOR
than twenty years his junior. Littl
Eben had no younger brother to car
for at home and at school. His even
ings we're free to read the juvenil
publications that were abundantl