The record-union., 1898-11-29
FRANKLIN AND HIS SISTER
ARDENT AFFECTION EXISTING
BETWEEN THE TWO.
Jane, the Youngest Of the Family,
and the Only One Who Sur
vived BENJAMIN.

Paul Leicester Ford in the November
century Magazine" writes of Frank
ms Famlly Relations" Mr.. Ford
says:
OF all his sisters, the youngest, Jane,
was, so Franklin told her, .ever my
peculiar favorite"; and he took pride
IN the news that she had grown a ca.e-
crated beauty" Evidently it was not
merely fraternal view, for the girl
was married at fifteen, the brother
writing her, upon the event, that he
had almost determined to send her "a
tea table, but when I considered the
character of a good housewife was far
preferable to that of being only a pret-
ty gentlewoman, I concluded to send
you spinning wheel, which I hope you
will accept as small token Of my sin
cere love and affection" And in this
monitory strain the aged brother Of
twenty continued:
Sister, farewell, and remember tI,at
modesty as it makes the most homely
virtue amiable and charming, so the
want of it infallibly renders the most
perfect beauty disagreeable and odius.
But when that brightest of female vir-
tues shines among other perfections of
body and mind in the same person. it
makes the woman more lovely than an
angel. Excuse this freedom, and use
the same with me. I am, dear Jenny,
your loving brother"
A very large progeny resulted from
this marriage, in all of whom Franklin
took an interest. MY compliments to
my new niece, Miss Abiah, and pray her
to accept the inclosed piece of gold to
cut her teeth; it may afterwards buy
nuts for them to crack" he wrote OF
one arrival; and gave material help to
the children as they grew up, aiding
one TO sell the soap he made; taking q
second as an APPRENTICE in his printing
office, and afterward assisting in his
establishment in that business; en-
deavoring to get Government posi-
ton for third; and, on the marriage
of fourth, sending a gift of fifty
pounds, lawful money" to be laid out
IN furniture as my sister shall think
proper" From this niece he received
an exuberant acknowledgment, declar-
ing that:
My heart, has ever been susceptible
of the warmest gratitude for your fre-
quent Benefactions to the whole Fam
ily, but your last kind, unexpected, as
we'll as undiserved, Noble presents IN
particular to me, calls for a particular
from me. Except,
then, dearest sir, my most sincere and
hearty Thanks, with a promise, that
your Kindness shall ever be gratefully
remembered and your donation be
made the best use Of"
Jane herself carried this admiration
even to the point Of veneration; vet
when absent from her brother she ex-
pressed her regret, having "had time to
reflect and see my error, In that 1 suf-
fered my diffidence or the awe of your
superiority to prevent the familiarity
might have taken with you, and
which your kindness to me might have
convinced me would be acceptable
Her feeling was further shown by her
often-repeated prayer that he pardon
my bad writing and confused compos-
ure," which led the brother to answer
that you need not be afraid in writ
ing to me about your bad spelling; for,
in my opinion, as our alphabet now
stands. the bad spelling, or what is
called so, is generally the best. as con-
forming to the sound of the letters and
Of the words Her husbands death
49, AaSA q ioi 8 AdiAIily ~ rear, anu
for Benjamin's constant eking Of her
means it would have Jared hard with
the widow. She told her brother that
her happiness was derived from "yr
Bounty without wich I must have been
distressed as much as many others
and assured him that she could not
nnd expression suitable to acknowl- |
edge my gratitude; how I am by nv
dear brother enabled to live at ease in
my old age. My self and children
nave always been tax upon you,"
sne wrote TO him. but your great and |
uncommon goodness has carried you
,heerfully under it,
Jane and Benjamin outlived all their
orothers and sisters, and Franklin, |
upon the death of one of the last said !
20 ner: OF these thirteen there now
remaln but three. As our number di- !
let our affection to each 9th
ar ratner increase. In one of her |
ater letters the sister recurred to this. |
writing: You once told me, my dear |
brother, that as our number of breth- |
zen and sisters lessened the affection OF |
those of us that remained should in |
crease to each other. You and I are |
now left; my affection for you has al |
ways been so great I see no room for |
increase, and you have manifested |
yours for me in such large measure that |
have no reason to suspect its |
strength" Jane Mecom alone of Jo- |
'iah Franklin's seventeen children sur
vived the famous son, and in his will |
Franklin left. to her "a house and lot I
have in Unity street, Boston, gave |
her the yearly sum of fifty pounds |
sterling" and left a small sum Of |
money to her descendants.