Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-09-26

PRESIDENT, after his nrst election as
the chief executive of the United
States, and obtained from her an ac-
count Of her sons early career, as she
viewed it. which was published in the
Journal of December 27, 1896, as fol-
lows:
The Mothers Tale.
Don't think my bringing up has
much to do with making my son, Will
liam, the president of the United
States. l had six children. and l had
all my work to do I did the best l
could, of course, but could not devote
all my time to him.
William was naturally good boy,
but he was not particularly a good
baby. He began to take notice of
things when very young. He was
healthy boy.
We lived in village and he had
plenty of outdoor air and exercise.
He was good boy in school and his
teachers always said he was very
bright. He had his little squabbles
with his brothers and sisters, like all
other children do. l guess l never
paid much attention to that. He
was always obedient, however, affec-
tomato and very fond of his home
His Sport Never curbed.
We were Methodists, though we
never went to the extent of curbing
the innocent sports of the children.
William was taken to Sunday school
about the same time that he began
his studies in the village schoolhouse.
He continued faithful attendant
every Sunday till he went away to the
war. | brought up all my children to
understand that they must study and
improve their minds.
My ideas of an education were
wholly practical, not theoretical. l
put the children into school just as
early as they could go alone to the
teacher, and kept them at it. l did
not allow them to stay away AS you
may imagine, | had little time to
help in their studies, though kept
track of their work in general way
through the reports of their teachers.
did most of the household work, ex-
cept the washing and ironing, and made
nearly all the children's clothes: but |
saw that the children were up in the
morning, had breakfast and were
promptly ready for school.
That was the way the days of every
week began for me. Ours was a hard
earnest life. My husband was always
an early riser and off to his work.
am now speaking of our life in Niles
At Poland he was away from home
most of the time, and the whole bur-
den of the family cares fell on me.
Happy in Going Barefoot.
We moved to Poland when William
was about eleven years of age. We
went there because the schools were
better. My husband was a foundry
man and his work kept him at Niles.
William was g. great hand for
marbles, and he was very fond of his
bow and arrows. He got. so that he
was very good shot with the arrow
and could hit almost anything that he
aimed at. The thing he loved best OF
all was kite. 1t seems to me never
went into the kitchen without seeing
paste pot or a ball of string waiting
to be made into kite. He never
cared much for pets. 1 don't believe
he ever had one.
We did NOT own horse, so he never
rode or drove He was always teas.
ing me to be allowed to "go barefoot"
the minute he came home from school.
In going barefoot" when he stubbed
a toe or bruised his foot, he was as
proud as king in showing the injury
to the other boys. When summer
came he always had stone bruise.
His shoes came off before the snow
had left the ground.
Fond of Swimming.
Although William had no taste for
hshing, and rarely, if ever, attempted
the sport, he was fond of swimming
in the deep pool on Yellow Creek. a |
little way above the dam. The swim |
ming hole was reached by the left |
jain VI the river, AFTER crossing the |
bridge, aud was shaded by a large |
black oak that spread its branches
FAR over the water. Here the boys used |
to go after school on warm summer
evenings and splash about in the
water Tor some time.
Our first home in Poland was on the |
main street, just east of the corner
store. IL was-and still is--a frame
building. painted slate color. and was
not as large as the houses we after.
ward dwelt in. Our second residence
was further down the street, toward
the mill, where DR.. Elliott now lives.
me third house, now occupied by Mrs.
Smithers, was on the other side from
the other two, and we had a veranda
along the entire front of the house.
A Constant Reader.
William was promptly entered at
the seminary and developed strong in.
clinauons to study. IN time he be. /,
came member of the literary assoc;a-
lion in the Poland Union Seminary.
ana | frequently heard of his taking
part in debates and other literary con.