The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1904-11-04

grandma, away down In Maine.
Mamma had been ,ery III and the
physician said she must go South and
have perfect rest, so Aunt Emma had
promised to take charge Of us and we
were to start in the morning for the
farm.
We had never been In the country.
except in summer, and Aunt Emma
was kept busy answering our ques-
tiOns while packing our clothes and
making other necessary arrangements
for our journey.
Early the next morning we bade
mamma goodbye" with fearful eyes
and sorrowful hearts, for such n long
separation, but when we reached the
station we were chatting merrily
about what we were to see and DO at
grandma's, and our good-byes to papa,
who accompanied US thither, were
much more cheerful than one would
have thought possible who had seen
our woe-bcgore faces when starting
out.
There were so many pleasures 10
anticipate, skating and coastlng among
outdoor sports, COWS, calves, sheep,
horses, swine and hens to be seen at
the barn, all remarkable and full OF in
tcrest TO us city-bred children, and
indoors, games, books, popping corr,
and. best OF all, grandma and her
stories.
Grandma liked d-fashioned ways
and things, and never would consent
TO have coal stoves, and insisted on
keeping her open fireplace I'm her room
ready for fire, summer as well as
winter.
She always had plenty Of company
evenings, for when twilight came the
little ones nocked in there, tired with
their outdoor play, delighted to cud-
die down before the pleasant blaze,
and listen TO one OF her delightful
stories.
On the second evening after our ar
rival we were gathered around the
flreside popping corn and roasting ap-
pies, when Pitsic said GRANDMA,
please tell MS a story about when you
were n girl"
"Oh," said grandma, "w.ll you never
be tired of hearing those old stories?
You must know them by heart by this
time; you might tell them TO me IN
stead"
"Oh, do tell us n story. Chorused all
together, n nice story about bears or
Indians, or anything like that. you
l. raI oII oil
who revcllcd in exciting, blood-curd
ling stories.
Cant you tell us real, truly
story?" said Pltsie, somewhat anxious.
ly, she, unlike Nell, being somewhat
timld and frightened by the imaginary
horrors in which Nell delighted.
II think perhaps | can suit both Of
you," said grandma, musingly. Did
ever tell YOU how the pewter plate
in your Aunt Emmn's cabinet came
to have one side melted off?"
"No, indeed, you never did" said
Pltsie, promptly.
II don't think ever noticed the
plate" said Nell. jumping up from the
floor where she was sitting tending
the apples, "can | get it nowY
YES" said grandma, bring it here
for all Of us to see, and then | will tell
you how the melting happened, my
grandma told me the story so many
times when | was young like you,
that now 1t almost seems TO ne that
l was living ut the time, myself, and
saw it, as she did, for she was n child
about twelve years old, and rcmem-
bered distinctly every event of that
memorable night
Nell brought the plate. and il was
duly inspected with much curiosity by
us children.
why, | always thought that was
tin platc! exclaimed Pitsie. looking
at the plate rather doubtfully. at
looks just like tho tin plates they use
at the Chldrcn's Home"
ut is heavier than tin" intcrposed,
sand has something stamped on the
back, | can't just make out what il is
some trade mark, | think"
"Do let me look" exclaimed Nell
"Why, that is a lion and unicorn,
and" more slowly, IL think, n crown
but it Is rather dim, almost worn off"
Yes" said grandma, you are cor.
rect, Nell, il is OF English manufacture.
and very old, just how old l cannot
say. 1t belonged to n set, all OF which
were melted except that and one other,
at the time | am about TO tel, you Of
nearly twenty years before the Revo.
tionary War"
My reat-graudfather, William Wood.
leigh. settled at what is now called
Frceport, then part of Yarmouth,
living in log house in a clearing he
had made in the dense forest. his
nearest ncighhor being about four miles
away, and the nearest garrison or
block house nearly five miles in an.
other direction. all through thick
woods.
The block houses were built as places
of refuge from the Indians. when they
were known to be abroad committing
depredations. These houses were large
enough to accommodate number Of
families. very strongly built Of logs.
and surrounded Ivy yard in which
cattle could he kept and this In turn
fenced in by very high strong fence
OF logs. containing loopholes. through
which to rcconnoiter and fire upon foes
when they appeared. the block hsuse
also had loopholes, and tho upper story
projected over the lower one, so that
should the Indians succeed in getting