The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-03-11

to destroy the house aud outbuildings,
which contained all the worldly goods OF
the Garfelds. For hours Abraham Gar
feld-husband and father-bravely fought
the flames, succeeding in laying the fre,
but thereby bringing death TO himself,
for he caught heavy cold. which caused
congestion. from which he suddenly died.
Knowing that his illness was fatal one,
the good. true husband called his weeping
wife to his side and said: 'I have plant
ed four little saplings In these woods.
wife: l must now leave them to your
cares''
And then he closed his eyes forever on
this world
After the burial of Abraham Garfield
the neighbors and relatives advised the
poor widow to give away and "bind OUT
her children thus relieving herself of so
heavy a burden as 'four little saplings'
But with motherelove the noble woman
said "No!" and held her little ones the
closer to her breast They were hers
and for them she would work! With the
assistance of her Oldest boy. Thomas
nine year old Mt his fathers death-the
young widow Garfield split rails and built
n fence round the wheatfeld. She carded
WOOL wove cloth, spun fax and kept her
children comfortably clothed. She sold
portion of the land In order to pay of
debt against the remaining acres With
little Thomas help she plowed and
planted corn, made garden and kept the
small farm going and her dear little ones
together. When food wns scarce-which
was often the case-she made the chill
singing to them md encouraging them
with hope Of the hountiful harvest which
would soon be theirs
In all the world there has been no
nobler. grander. drawer tvpe nf woman
hood than we study In the mother OF
James A. GARFIELD. She ands without
sunerior among mnny noble mothers.
When little James was only three years
old he attended school with his brother
and two sisters. sitting quietly through
put the long hours on the hard spiit-log
bench In the little log sehoolhousa which
WINS erected on one corner of his moth
er's farm. As nm tnducement TO the neigh
boring families to build a Rchoolhouse the
Widow Garfield had generously donated
the site for she was determined to give
her children the advantage of common
school education II nothing better
And so the years wore on. and the ut
tie James grew to the verge of his teens
In n poor hut most wholesome home at
mosphere. Then he decided that II was
high time he should earn some money TO
help his mother improve the place A
his brother Thomas could now take full
charge of the small farm James looked
about him for Outside" employment He
obtained his first work away from home
with n farmer who manufactured "black
salts" For his services he received so
month and his board. IT is safe TO say
that the several months earnings Of
James proved quite a fortune to his fnm-
lily to whom he SO unselfshly carried It.
And even while thus engaged James
did not neglect his books bur every
night. by the freight he studied hs
arithmetic and history long after the
others in the house were fast asleep.
Later james took up the work Of cut.
ting wood for his uncle. who pnid him
% cents a cord for 1rewood Then fol-
lowed several months of mule-drivlng on
the canal. filling the role of "towpnth
boy" But from this service the boy
James returned home sick with ague.
which kept him ON his back for some
months.
On his recovery, and at the earnest So
licltatlon of his good mother. he went
to Chester to attend the Geauga Semi
nary, working his way" through the
school and living In a small room where
he "boarded himself" then not uncom-
mon practice among poor boys who were