Year: 1862




" as you appear to be stranger in Bos
ton, to what distant country do you be-
long ?"


II belong, madam, to the colony of
Pennsylvania, and reside in Philadel-
phia."


AT the mention of Philadelphia, the
Doctor declared he for the first time pre-
ceived something like emotion in her.


Philadelphia !" said she, while the
earnest anxiety of a mother suffused her
eye, "wby, if you live in Philadelphia
perhapse you know my Ben -


Who, madam ?"


Ben Franklin, my dear Ben. Oh
how | would give the world to see him
He is the dearest son that ever blessed
mother"


"What is Ben Franklin, the printer,
your son? Why, he is my most intimate
friend. He and l worked together and
lodged in the same room"


"Oh heaven forgive me - exclaim-
ed the lady, raising her fearful eyes, "and
have | suffered friend of my son Ben
to sleep upon this hard chair, while l
myself rested on a soft bed -


Mrs. Franklin then told her unknown
guest that though he had been absent
from her ever since he was a child, she
could not fail to know him among thou.
sand strange faces, for there was a natur-
al feeling in the breast of every mother,
which she knew would enable her, with
out the possibility Of mistake. TO recog
nize her son in any disguise be might
assume.


Franklin doubted, and took leave 10
dispute his mothers proposition on the
power Of natural feeling. He said he had
tried the natural feeling" in his own
mother, and found it deficient in the
power she aScrlOeQ IT,


"Aad did your MOTHER" inquired she,
"not know you or if she did not SEEM
to know you, was there not in her KIND
NESS to you an evidence that she saw
something in your appearance which was
dear to her, SO that she could not resist
treating you with particular tenderness
and affection -


mo, indeed" replied Franklin, !" she
neither knew me, nor did she treat me
with the least symptoms of kindness. She
would have turned me out of doors but
Tor the interpostion Of strangers. She
could hardly be persuaded TO let me sit
at her table. l knew [ was in my
mothers house, and had claim upon
her hospitality and, therefore you may
suppose, when she reremptorily comman-
ded me TO leave the house, | was in no
hurry to obey"


Surely" interrupted his mother,
" she could not have treated you so un-
motherly without some cause"


/ gave her none," replied the Doct-
or. She would tell YOU herself
had always been dutiful son-that she
dotted upon me, and then when came tc
her house as stranger. my behavior wa;
scrupulously correct and respectful. l
was stormy night, and / had been ab
sent SO long that had become a stranger
in the place. ! told my mother this, ant
yet so little was she influenced by th,
natural feeling of which you speak ,tha
she absolutely refused me bed, anc
would hardly suffer what she called m,
presumption in taking seat at the table
But this was not the worst, but no soone
was the supper ended than my gooC
mother told me with an air of soleml
earnestness, that must leave the house. >


Franklin then proceeded TO describ,
the scene at the front door-the sncy
drift that came SO opportunely into III
entry-his appeal to her natural feel
ing" of mother-her unnatural and un
feeling rejection OF his prayer-and, fin
ally, her very reluctant compliance wit
the solicitations Of other persons in Iii
behalf-that he might be permitted 7
F.. SLEEP IN 4 CHAIR.


4 Every word in this touching reeit,
went home to the heart of Mrs Frank
lin, who could not fail to perceive that
was true narrative Of the events of III
preceding night in her own house ant
while she endeavored TO escape from sci
reproach that she had acted the part ,
an unieeling mother. she could not easil
resist the conviction that the strange
who became more and more interestin


10 her as he proceeded in his discours
was indeed her own son. But when 81
g observed the tender expressiveness Of h
; eyes as he feelingly reeapitulated the ci
e cumstances under which she attempt,