Year: 1863

Mrs. Franklin then told her unknown
guest that. though he had been absent from
her ever since he was child, she could
not fail to know him among thousand
strange faces, for their was natural feel
ing in the breast Of every mother, which
she knew would enable her without pos
sibility of a mistake, torecognize her son in
any disguise he might assume.


Franklin doubted and took leave to dis
pute his mothers proposition on the power
of natural feeling He said he had tried
the natural feeling" in his own mother,
and found it Efficient in the power she as
cribed to it.


"And did your mother" inquired she,
"not know you or if she did not seem to
know you was not her kiadaess 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 par
ticular tenderness and affection p


"No, 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 for
the interposition of strangers. She could
hardly be persuaded to let me sit at the
table. 1 knew was in my mothers house,
and had a claim upon her hospitality; and
therefore you may suppose when she per-
emptorily commanded me to leave thA
house, l was in no hurry to obey"


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


"Igave her none," replied the Doctor.
"She would tell you herself had always
been dutiful son-that she doated upon
me, and when 1 came to her house as
stranger, my behavior was scrupulously
correct and respectful. 1t was a stormy
night, and had been absent so long that
l had become stranger in the place.


told my mother this, and yet, so little
was she influenced by the natural feeling
of'which you speak that she absolutely re-
fused me bed, and would hardly suffer
what she called my presumption in taking
seat at the table. Rut this, was not the
worst, for no sooner was the supper ended
than my good mother told me with an air.
Of solemn earnestness, that must leave
the house."


Franklin then proceeded to describe the
scene at the front door-the snow drift
that came so opportunely into the entry
his appeal to her "natural feeling" OF q
mothar=her unnatural and ,nnfeeling re-
je6tion Of his prayer--and, finally, her very
reluctant compliance with the solicitations
of other persons in his behalf-that he
might be permitted to sleep IN a chair.


Every word of this touching recital went
home to the heart of Mrs. Franklin who
could not fail to perceive that it was a true
narrative of the events of the preceding
night in her own house; and while she en-
deavored to escape from the selfreproach
that she had acted the part of an unfeeling
mother, she could not easily resist the con-
viction that the stranger, who became
more and more interesting to her as he
proceeded in his discourse, was indeed her
own son. But when she observed the ten
der expressiveness of his eyes, as he feel
ingly recapitulated the circumstances un-
der which she attempted to turn him shell
terless into the street, her maternal con-
viction overcame all doubts, and she threw
herself into his arms exclaiming, "It must
bet must be my dear Ben"