military commander, successful in repelling the frequent attacks of the Indians, and was otherwise a valuable member of society.

'His son, Josiah Weldron, early settled in Deerfield, and was a long time an influential resident of that place. Some of his descendants reside there still. Those of his generation were not only sorely tried by the merciless savages by whom they were surrounded, but by the su perstitions of the age, which again revived the delusion in regard to witchcraft.

'Joseph Weldron, son of Josiah, and first of the fourth generation, was a zealous promoter of learning, and an eminent ambassador of the truth. One of his sons, whose name was Samuel, was my pious and revered grandfather.'

'I suppose,' said Salina, 'you are well acquainted with the history of your grand-parents.'

'I am,' replied Mrs. Johnson; they were among the most wealthy and influential inhabitants of Brookfield. They belonged to that class who appear constantly to increase their wealth with little apparent effort, while their less prosperous neighbors look on, and wonder how they do so. Still, it could not be said, as of too many, that their wealth was used to pamper selfish desires, for they cheerfully imparted much of their substance to gladden the hearts of the destitute. In this, and all other respects, their dispositions were congenial.

6 They had seven children, whom they endeavored to bring up in the way they should go, striving, as early in life as possible, to impress upon their minds the value of intellectual culture, combined with moral worth. They

educated their sons, and daughters also, as far as the facilities for acquiring knowledge at that period enabled them to do so.

'You need not imagine that the girls were thoroughly acquainted with the higher branches of study, for at that time, it was thought unnecessary for the minds of females, even among the higher classes in society, to be taxed with pursuing the more abstruse sciences. A young lady was considered well taught, if she understood the common branches, to which, in most cases, was added a practical knowledge of domestic economy.

In those days there were few parents, in comparison with the same class at the present time, whose daughters esteemed it a hardship to perform nearly or quite all the needle-work of the family, of which they were important members. A girl then, of eight years, who could not knit, was indeed a prodigy.'

It is proper to remark, that, although we are wont to consider our forefathers as worthy models for imitation, yet it is true, that even among them no perfection was found; they had failings, and in giving an impartial account of the individual character of some of their descendants, we must delineate the foibles, as well as dwell upon the virtues, of those of whom we speak.

But, while it would be wrong to hold up the character of those whom we bring before the reader as faultless, we hope it will not be thought that our estimate of human nature is too low. We place not highly-wrought fiction before the mind, and that is our only apology for these pages.

MR. AARON WELDRON, the father of Mrs. Johnson, was a much-beloved son and brother. After what has been said concerning the character of his parents, it hardly need be stated that the sisters of Mr. Weldron were, in their youthful days, instructed in the great truth that to be useful is to be happy. Surrounded by all that wealth could command, they felt it a duty to exert themselves for the benefit of those within the sphere of their influ

ence.

Their brothers were favored ones among that number; for these sisters did much, very much, to attach them to their own sweet homes; and, as Mr. Weldron often remarked, their kindness and sisterly attentions were efficient safeguards to them from temptations to wander in the pathway of vice and folly.

To Mr. Weldron, there was no place so delightful as home, as long as his sisters remained under the parental roof; but, as they were all his seniors in years, they married while he was young, and settled in different places, some of them several miles distant from Brookfield. This circumstance led him to choose a companion

and settle in life, earlier than he otherwise would have done.

At the age of twenty-two, he was united in wedlock to Miss Hannah Hamlin, a young lady born on the same day with himself, about two miles distant from the residence of his parents. In childhood they attended the same school, and their early formed acquaintance with each other, was kept up by often meeting in the social circle.

The parents of Hannah were highly respectable and in affluent circumstances; still they possessed not that refinement of mind and manners, with which the family of Mr. Weldron were gifted. There was, it is true, some congeniality of taste and sentiment, in regard to the most important subjects, relative to the interests of a family, existing in the minds of young Mr. Weldron and his wife; still, there was little sympathy manifested by her, on some points, where he felt most acutely.

There was, too, an evident inferiority of intellect, on the part of Hannah, and her disposition was naturally haughty and overbearing, the very reverse of that of her husband, who was ever affable and mild in his deportment.

At the time this union took place, it was a matter of surprise to such as were interested in the affair, that two individuals, so unlike each other, should ever think of forming a connection for life; and some, looking rather 'significantly, said, 'It must be that matches are made.'

The young couple commenced house-keeping in their native place, on a beautiful spot in the pleasantest part of New England. They began life in a house which had stood many years; but they did not occupy it long before Mr. Weldron's prosperity enabled him to remove it from

the beautiful site on which it stood, and erect a most elegant mansion in its stead.

He became wealthy; and his kindness and liberality were commensurate with his abundance. His benevolence to the needy, was often the theme of conversation among those around him it was well known that in Mr. Weldron the poor and distressed could always find a friend and counsellor, as the following incident will illustrate :

An aged African, who had been long in this country, was, on one occasion, offered for sale within a few miles of the residence of this kind man. Of course, no one felt very anxious to purchase a slave who was in the decline of life, and the poor man was kept in waiting a long time by his owner, who hoped to procure a purchaser.

The negro had often heard of the extreme kindness of this gentleman; and when he saw him pass near where he was standing, exclaimed, 'O massa Weldron, do buy poor Jube and let him go back to Guinea! pray do, massa, take pity on poor Jube!' then, taking hold of his coat, entreated him with sobs to take him home with him.

Mr. Weldron, affected almost to tears, replied: 'Jube, I will redeem you from slavery and send you back to your native country, as soon as an opportunity presents for you to go comfortably. To-morrow you shall go to my

house.'

On hearing this, the poor creature was quite overcome; and when, on the evening of the following day, he found himself seated in Mr. Weldron's kitchen, his gratitude was unbounded.

Mr. Weldron was careful to fulfil his promise to the