Annals of our ancestors; one hundred and fifty years of history in the ...

CHANGES IN THE OLD HOME 207
thentic. It pictured her as being "big as a washtub" and with
a neck "blue as a plucked goose's." It scarcely prepared them
for the very handsome and noble-looking bride, full of vivacity
and a match for Uncle John in all his best points. Her size
was a subject for his joking more and more as they grew older.
When she and Aunt 'Rusha started off for church, leaving their
delinquent spouses at home, Uncle John would remark to
Uncle Spencer as the two ample backs started down the road
" By George, see those springs come down !"
in the rockaway :
This was the strongest expletive I ever heard the old brothers
use — " By George!"
It was indeed a sad mistake that Uncle John gave the Hunt
boys so much of his money that at last dear Aunt Abbie was
left with very little. When his nephews became entangled in
debts and misfortune followed them, he tried to help them to
escape disgrace. Thus it was that when Aunt Abbie was a
widow, she and her niece, Abbie Jenkins, lived together; and
their lives were not without care, though their home was always
a social center in Franklin. In Abbie Jenkins' obituary
it says of that home: "Anyone who knew Aunt Abbie Hunt
and Abbie Jenkins can appreciate the force and charm of the
attraction that drew all that came within the circle of its
influence."
Aunt Abbie outlived Uncle John by many years and was
about ninety when she died. The days grew very sad for
her at the end of her years, for she had a fall and broke her hip,
and suffered physically as well as in her heart. Death separated
her from many of her early friends. It abides with
me still, the influence of that visit at Uncle Spencer Hunt's.
In the home of our childhood every thinking hour of our lives
was burdened with difficulties because of lack of money. We
girls wanted various things not to be obtained, and there was
much of self-denial in our family. I know it was best for me,
at least; but it was a hard schooling. I realized it lifted much
care from the parents. Aunt 'Rusha was never obliged to
work or to economize, though she was all her long life a busy
woman, especially with her needle.
During those ante-bellum days many friends were driven