the
means to release him from the bondage of debt; and the children, even
to the youngest, were taught to labor for, and look forward eagerly
to, the time "when we have paid for the farm!"

The creditor was the doctor's father-in-law, through his first wife,
and while the good old gentleman lived, if by any mishap or overpress
of business the quarterly payment had been delayed, it would have been
kindly excused. But for the ten or fifteen years that he lived after
the sale of the farm, there had not been one delay in payment, though
now and then there would come a time when it was very hard to secure
the needed sum in time, for even in the olden days "hard times" were
often experienced, to the terror of our hard-working New England
farmers. But little by little, the heavy debt was diminishing, and the
doctor's family were looking forward hopefully to the year of jubilee,
when they could sit under their own vine and fig-tree with none to
molest and make them afraid.

At this period the father-in-law died. He had but two children,
--daughters. The younger, the doctor's wife, died childless. The
elder married a hard, close, scheming man who lost no opportunity of
remarking that he would, no doubt, soon come in possession of Dr.
Mason's farm, as the latter, with his large family, must fail by and
by.

The financial troubles which the war of 1812 had caused, as all wars
are sure to do, were not yet adjusted. Money was scarce, and payments
very difficult. Ten children now filled the old house with merriment
and gladness; but they were to be clothed and educated.

Let us see how successfully they had been taught to make their high
spirits and resolute wills cheerful auxiliaries in lifting the burden,
which, since their grandfather's death, was pressing upon their
parents.

At the time of which we write, among other crops, rye was extensively
raised. It was used for food among the farmers quite as much as wheat,
and was also valuable for other purposes. When full-grown, but still
in the milk, large quantities were cut to be used for "braiding." The
heads were used for "fodder;" the stalks, after being soaked in strong
hot soap-suds, were spread on the grass for the sun to whiten. When
sufficiently bleached and ready for use, they were cut at each joint,
and the husk stripped off, and the straw thus prepared was then tied
in pound bundles for sale.

Bonnets, then, meant something more than a small bit of silk or velvet