Page:The Life of Mary Baker Eddy (Wilbur).djvu/76

From Wikisource
Jump to navigation Jump to search
This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
44
THE LIFE OF MARY BAKER EDDY

named it Albert, in memory of the lamented brother. This boy was very handsome as was also a daughter, Evelyn, born a few years later. Both were delicate, nervous children, while George Glover was quite the reverse. Sturdy, hearty, and romping, this child of Mary’s made the house ring with his demands. When Abigail was there with her baby, to the smithy little George must go to stay with Mahala, and to the smithy he went with the Tiltons’ coachman, and there his spirits were not constrained, nor was his childish nature subdued to its proper walk in life. Thus without her consent, at the very outset, was the mother’s influence over her child lost.

George Baker was still living at home and Abigail came out to the farm nearly every day. George and Mr. Tilton were rapidly making a fortune. They had been manufacturing cassimeres and tweeds for eight years and were about to install new machinery, lease a new mill, and otherwise branch out. They were persuading their father to build a handsome house in town, near to the Tiltons, a house in Colonial style, of very comfortable proportions. He was placing his savings in other investments than crops through his son’s and son-in-law’s advice, such as workmen’s houses for rents, and railroad stocks. He was more and more interested in politics, and much pleased when George Baker was made a colonel on the Governor’s staff. His townsmen now called him Squire, in recognition of his growing wealth and influence.

As in the case with most prosperous persons, the sense of executive power made Abigail and George