Memories and Anecdotes

h-One Year at Packer Institute, Brooklyn-Beecher's Face in Prayer-The Poet Saxe as I Saw him-Offer

her Gates Ajar. She invited me to her study and wanted to know what I meant to accomplish in life and urged me to write. "I have so much work call

't k

nything at hom

N

y p

ly, ordinary dog,

s to Mr. Ford, the editor, with a wish that he accept the little story, which he did, sendi

severity in climatic and in intellectual environment that New England developed an austere type of scholars and theologians. Their mental vision was focused on things remote in time and supernatural in quality, so much so that they often overlooked the simple and natural expression of their obligation to things nearby. It sometimes happened that

him, never to see him any more." Her Gates Ajar when it appeared was considered by some to be revolutionary and shocking, if not wicked. Now, we gently smile at her diluted, sentimental heaven, where all the happy beings have what they most want; she to meet Roy and find the same dear lover; another to have a piano; a child to get ginger snaps. I never quite fancied the restriction of musical instruments in visions of heaven to harps alone. They at first blister the fingers until they are calloused. The afflicted washerwoman, whose only daughter had just died,

was seven years old, was bright, interesting, unusual. She wrote Tales of New England, chiefly stories of clerical life; also Sunnyside Sketches, remarkably popular at the time. Her nom de plume was "Trusta." Professor Phelps married her sister Mary, for his second wife. She lived only a year, a

he had a liking for the farm I now own, about half a mile farther on from my first agricultural experiment. She called on me, and begged me as woman for woman in case she bought the neighbouring farm, to seclude all my animals and fowls from 5 P.M. till 10 A.M. each morning, as she

. Hezekiah Butterworth, a poet, historian, and author of the Zigzag Series, which had such large sales. Happening to be in Boston, I called at t

is own name,"

fraid I shall h

t; come with me t

possible winner in a contest for a five-hundred-dollar prize story. Both English and American authors had competed. He was, as De Quincey put it, "snowed up." Then my friend said with a laugh, "Miss Sanborn has come to see Hezzy whom she fancies

ng man who had not the advantage of being born educated, but did his best at all times. As the young man read on in class, father, w

udent, "What was ambrosia?" and the reply was, "The gods' hair oil," an answer evid

H. Sanborn, a noted educator of his time, and a grammarian, publishing a text-

he name of

garden, bal

le words w

les, a, a

nd only five very small children, and remarked approvingly, "Good order here." He, unfortunately, for his brothers, developed an intense interest in genealogy, and after getting them t

ractise law. Soon acquiring a fine practice, he married the strikingly handsome daughter of Mr. Brooks, the most important man in that region, and rose to a position on the Queen's Bench. He was twelve years in

When he died a slice had to be cut off, not from his body, but from the side of the house, to let the coffin squeeze through. I visited his grave with father. It was an immense elevation even at so remote a

art into the waste basket. Also in the dining-room I can still recall the delicious meals prepared by an old-time Southern mammy, who wore her red and yellow turban regally. The capital j

Webster. At the top of his own picture at the right hung his large grey slouch hat, so well known. In the next room the silhouette of his mother, and underneath

and the speech was a success. There is a wooden statue of Daniel Webster that has stood for forty years in Hingham, Massachusetts. It is larger than life and called a good portrait. It was made more than sixty years ago as a figurehead for the ship Daniel Webster but never put on. That would have been appropriate if he was occasionally half seas over. Daniel's devotion to his only brother "Zeke" is pleasant to remember. By the way, there are many men who pay every debt promptly and never take a drop too much, who would be proud to ha

ine-looking woman with those same marvellous eyes, long straight black hair, high cheekbones; a tall person with strong individuality. Mrs. Webster was sure where the swarthy in

fessor Brown of Dartmouth suggesting an inscription on the doors of the college building, "Founded by Eleazer Whe

ne. I see him, as he talked at our mid-week meetings. One could almost perceive an aura or halo around his classic head; wavy black hair which seemed to have an almost purple light through it; large dark eyes, full of love.

re you not to be tempted by the social delights of the evening?" To which he replied, "No, I prefer to suffer affliction with the people of God, rather than enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season

y; all he had to do

ounter of a grocery store. A friend passing sa

my appointed time unti

g in that direction and explained, "I'm loo

the floor, leaving its frame on the wall. Instantly Professor Putnam remarked: "Her willing soul would not stay 'in such a frame as this

ought a milder climate abroad and died there. But no one can compute the good accompli

" I gave them "Comic Miseries." "Now try a little pathos." I recited Alice Cary's "The Volunteer," which was one of my favourite poems. Then I heard a professor say to Mr. Crittenden, "She recites with great taste and expression; what a pity she has that lisp!" And hitherto I had been blissfully unaware of such a failing. One other selection in every-day prose, and I was let off. The faculty were now exchanging their opinions and soon dispersed without one word to me. I said to Mr. Crittenden, as I came down the pulpit stairs, "I do not want to take the place." But he insisted that they all wanted me to come and begin work at once. I had large classes, number of pupils eight hundred and fifty. It was a great

erfly court

owl the

were built

times one

ny rode h

ttercups a

had the di

ied, sir,

sir, sold

y for hal

tleman we

would be

y or all t

ever co

t think the

uld be in

e was in

, and point, promising to give an anecdote of my own suggested by theirs every time. Th

d any such thing, but what I am

use-hunting, leaving grandfather to guard our home. He was waked, in the middle of the night as he supposed, by a noise, and started out to find where it came from. It continued; so he c

eps of Beecher's pulpit, and the young lady gave it as a real happening in her own home. Did anyone hear of it before 186

her's complaint that the milk he brought for her baby was sour, replied: "Well, is there anything outside the sourness that doesn't

valuable that I was offered pay for it, b

you got to teach elocution now? You used to have a few prize pumpkins on show, but now every girl is doing good original work." Mr. Crittenden warned me at the outset, "Keep an eye out or they'll run over you." But I never had anything but kindness from my pupils. I realized that cheerful, courteous

cking her heels against the woodwork below, I did not appear to see her, and began the exercises, hoping fervently that one of the detectives who were always on watch might provid

se on account of my yellow hair and rather high treble voice; Mr. Crittenden always spoke t

oarse features, thick lips, a commonplace nose, eyes that lacked expression, nothing to give any idea of the man as he would look after the long prayer. When the audience reverently bowed their heads my own eyes were irresistibly drawn toward the preacher. For he prayed as if he felt that he was addressing an all-powerful, omni

ansfigured

e did shine

er that Beecher once acknowledged to a reporter that he never knew what h

eeping into their room found Mr. Beecher having a jolly frolic with them. He was trying to get them dressed; his efforts were most comical, putting on their garments wrong

as they seemed to care less for eating than for wreathing their arms round each other, with a good deal of kis

." I was surprised and somewhat flattered, regarding it as a complimentary impromptu. Bu

old the tru

ns had r

nce the ear

t the ang

at was a ha

went every year, saying as they sat together on the upper piazza, "Why, Saxe, I should fancy you owned thi

American poet. In Dodd's large collection of the epigrams of the

IVOCAL

as-Bleu, "I he

women are alw

, dear sir,

swered Tom, "v

e remark in

honour, I did

NDID B

wife were disc

al faults, in

ough my _wit_

r husband, our f

least, that my j

o they said at

ife into a vat of boiling hog's lard, he remarked:

s, I said: "You didn't find riding on the rails so pleasant

ch guest a lighted candle in a candlestick. She fancied some of the

t a single o

ey would, hold a

ookstore in Boston, at a very early hour, and amuse the boys who were sweeping and dusting the store until one of the partner

when I was doubtful about some literary question, saying he would do anything for a woman whose name was Kate. And a Dartmouth graduate, whom I asked for a brief story of F

ts, suffered from melanch

lar's cart from a friend. He put into the cart a large assortment of Yankee notions, or what people then called "short goods," as stockings, suspenders, gloves, shoestrings, thread and needles, tape, sewing silk, etc. He determined to make his own fortune and succeeded royally for he became a "merchant prince." His was a rarely noble and generous nature with a heart as big as his brain. Several of his large rooms downstairs were crammed with wonderfully beautiful and precious things which his soul delighted in picking up, in ivory, jade, bronze, and glass. He was so devotedly fond of music that at great expense he had a large organ built which could be played by pedalling and pulling stops in and out, and sometimes on Sunday morning he would rise by half-

Miss Proctor that Mr. Greeley had just come in from the rain and was quite wet, and there was no fire in the library. He did not at first care to change to Mr. Storrs's special den in the basement. But Miss Proct

, and I noticed his hair was then worn quite long. But he soon attained the New York cut as well as the New York cult. Both Reid and John Hay were at that time frequent guests of

r. Greeley for which I am indebted

er one of Greeley's editorials, climbed up to his sanctum, and as soon as his head showed above the railing, he began to rave and rage, using the most

uch to be endured, and the caller turned to go downstairs, when Gree

asked fiercely what man set the type for this printing, showing him the mistake. Rooker told him, and went to get the culprit, whom Greeley said deserved to be kicked. But when he came, he brought Mr. Gre

ut, when Mr. Storrs was a boy, had been invited by him to spend a week. She was a timid little woman, but she became so shocked at several things that

She told me afterward that she heard the poor little questioner speak with a rising inflection only two or three times. But Mr. Greeley

t noticing anyone, but dashed upstairs to her room, closed the door, an

It would never do for Mr. Greeley to go to Congress,

e several appeals in prose and verse for the adoption of the Indian corn as our national emblem. She is also desirous to hav

m the bough. She had a way all her own of "telling" you a poem. She was perfectly natural about it, a recitative semi-tone yet full of expression and dramatic breadth, at times almost a chant. With those dark and glowing eyes looking into mine, I have listened until I forgot everythi

referring to the asters and goldenrod). He said later: "The instant popularity and large sale of that booklet attested the happiness of Miss Sanborn's selection, and the kind contributions from her friends." Miss Proctor's contribution was the first poem

ROD AN

nrod, the

ws in su

plumes on

ntain slope

ons, nor co

cups, gems

f daisies yel

this lat

s and the up

al splen

rom myriad br

he south w

seems true the

its blo

row brief and

s the sam

r than Apr

as wind-fl

ades from hi

s of aste

purple o'erh

nor walls

hone, to the

ylonian

moors the

d's lanes

th broom whos

ing linne

sings from h

net, lig

o my blaze o

n moon to

to be a bri

imes rang

s red, bu

n my pa

righten the

on the a

nd light of the

mn dimne

sleep in my s

es pale

ple asters

y hand I

od is the f

and chan

eam through t

hues of

ean Pr

ry Institute to teach classes of girls. Chancellor Hoyt of the university had been lured from Exeter, New Hampshire. He was widely known in the educatio

out alarmingly, and it was advised that my head be shaved, with a promise that the hair would surely be curly and just as good as before the illness. I felt pretty measly and "meachin" and submitted. The effect was indescribably awful. I saw my bald pate once, and almost fainted. I was provided with a fearsome wig, of coa

med to understand about the hideous wig, but never showed that they noticed it. One of our first callers was a popular, eloquent clergyman, who kissed me "as the daughter of my mother." He said, "I loved your mother and asked her to marry me, but I

rom her del

de her soft-

d been blessed with magnificently thick black hair, a handsome face, adorned with a full beard and moustache. It was an April evening and the weather was quite warm, and after dinner the doctor removed his wig, placing it on a plaster head. He was now used to his affliction. He told me, as he sat smoking, looking like a waxwork figure, how several years ago he awoke in the dead of the night to find something he could not

yman Crow, a trustee, was the generous patron of Harriet Hosmer, whose Zenobia was at that time on exhibition there. The Mary Institute was founded in remembrance of Rev. Dr. Eliot's daughter Mary, who

cow. I attempted a bunch of dahlias, but when I offered the result to a woman cleaning our rooms

houghts. He would also criticize my conversation, never letting one word pass that was ungrammatical or incorrectly pronounced. If I said, "I am so glad," he would ask, "So gla

city, so enlarged and improved. I used to see boys riding astride razor-back

th, and the audiences at my lectures, since learning a better habit. Frigidity an

at St. Louis, but in the sleeping-car between that city and Chicago. I advise children to see to it that both parents get t