The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1852-04-22
Geleltc0.
The HutchinsOnS.

In little book, entitled "The Book
of Brothers, or the History of the Hutch
inson Family" which has lately appear
ed, We find some particulars respecting
the career of these popular singers,
which, if we mistake not, our readers
will deem interesting.
From the choir Of village church, in
New Hampshire, Mary Leavitt, one fine
Sunday, fifty years ago, sang her way
to the heart of Jesse Hutchinson, far
mer's son, who sat, in homespun suit,
among the congregation. Bellies then
were not; but Mary was the beauty of
the village-rosy, coy, rustic, and six
teen. Jesse had been addicted to the
violin, but had lately, from religious
scruples, "hung up the fiddle and the
bow;" and afterwards, to make assur-
ance doubly sure, he had cut his instru-
ment up into tObacco bores. He could
not whittle away his beautiful voice, and
so continued to be famous for his singing
in the country round. On a Sunday
evening, consecrated in New England
to love, the smitten Jesse, clad in his
best homespun suit, and his hair tied in
a QUEUE behind, with black ribbon and
a broad beaver on his head, presented
himself to the beautiful young singer in
the character of lover. She was too
young to be married, she said, and was
hard to persuade her father who
thought very highly of the young man
who had borne most excellent charac-
ter, pleaded for him but she would not
consent, and, leaving him in the parlor,
she went to bed. He sat up alone all
night in the room, and the next morn
ing she went in, there she found him /;
but she was still resolute, and he set of
for Salem, thinking that time and alb
sence might operate in his favor, and he
was right On his return she was glad
to see him, and though still young, con-
sented to be married.
Seventeen children were the fruit of
their union, of whom thirteen survive.
The single, but constant and sufficient
luxury of the Hutchinson household,
from the beginning, was music. In the
summer they all labored on the farm i
in winter the children went to school
But summer and winter, their delight
still was to sing. Sacred songs and
simple ballads were the st,ple of their
domestic concerts. The mother knew
Watts hymns by heart, and had in her
memory an ample store of ballads, not
less sacred. Judson Hutchinson, when
about fifteen years of age, determined
to procure the great object of his desire
fiddle; but more obstacles than one
lay in his way. His father had sacrifc-
ed his instrument on the shrine of what
he considered principle, and it was not
likely that he should allow the forbidden
thing to be handled by his sons. But
what will not enthusiasm accomplish
Judson was an enthusiasts fiddle he
determined he would get-and get one
he did. But how' Money he had
none--luckily, it seems his credit was
good, and trusting soul, one Diamond
Pearsons, let him have fiddle on credit,
which he paid for from the profits on
crop of beans, "grown especially for
harmonic purposes" Asa, not to be
behind hand, borrowed from relative
in Boston a bass-viol, which had been
made by an ingenious Yankee, thirty
years before, with the great instrument
of Yankee ingenuity, a jack knife. John,
fired by a similar ambition, bought a {
violin with money which he gained by
selling garden vegetables, raised by his {
own labor. Thus furnished, the broth I
ers practised most assiduously /; though, t
from regard to their fathers feelings, in I
remote and secret places. "At sunrise, 9
1t sunset, at dawn, at dark, they repair $
ID to quiet hooks in unfrcquented fields, a
md there, spite of opposition, after the :
,ard farm work was done-for they neg f
ected no duty-and not abating one q
OF of heart or hope,' they, day by day, a
tudied and labored, and at last conquer L
d. There was one favorite spot for h
heir musical exercises, chosen by these %
oung men. Ardent lovers of nature in n
er simple grandeur, they sought places 9
f retirement in picturesque situations. /,
1t the back of their farm orchard was Ct
ock, under whose shadow in warm sum- Fl
,er evenings, they loved to meet, with
broad and beautiful landscape before B
hem, and balmy breeze around, they, CT
alf inspired, drew from their instru-
,ents, notes, which to them were more ly
,usical than those Of Apollo's lutte. Isl