Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-05-28
MY VISIT To MR.. BETTIFER AND HIS
SIX SISTERS.

MY VISIT TO Mr.. BETTIFER AND HIS
SIX SISTERS.
/ was shown into a very long room, with a.
piano at one end of it and an easel at another
Mr.. Bettfer was alone at his writing desk when
came IN apologized for interrupting him.
but he very politely assured me that my pres
ence acted as an inestimsble relief to his mind
which had been stretched-to use his own strong
language-on the metaphysical rack all the
morning. He gave his forehead violent rub
as be said that and We sat down and looked
seriously at one another in silence. 1 am not
ut all q bashful old man, but began neverthe-
less to feel little confused at this period of the
interview.
. / know no question so embarrassing" said
Mr. Bettifer, by way Of starting the talk pleas
antly, " as the quest on on which have been
engaged this morning, of our own Personality
Here am l, and there are you-let US say two
Personalities. Are We permanent, or are we
transient thing! There is the problem, NV
dear sir, that have been vainly trying to solve
since breakfast-time. Can You be one and the
same person, for example, for two moments to-
gether, any more than two successive moments
can be one and the same moment!-My sister
Kitty ~
The door opened as he said these last words
and a tall young lady glided serenely into the
room. | rose and bowed, and the tall young
lady sank softly into chair opposite NO. Mr.
Bettifer went on:
- You may tell me that our substance Is con-
stantly changing l grant you that; but do
plunge me in deeper. For it is not substance
but--My sister Maria"
The door opened again. A second tall young
lady glided in, and sank into a chair by her
sisters side. Mr.. Bettifer went on:
Not substance, but consciousness which con-
stitutes Personality. Now what is the nature
OfcOnsciousness2-My sisters Emily and Jane. ="
The door opened for the third time and two
tall young ladies glided in, and sank into two
chairs by the sides Of their two sisters Mr.
Bettifer went on:
Now the consciousness take to be that il
cannot be the same in any two moments, nor
consequently the personality constituted by it.
Do you grant me that?'
Not understanding word he said, l of course
granted it directly. Just as | said YES, the
door opened again, fifth tall young lady gided
in, and assisted in lengthening the charm
ing row formed by her sisters. Mr.. Bettifer
murnured indicat vely, Ny sister Elizabeth" ("
and made note of what had granted him, on
the manuscript by his side.
What lovely weather ?" 1 remarked, to
change the conversation.
Beautiful ?" answered five melodious voices.
The door opened again.
Beautiful, indeed - said a sixth mslodious
voice.
Ny sister Harriet" said Mr. Bettifer. I'm
ishing his note of my metaphysical admission.
They all sat in one fascinating row. 1t was
like being at party. / actually felt uncom-
Portable IN my cOlored trowsers-more uncom-
Portable still, when my sister Harriet begged
that she might not interrupt our previous CON
ye-sstion-
we are so fond Of metaphysical subjects"
said N as Elizabeth.
Exec 1T that we think them rather exhaust
ing for deal' Alfred" :" said Miss Jane
= Dear Alt, ed ~ repeated the Misses Emily
Mar;a nd in rnelliduaus chorus
Not having \ heart Of stone / was so pro-
fOundly touched, that would have tried to re-
sumo the subject But Mr. Betti6er waved his
hand impatiently, and said he rejected the
conclusion at which he was now obliged to ar
rive after my admission-the said conclusion
being that our present self was not our yester-
days self, but another self mistaken for it,
which, in its turn, had no connection with the
self to morrow. As this certainly sounded
rather unsatisfactory, I agreed with Mr.. Betti-
fer that we had exhausted that particular view
of the subject and that we had better defer
starting another until future opportunity.
An embarrassing pause followed our renuncia-
ton OF metaphysics for the day. Miss Eliza
beth broke the silence by asking me if was
fond Of pictures and before could say yes,
Harriet followed her by asking me if l was fond
Of music.
"Nill you show your pictures, DEAR" said
Miss Elizabeth to Miss Harriet
will you sing, dear ?" said Miss Harriet TO
Miss Elizabeth.
''Oh, do dear ~ said the Misses Maria and
Kitty 70 Miss Harriet.
There was an artless symmetry and balance
o4 affection IN all that these six sensitive crea-
lures said and did.
The fair Elizabeth was followed to the end Of
the room where the piano was by Jane and EN-
Ny. The lovely Harriet was attended in the
direction Of the easel by Maria and Kitty. /
went 10 see the picture first. The scene was
the bottom OF the sea, and the subject, O for
saken mermaid The unsentimental or fshy
lower half Of the sea nymph was dexteriOusly
hidden IN coral grove before which she was
AItung, In an atmosphere Of limpid blue water.
she bad beautiful long green hair, and was
shedding those solid tears which we always see
In pictures. and never in real life. Groups Of
pet hshes clrcled around her with their ewes
nxed IIournfully on their fOrlOrn mistress. A
line at the top the picture, and strip of blue
above il, represented the surface Of the ocean
and the sky; the nOnOtOny Of this part of the
composition being artfully broken by a receding
golden gally with purple SAIL containing the
tickle fisher youth who had forsaken the mer-
maid. / had hardly had time to say what
beautiful picture il was, before Miss Maria put
her handkerchief TO her eyes, and, overcome by
the pathetic nature Of the scene portrayed, hur-
Tiedly left the room. Miss Kitty followed to
attend on and console her; Miss Harriet after
covering up her picture with a sigh, followed to
assist Miss Kitty. 1 began TO doubt whether
ought not to have gone out next, to support all
three, but Mr.. Bettifer, who had hitherto re-
mained in the background lost in metaphysical
speculation, came forward to remind me that
the music WAS waiting to claim my admiration
neIt.
Excuse their excessive sensibility," he said,
have done my best TO harden them and
make them worldly, but it is not Of the slight
est use Will you come to the piano? %
Miss Elizabeth began to sing Immediately,
with the attendant sylphs, Jane and Emily, on
either side of her to turn over the music IL
vs. q ballad cOmpOsitiOn-musc and words by
the ,nely singer herself A laIy was dream
iDy in 4 U ancient castle, dog was hOwling in
ruined courtyard, an owl was hOotins IN a
neiyhboring forest, tyrant was striding in an
echoinY hall, md 4 page was singing among
the moonlight 10 o~ers. First five verses. Tune
- ike the Mistle:Cs Bough that the composer
Of the same ought really To have been ashamed
Of himself Sixth verse, the lady wakes with a
IL Ia lna6s