The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1857-11-21


On this hill, and about ha!f~a. to the sum-
NIT. lay the village of Iiaworth. rising up
from the valley in one steep street, ard
crowned with the tower of the parish church.
Beng bull, CT tic dull brown stone so prev
alcnt in this rcgion. and the houses connect
cd with each other so rs TO appear at the dis
tancc as one long unit of buildings, the whole
affair looked like some huge Sauran monster
who was creeping up the hillside, with his
head near the top and his tail tloundcrinS 4,
the base. Once that toad-ikc monster had ;
precious Jewell in its head, and YOU can yc
see the caskct. 1t is an old clumsy house
the highest in the village, and di>ccrnable fol
miles. Haworth Parsonage, where Charlotte
Brontc lived and died
1t had been cloudy and lowering durin:
the day, and as admired the scene. which
even under these disadvantages was trul,
beautiful. the sun. as he declined toward tn,
west threw out spears of light through riff
in the clouds, and they fell with full fore,
upon the village of IIaworth, while the sur
rounding country lay i'll deep shade. Fo
several minutes the light fingered around The
old church. and hovcrcd over the now famous
parsonage, and then died away, not to return
until. in renewed glory, it would shine tn,
next morning from the east: and this littl,
the marvellous woman of that villagc-Char
lotte Brontc.
Passing up the long, steep street of ,h'
village, | wended my way to the Black Bul
Inn, the same in which poor Branwcll Bront'
entertained with his boyish wit SO many
wcaricd traveller. On the way was slight.
alarmed by hearing fearful noise directl
behind me, as Of the tramp of heavy charg
of cavalry. Stepping quickly to one side. t.
avoid the impending danger, l looked be
hind, and found that the much-ado-about
nothing proceeded only from parcel of
children who were following me up the hill
} all wearing heavy wooden clogs, which crca,
ed tremendous clatter, each todling infall
making as much noise as mounted dragOol
1t is true that strangers now frequently visi
Haworth to do homage at the shrine of depart
: ed genius, yet they are not SO familiar as t
avoid notice; the Juvenile Haworthians seen
to think that stranger is holy name, an
that its bearer should receive due attention
Consequently was escorted in state to m
inn by the entire tribe, with noise as of tn
tramp of mighty army, while infantie he,
E aids announced my advent by running befor
my face and crying out, "Mother, here's
man. Look at man."
The next morning was Sunday, and at tn
parish church heard all able discourse frol
. Mr. Nichols, the husband of Charlott
Bronte. He is a man in the prime of MAJ
l hood, reserved and digniied in manner
(ndecd too much SO to obtain a local popr
), larltyD and breaches sound, fOrclbe, an
:, by no means sleepy sermon. In the aftcl
, noon, he read the service, and during tn
singing of the hymn observed an old ma
, with preposterously big white ncckclotl
, burying up his face to the nose, walk feebl
4 up the aisle, his hand shading his eyes as b
slowly picked his steps. lie was dressed
f black gown, and as he assembled the pulpi
n | knew he was the father of Ellis, Acton an
i Currcr Bcll-the Rev. Mr.. 3ronte. lie cho:
o for his text a few verses from the Lament
d tons of Jeremiah, and proceeded to 81,
c extemporc paraphrases or explanations
}, each passage, using no notes whatever.
could not but be surprised with the Auen'