Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1857-11-14
"HOME' OF CHARLOTTE BRONTE.-.
THE NATIVES.--CHARLOTTE'S HUS.
BAND AND FATHER.
HAwoRTH, September 7tb,

| HAwoRTH, September 18th, 1857
On arriving at Bradford one of the most popu-
lous and smoky of the many populous and smoky
manufacturing towns of Yorkshire, | was told
Haworh was but ten miles distant and prefer
ring to make the journey on foot, soon found
myself beyond the suburbs of the town, and out
of the suiiocatnG influence of its smoke. The
first thing to be done was to find which was the
Haworh road, and to this end made inquiries
Of a native respecting the locality of the Mecca
of my pilgrimage -Ilaworth the home of Char
lote Bronte.
81 know nowt Of it, he replied, and then beck.
onng TO some oil his companions informed them
that "ta young man wanted to find out more
than he could tell him of himsel." So / again
asked which was the road to Haworh
"Haworth ?-Haworth 2" said native No. 2,
doubingly. "I don't know nowt Of it; but
p'raps YOU mean Otley!"
No, assured him did not mean Otley, but
Haworth, a village about ten miles from Brad
ford. AT this they all shook their heads, and a
third native suggested Skipton but the sugges-
ton was not received with favor. Fearing that
my pronunciation of the name might not be cor
rect, asked if they new of Hayworth; but they
did not know Hayworth. Perhaps they knew
Hyworth2 No, they were equally ignorant Of
Hyworth. |: might be Heeworth, then sug-
gested; but they had not the remotest idea of
Heeworth. then tried Howorth without effect,
and even went 50 far in the list of vow el sounds
as TO fcebly articuate Huw0r,h. Here one of
the natives. who had been for some time in a
deep brown study said that p'iaps the gentleman
meant Horih. said it was very probable, and
the speaker adding something about Horth, on
the moors assured him that it was the place.
and received directions 10 go two miles or more
to the Bar gate, and then turned short 10 the
left, while one sententious native made gene
lako 80, t. Al Al. IL.
ed to 10 to Horth why didn't body say he
wanted to go to Horth at oncet and be done
with it, apparently quite oblivious of the fact that
the body had been trying very hard to say so for
some time.
On this hill, and about halfway to the sum-
NIT, Law the village of Haworth, rising up from
the valley IN one steep street, and crowned with
the tower Of the parish church. Being built of
the dull brown stone so prevalent in this region,
and the houses connected with each other so as
to appear at the distance as one long unit of
buildings, the whole affair looked like some huge
saurian monster, who was creeping up the hill
side, with his head near the top and his tail
fOundeIing at the base. Once that toad-like
monster had precious jewel in its head, and
you can yet see the casket. 1t is an old clumsy
house, the highest in the village, and discernible
for miles. Haworth Parsonage, where Charlotte
Bronte lived and died.
1t had been cloudy and lowering during the
day, and as admired the scene which even un-
der these disadvantages was truly beautiful, the
sun, as he declined toward the west, threw out
spears of ligh, through rift in the clouds, and
they fell with full force upon the village of Haw-
orth, while the surrounding country lay in deep
f shade. For several minutes the light fingered
around the old church, and hovered over the now
, famous parsonage, and then died away, not to
return, until, in renewed glory, it would shine
, the next morning from the east and this little
incident seemed like an emblem of the life of
the marvellous woman of that villsge-Charlotte
, Bronte.
. Passing up the long, steep street of the vii
{ lage, wended my way to the Black Bull Inn,
, the same in which poor Branwell Bronte enter
, tanned with his boyish wit SO many a weared
5 traveller. On the way l was slightly alarmed by
hearing fearful noise directly behind me, as Of
the tramp of heavy charge of cavalry. Step
, ping quickly to one side, to avoid the impending
} danger, looked behind and found that the
Notwithstanding proceeded only from a
parcel of children who were following me up hill,
, all wearing heavy wooden clogs, which created
, tremendous clat,er, each little todding infant
+ making as much noise as mounted dragoon.--
1t is true that strangers now frequently visit
, Haworth to do homage at the shrine OF departed
Il genius, yet they are not so familiar as to avoid
v notice The juvenile Haworthians seem to think
: that stranger is holy name, and that its bearer
e should receive due attention. Consequently l
g was escorted in state to my inn by the entire
e tribe, with noise as of the tramp of mighty
e army, while infante heralds announced my ad-
}, vent by running before my face and crying out,
/ "Mother, here's man Look at man J"
The next morning was Sunday, and at the
: parish church heard an able discourse from
w.. Tho ham of Intto M
s He is man in the prime of manhood, reserved
d and dignfed in manners, Gndeed too much SC
= to obtain local popularity and breaches a
J. sound, forcible, and by no means sleepy sermon
l. In the afternoon he read the service, and dur
l. ing the singing Of the hymn observed an old
d man, with prepos,erousy big white neckcloth
burying up his face to the nose, walk feebly up
the aisle, his hand shading his eyes he slowl,
J. picked his steps. He was dressed in blacl
F. gown, and as he ascended the pulpit, knew al
,f once that he was the venerable father of Ellis
l. Acton and CurTer Bell--the Rev. Mr.. Brontc
&c He chose for his text few verses from the Lam
s. entations of jeremiah, and proceeded TO give ex
= tempore paraphrases or explanations of eacf
l. passage, using no notes whatever. l could no
e but be surprised with the fuency and elOquenc'
It Of the language Of this reverend octegenaran
n and could not but feel affected by the quiet ear
D nesness of his manner. Mr. Bronte breaches
Of regularly once on each Sabbath, and his con
ID gregation maintain for him the strongest affec
id ton. An unfavorable impression seems to ex
at st in America in regard to this gentleman, il
is consequence of the description of his persona
h, characteristics in Mrs. Gaskells life of his daugh
m ter, but no such impression exists among thos
ty who know him best Though so old, he ye
10 takes the greatest interest in passing events
at and at an interview subsequently had with him
y he exhibited an acquaintance with the minutis