The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1860-04-20
Harriet HOsmer.

Harriet Hosmer.
Born at Watertown, Massachusetts, in
the year 1921, Harriet Hosmer is the only
surviving daughter of physician who, hav-
ing lost wife and child by consumption, and
fearing like fate for the survivor, gave her
horse, dog, gun and boat, and insisted
upon an out door life as indispensable to
health. A fearless horsewoman, a good shot,
an adept in rowing, swimming, diving and
skating, Harriet Hosmer is signal instance
of what judicious physical training will eff
feet in conquering even hereditary faint OF
constitution. Willingly as the active, en-
ergetic child acquiesced in her fathers
wishes, she contrived, at the same time, to
crafty and develop her own peculiar tastes
and many time and oft, when the worthy
doctor may have fattered himself that his
darling was in active exercise, she might
have been found in certain clay pit, not
very far from the paternal residence, making
early attempts at modelling horses, dogs,
sheep, men and women, or any object which
attracted her attention. Both here, and
subsequently at Lennox, she made good use
of her time by studying natural history, and
of her gun by securing specimens for herself
of the wild creatures of the woods, feath-
cred and furred; dissecting some, and with
her own hands preparing and stufing 9TH
ers. The walls of the room DEVOTED to her
special use in "the old house at home" are
covered with birds, bats, butterflies and
beetles, snakes and toads, while sundry bot
ties OF spirits contain subjects carefully dis
sected and prepared by herself.
HER SCHOOL DAYS.
Full of fun and frolic, numerous anec-
dotes are told of practical jokes perpetrated
to such an extent, that DR.. Hosmer was
satisfied with the progress toward health
and strength his child had made and hav-
ing endeavored, without success, to place
her under tuition in daily and weekly schools
near home, he determined to commit her to
the care of Mrs. Sedgwick, of Lennox, Mas
sachusetts. Thither the young lady, having
been expelled from one school and given
over as incorrigible at another, was accord
ingly sent, with strict injunctions that health
should still be paramount consideration,
and that the new pupil should have liberty
to ride and walk, shoot and swim to her
hearts content. In wiser or kinder hands
the young girl could not have been placed.
Here, too, she met with Mrs. Fanny KEN
BILE, whose influence tended to strengthen
and develop her already decided tastes and
predictions. To Mrs. Kemble we have
heard the young artist gracefully attribute
the encouragement which decided her to
follow sculpture as a profession, and to de-
vote herself and Der life to the pursuit of
art. Miss Hosmer's schoolfellows remem-
Der many pranks and exploits that showed
her daring spirit and love of frolic. One of
these was capturing hawks nest from the
top of very high forest tree to which she
climbed at the risk of her life. Her room
was decorated, as at home, with grotesque
specimens, among which was variety of
reptiles usually the horror of young ladies.
PRACTICAL JOKE.
A practical joke upon a physician of
Boston had been the immediate cause of her
being sent to Lennox. Her health having
given her father some uneasiness, the gen.
tleman in question, physician in large
practice, was called in to attend her. The
rather uncertain visits of this physician
proved source of great annoyance and
some real inconvenience to his patient, in
asmuch as they interfered with her rides and
drives, shooting and boating excursions.
Having borne with the Inconvenience some
time, she requested the gentleman, as great
favor, to make an hour for his call, that she
might make her arrangements accordingly.
The physician agreed, but punctuality is not
always at the command of professional men.
Matters were as bad as ever. Sometimes
the twelve o'clock appointment did not
come OFT till three in the afternoon. One
day in particular, DR.. - was some hours
after time. A playful quarrel took place
between physician and patient, and as be
rose to take his leave, and offered another
appointment, Miss Hosmer insisted upon his
giving his word to keep it.
eff l am alive" said he, II will be here"
naming some time on certain day.
"Then if you are not here" was the reply,
II am to conclude that you are dead"
Thus they parted. The day and hour
arrived, but no doctor made his appearance.
That evening Miss Hosmer rode into Bos-
ton, and the next morning the papers am
nounced the decease of DR.. -. Half
Boston and its neighborhood rushed to the
physicians house to leave cards and mes
sages of coincidence for the family, and to
inquire into the cause of the sudden and
lamentable event.
AT HOME.
In 1850, being then nineteen, Harriet
Hosmer left Lennox. Mrs. Sedgwick's
judicious treatment, and the motive and
encouragement supplied by Mrs. Kemble,
had given the right impetus to that activity
of mind and body which needed only guild
ing and directing into legitimate channels.
She returned to her fathers house, at Water
town, to pursue her art studies, and to fit