The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-02-10
Miscellany.
The Rron,e Family.


There Is very little that is new which can,
be told of that most interesting of English
literary families, the Bronte girls; but an
EngIishman who lately spent "a winter day at
Haworth," their former home and present
burial place, resurrected a son of the old SEX
ton of the church over which the father OF
the family presided, and who stated that he
knew every one of the Drontes well:a
"No," he said in reply TO some OF my ques-
lions about them, sthey didn't vlsit mucn
among the people in tie village: They were
fonder of taking long walks by themselves on
the moors. Emily ELLIS Bell was very re-
served. Anne was the loveliest, sir. When
ever they were baking at the parsonage she
always took care to make mel was little
lad, then, you know, sir-an apple pasty or,
If she couldn't make me one, then she would
give me a handful Of raisins, or something of
that sort.
did you know BranweD, the sonw said
l. Twas he not very clever? Z"
@That he was, Sirl FIJI give you an in
stance'of it. I'll tell you what I've seen him
d. often and often. have seen him take two
quilts, one in each hand, and write two letters
at o,ice on two different subjects, while some
ore kept talking to him. He wrote just as
easily with the lett hand as with the right.
The way he first began to write with both
hands, he told me, was this. One day he was
at a railway station, and he wanted very
much to get two letters written before the
tain came up, and it occurred TO him that he
might as well write them at once. he tired
and found he could do itsquite WELL 80 =
Mrs. GaslSell, in her sLie of Charlotte
Dronte," has stated that one reason or Bran
well Bronte's having so early contracted those
habits OF intoxicati0n which blighted his ca
reer. was to be found in the fact that when
traveller for a commercial house came TO stay
at Haworth for the night, and complained OF
the dizziness of the place, the host OF the
Black BulP would then send up to the par
sonage with the travellers compliments"
and beg Mr.. Branwell to come down to the
ian and spend an hour. or two there. The
sexton, however, informed us that this state
ment was quite untrue. "Mrs Gaskell,o said
he, went TOO lar there" The host of the
Black Bulio had never thus sent Ter Bran
well; "ior,' as the sexton observed, grimly,
she (BranwelD never wanted no sending for,
he went fast enough OF himseK3 - II
"Oid you know Mr.. Nichols, the curate,
who married Charlotte Bronte?" asked my
f:iend.
"Yes; knew him wel.- A nice man he
was. Quiet, you know, but very kind, and
real good hard-worker."
SHOW. long wss Mr.. Nichols at Haworth ?"
"Why, altogether, he was hero for about
seventeen years. Ten years he was here
alore he married Miss Bronte, and abont sew
va years diteFWdfu' pOuF iuOLtuS digeI III.
Bronte died he went away"
"Did he apply for the living after Mr..
Bronte's death?" we asked.
"Yes; be did, Sir, answered the sexton;
shut he didn't get it,
"But surely" said we, having been curate
here for seventeen years of his lie, having
known the Dronte family so long, and having
married Charlotte BIonte, he was The most
suitable person to have been appointed"
swell, don't know how it was, Sir" re-
sponded the sexton; "but all l know is, he
sent in his application to the trustees, and,
hearing that there was going to be some oppo-
sition to him, he withdrew it."G1
He showed us the communion pew, in front
OF which Charlotte Bronte was married, and
under which she now hes buried, almost on
the very spot where her feet must have stood
during the performance of the marriage rite.
All the family, also, except Anne, are buried
close beside her. The sexton thenpointed out
70 us the Bronte pew, which is close before
the altar, and especially showed us where she
tCharlotte) used to sit.
"She was" he said, every little, and had a
footstool for her feet. Yes, the pew was in ex-
actly the same state as when they sat in it,
An, sir" continued the sexton, 81 once saw
Thackeray and an American, who, they tell
me, Is q great man over there, called Emerson
ana Miss Martineau and Miss Bronte, all sit
Ting In that pew, one Sunday. Thackeray and
emerson came to visit Miss Bronte for day
or two, That was how they all sat there on the
Sunday"