The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1871-12-26
ny VIRGINIA +. TOWNSEND.

!.
"Mclrosc e. shouted the conductor.
was out Oh the platform in moment,
with the rest of the human packages,
staring curiously up and down the quaint
old town, which strikes one at first sight
as comfortably taking its cas- and the
world at large in peaceful, Rip van
Winkle sort Of atmosphere. Melrose,
however, is only seven miles from Bos-
ton, and despite the air of serene rcspcc-
liability with which it confronts n stran-
ger, must come in for its share in the
seasoning of Attic salt, and, no doubt, get
to the heart of it. is well tincturcd with
heresics and radicaism 1t was the late
afternoon of one of those June days Low
ell sings about so felicitously, when |
made my way through the shadows of the
pleasant, dreamy old street to the home
across whose threshold | was now to pass
for the first time. a soft, poetic sun.
shine was on leaves and flowers there
were bushes of winds among locusts and
naples and the sweet twitter of robins
throu gh the stiffness when | found my
self at the house where | was to pass the
night A quiet, unpretending New Eng.
land home stood before Inc, finished up
in browns, even to the blinds, verandah
across the 'front.' and june roses in n
very glec and riot of blossoming- the ex-
treme simplicity of the whole in fine har-
mony with the old town and shadowy
street even though the presiding divinity
here was the strong, earnest, intent soul
of Mary A. Livermore may as well
say ut this point that, measured by hours
and interviews, we were almost strangers
to each other. 4 brief meeting or two,
u letter sent me when the heart of tho
writer was at white heat with the work
and the glory of the Chicago Sanitary
Fair, comprised ou1 personal acquaint-
ancc, yet, despite this fact, was certain
that hostess and guest would meet to-
night not as strangers do. If one does
not feel at home with the first glance at
the house, one is certain TO the moment
he is across the threshold
The paror which received me was n
place to dream in for lady, with pic
tures and engravings, and pretty brack-
cts that gave color, and grace, and GER
tain artistic effect to the whole room,
while that subtle charm of real home at
mosphere brooded over ALL had ex-
pcctcd to find Mrs. Livermore 4 good
housekceper, indeed, come to think of it,
| never knew literary woman in the
highest sense Of that word who did not
prove herself in her own home capable
domestic manager :" and having been
in more than one of these homes | am, de-
spite the traditional blue stocking, entitled
to speak ercatheara en- this matter My
own room, too, when went into it,proved
the very "pink essence" Of order aud com.
fort with pictures and brackets again,
and delicate little artistic touches every
where. | sat down by the window, too
contcn, for anything but watching the
sunshine il the cherry and locust trees
outside, and waited, but not long. There
was rap at the door--no soft, appealing
iiuticr OF fingers, but prompt, strong, de-
cisive-and getting up, confronted Mrs.
Livermore. She Was tall, diSnifed,
matronly presence. an earnest, intent, at
tractiye face, with smile that comes
suddenly and breaks up the gravity with
a sweet archness, with voice full of
clear, ringing helptulness and decision,
and the more you see of her, the more
you grow into sense Of her reserve force
and her wonderful magnetic power, and
comprehend what .hrewd physician
meant when he said, The Lord made
you up, Mrs. Livermore, to do big job
of work in this world" II should have
como to you at once" she said, with her
cordial warmth of speech and manner,
"but my husbands congregation at Hing
ham gave us n reception. yesterday, and
this morning | was obliged to take the
six O'Clock train into Boston to see to the
getting out of the paper so, when learn
ed y u were coming, | primed myself
with couple of hours sleep We took
our supper alone together that night. A
silver goblet stood at my plate and when
! had taken my first draught Mrs. Liver.
more remarked, That goblet was given
me by the soldiers at the Chicago santa
ry Fair" Perhaps was unusually thrs-
ty that night, at any rate, II seemed TO
me as drainrl the goblet that no water
had ever tasted 80 sweet The silver was
simple enau.h with it, chasing and Latin
inscriptions, bat i spoke to M OF weary
Journeys through days and nights in mud
>pnnkrr-. over the wide, lonely plains of
the Northwest Of burdens under which
strong man might well have faItcred
come with calm, unhinchng courage OF
wounded men in dreary hospitals starting
at the sound of the clear, helpful voice,
and glanclng up with fearful joy, AS that
woman's shadow fell into their pain aud
loneliness.
Before we had finished our supper Mr.
l4ivermore entered, IA fine looSimg, rath-
cr portly Gentleman who evidently has
relish for Joke and profound faith IN
looking on the right side Of things. lie
reminded me Of ,onr jolly English squire,
who would enjoy riding 10 cover IN the
dew and sunshine Of an autumn morning,
and spurring on horse and hound to tn.
chase with the braycst, but he is in reai-
ty the pastor Of n Cniversalist church at
bingham. I'VE exchange works some-
times said his wife, with laugh.
"When there l. a high pressure Of blsi-
ness on me he obligingly spares me the
trouble of writing an editorial and, in
turn occasionally ureach for him "
Despite the APPALLING fact that his wife is
an editor, a lecturer, an occasional preach
er, and leader in the Woman's Rights
movement, nobody, seeing them halt au
hour together, could doubt that the Hing
ham Ta-tor wo' It pro1d aud happy hus-
band
After supper We went over the house,
and Mrs, Livermorc took mr into her
Aanctum. uuiet little nook, and ns order