Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-12-14

A YOUNG LADIES BOARDING sCHOOL-BIs HOP
HoPKINs-sKETCH or THREE CLASSMATES.

A YOUNG LADIES BOARDING sCHOOL-BIsHoI
| H0PKINs-sKETCH or THREE CLASSMATES.
Forty years ago in the town of Burling
ton. Vermont, there ilOurshed young
ladies boarding school. which as the crcu.
lars announced was "Of strictly domestic
character, and flImited to twenty pupils y
The principal of this school was DR.. ). A
Crane, an Episcopal minister, lately deceas-
cd. but who still fingers in the hearts of his
pupils like the memory of rose Every
elegant accomplishment was taught there
by competent instructors. and Mrs Crane
herself,a high-bred, refined lady, presided
over the habits and manners of the young
ladies. and their etiquette at table, in the
drawing room. at church, on the street, and
IN the school room. was subject to the
strictest scrutiny. The school was some
what under the supervision of Bishop
Hopkins, who was then in the zenith of his
fame and prosperity. and the young ladies
were all required TO attend his church !;
every few weeks they were invited to spend
an evening at the Episcopal palacea mag
nIhcent pile erected by him--and where
music. pictures, and prayers were the prin-
| cIpal feature OF the entertainment.
The Bishop was man of vast and varied
requirements but the fine arts were his
passion. lie was an elegant musician,
painter, poet and architect His genius
| comprised everything most rare in letters
and arts. Well does the writer remember
the grace of his white, shapely hands. as
with rapt expression he drew the tender,
| solemn chords from the organ which stood
in his private chapel. fhe Bishop was a
handsome man, and of 50 commanding
presence that when he entered the church it
scented to be iull--and as it were, illumn-
ata1 His wiEa and Iauuhtar- pIava1 10
lishtiully on the harp.
Bishop Hopkins. as our older citizens well
know, was the founder of st. Paul's church,
Erie, and 1t is fitting that her members
should cherish his memory.
Three OF the young ladies who were class
mates OF the writer OF this article ut DR..
Cranes school are now the wives OF distin
gul-hed .men who are known to all the civ
IliZed world. The first Of this interesting
trio is Mrs. Marsh. wife OF Hon. George p.
Marsh. who for the last thirty,years has rep
resented our government abroad in the ca
pacity of United States Minister first at
Cons:antlnopie during a period of eight
years, and for the last twenty years OF more
at the Italian court having been successive
ly established at Turin, Florence and Rome,
~ political changes rendered expedient. Mr..
Marsh Is perhaps the finest linguist in the
NtTlu. anu MS tIuultt NOIh ON pnllOlOHN L.
unequaled. Mrs. Marsh WAS Miss Caroline
Crane. sister and pupil Of DR.. Crane
She was young lady OF radiant beauty.
endowed with poeticsl fancy, warm,
loving heart. and a mind adorned with
every accomplishment. From her girlhoOd
she has been the idol and ornament of her
domestic and social circle. Some years
since she published a volume OF exquisite
poems. She is familiar with all the Ian
guageS of Southern Europe. rs well as with
the German language, OF which she is
great admirer. Some Of our Erie citizens In
their foreign travels have received kind at
tentions from Mrs Marsh. in her relation
as wife of the United States Minister.
The second young lady of this trio of
school girls il the wife Ut a man whO--it
may not be TOO much to say-hOlds the first
place in public estimation, that is, William
NJ Evarts. Mrs. Evarts's name was Helen
Wardner; she was a native OF Windsor, VT,
and was regarded at the school both by
teachers and scholars as the one faultlcss
pupil of the institution. She was quiet,
studious girl, conscientious and religious,
and though seeming to move in plane
somewhat lOttier and apart from the other
girls, she disarmed all envy and jealousy by
the simplicity and gentleness OF her man
ners. She was pretty--with soft, brown
eyes and brown hair. which vas brushed
perfectly smooth and done in q French
twist at the back, As was the fashion at
that time. Her figure was straight and
delicate, and her movements simple and di
rect. Her scholarship was excellent, all
her lessons were correctly prepared, and the
careless girls Of her class were eager to get
a peep at her French exercise by which
they slyly corrected their own. She was
much attached to Mrs Starr, the accom-
plshcd mother of our esteemed tOwnsman
George W. Starr. who resided in Buring-
ton, and she spent many OF her holiday
afternoons at her house, hours which she
declares at this day were among the hap
piest of her life Mrs. Evarts Is the mother
of eleven living children Though every
body is familiar with the character and
c,reer of our Secretary OF State, William
NJ. Eyslss, none Know better than the
school companions Of Mrs, Evarts how fit
ting it was that she should become the wife
Of so distinguished man.
The third young lady of this trio was
Mary Churchill, daughter OF Major
Churchill, United States army, and grand
daughter. by the mothers side. OF one OF
the Gnyernurs OF Vermont. She came TO the
school from Carlisle. Pa. but a. her
lather was an army officer she had lived in
various sections OF the United States. and
Southern lie and manners had made strong
impression upon her. She was an excel
lent scholar and thoroughly refined IN Lind
and manners. Ii may be said, in passing,
that she was a cousin to Charles P. Bidde,
well known in this city, and she had that
vein of wit aud humor. vivacity and taste
which characterized that young gentleman.
This lady became the wife of Spencer +.
Baird-the eminent naturalist for
many wears has added lustre to the Smith
sonian Institute. and is now United States
Commissioner of Fisheries l.. &. K.