Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1877-09-28
NO. 80.


Just outside the village of Concord Mass,
Mt the intersection of the old road TO Boston
with that of Lexington is the home Of Ralph
Waldo Emerson. II stands little back from
the road, and tall pines and frs before it give
AN air of refinement well fitting the home Of a
philosopher
The original house was built fifty years ngo,
and as it now stands is a large, square build
ing, painted white and furnished with gen
erous supply of windows and chimneys.
few years since it was badly damaged by fire,
but while the owner was in Europe il was
carefully restored by his friends, and few
improvements added, the only irreparable loss
being some boxes Of old sermons slowed away
in the garret which, having done good ser
vice in the hands of Puritan divines. now per-
ished from an excess of the element they lack
ed before. A roomy barn stands near the
house, and behind lies n little farm Of nearly
dozen acres. The whole external appear
ance of the place suggests old-fashioned COM
fort and hospitality.
Within the house the flavor of antiquity is
still more noticeable. Old pictures look down
from the walls; quaint blue and white china
holds the simple dinner; old furniture brings
to mind the generations of the past. Just at
the right as you enter is Mr. Emersons libra
ry, large square room, plainly furnished,
but made pleasant by pictures and sunshine.
The homely shelves which line the walls are
well filed with books. There is lack of
snowy covers rich bindings, and each vol
ume seems to have soberly grown old in con-
stant service. Mr.. Emerson's study is quiet
room up stairs, and there each day he is
steadily at work, despite advancing years.
Although one hardly realizes it, Mr.. Emer-
son is getting to be an old man. Born in 1903.
and graduate of Harvard in 1921, he has
seen the fatal asterisk set to the names of one
after another of his classmates, until now few
are left besides himself. He speaks of him
self as n man whose work is nearly ended. but
the only sign of failing power noticeable in
conversation with him. is a slight hesitation
and apparent effort in recalling needed word,
especially proper name.
His wife, sister of DR.. jackson, the dis
coverer of anesthetics and a rival claimant
with Morse of the electro magnetic telegraph,
is a stately lady with beautiful snowy hair,
and a dignifed but gracious bearing. She is
proud, and justly so, of her husbands genius
and fame One daughter lives at home, and
devotes herself to care for the comfort of the
family.
In college Mr.. Emerson did not distinguish
himself as a scholar. He indulged his fond
hess for literature at the expense of lessons.
As n classlnate remarks: He was one of the
few who made the discovery that Shakespeare
was very entertaining reading" The Waver-
ly novels were then coming out, and Scotts
magic enchanted him us it did everybody.
Each new volume was quickly purchased, and
he, with group of college friends, all eager
to enjoy it, would sit up far into the night
taking turns at reading aloud, so that all
might hear at once.
Oddly enough, philosophy was study
which he disliked and never excelled in.
Mathematics, too, were a great stumbling
block. The story is told by the best of au-
thorities that only few years ago he unwit-
tingly cheated poor Irishman, when paying
him for some work, by calculating that seven
times seven were twenty-seven. and the error
was not detected until Pat, who had his doubts
about the matter, consulted a neighbor and
came back for a re-settlement
There were fifty-nine in Mr.. Emerson's
class, and commencement parts were given to
twenty-seven of them. Emerson stood high
enough TO have share in conference--a
part usually given to the duller men-and ac-
cordingly he and two others conferred ION
the character of John Knox, William Penn
and John Wesley" After graduation he
taught school with an older brother in Boston
for some time before he entered the ministry.
We are wont to say that at such time Mr..
Emerson left the ministry. But is he not in
the ministry still ?-Literayy World.