, 1877-10-28

Her Remlniscences-Senator Bcnton's Homo !
Life Mt Washington and st. Louis |

Her Remlniscences-Senato Bcnton's Home
Life Mt Washington and st. Louis.
Harper's FIR you-n.oer.
Our house III Washington was headquarters
for the varied interests from all these places,
while about nv mother there collected and
shaped itself q circle which formed for many
years really salon, to be broken up only BY her
loss OF health.
This life rubbed ont many little prejudiccs,
and fitted us better than any reading could have
done tu comprehend the necessary differences
and equal merits Of differing peoples, and that
although different each could be right. The
manner in which MY father taught Us also led us
up to the same ideas.
The French language was necessity, and
that We acquired without any trouble, because
We had nurse who began us with 1t as suon as
we could speak; whatever Eoyerness or teacher
We had, my father always was our real teacher,
my mother reserving one dry and one line OF
instruction, which, like the red strand in En-
glish naval cables, marked us for her OWL.
While in Washington We mad our routine OF
studies and town life; in New Orleans mr elder
sister and myself rose to the proportion OF
members Of society, for ms fatlier's clicnts
when on their visits to Washington were pleased
to have us for their little Interpreters and when
we would be in New Orleans they would insist
on trcatlny us as grown people, inviting US
formally to dinners, where We would be taken in
formally by grown gentlemen and sit through
the whole entertainment. There WAS great in
heritcd wealth among these planters; thcE we're
generally educated in Paris; and with the COM
bincd resources OF climate, taste, and wealth
their mode Of living was beautiful is we'll As
luxurious.
In St. Louis where our house stood among its
large trees in a'squarc OF its own we had to-
large degree pleasant outdoor HE. Our les
sons always we're given on the broad gallery
running around the house, mud in every way
We had great deal Of opcn-air life; but our
true delight in out-of-doors was only to be had
at my grandfather's place in Virginia. When
going there from Washington We used no pub
ic conyegances bcy onl fredericksburg; there
Tue carriage and saddlc-horscs met Us, my
mother as well Us my father often making the
Journey back on horseback, while the carriage
was there for US children and for her to return
to when tircd,-a London-built travelling coach,
which gave all the rest one looked for,--large,
higl1-swung, aud with SO many springs that the
io!tiug from tho cIecrable roads was greatly
lessened
The interval between the close Of the long
session and the winter was too short for the long,
tedious journey to St. Louis and back. We
only made that on alternate years alter the
short session, when high waters gave US large
STEAMBOATS, aud comfortable transportation tor
our little crowd. What VIC do now in two days
required then several weeks.
A1y father knew no plan OF life that separat-
ed him from his family, SO VIC led this charming
contrast to the trouble Of travel and distance
between them. Washington was in one way
work, and st. Louis and New Orleans had their
sides Of political work and his duties LAWYER.
But it was aii holiday here, aud my father Gu
ioyed it thoroughly. Especially he enjoyed the
autumn shooting. The birds were most plenti-
full in certain large wheat fields which iu
their warm tints Of stubble uudulated over
the south face OF the hills. the trees OF the lit
tie orchard'' and the park making good screen
to the north.
Here and there through the fields we're good
apple trees: under one of these we would rest
and eat our luncheon OF biscuit and some tr1lt
taken from the tree above US; and then my
father woul.i take book from his, pocket,
usually classic in FrenSh translation.
from which he would read aloud Tor ME to
translate.
There were plenty Of ideas, even words, that
/ did not understand. II it E1a,I been descEip-
tjon OF the stcaln-enginc should have gone
through it with equal goodwill and dociiity:
hut much Of it remained in my memory, and
rrev into it. Hard words and hard ideas tired
nv mind as the long tTamps and plowed
fields tired my young feet, but With time grew
used To both, anil the benefit OF both remained
with me; these long sunny mornings were the
most delightful phase in which nv lessons
came. In winter i had my Gorner at the
library table, No matter how good our teachers
were, my father had us prepare our lessons
with him.
About year after was married my father
sent for me one morning, and pointing to my
old place at the end Of the library table said
81 want you to resume your place there; you
are too young to f1itter away your life without
some useful pursuit." So back to nv mornings