The New York herald., 1879-07-28
Anna DrkinSon's Ragged Register Of Lecture
and Travelling Experiences.
THE FUNNY. PEOPLE ONE MEETS.
Poems Written by Longfellow While
a Lad at College
"a RAGGED REGISTER. "

her dragged Register" which the Messrs. Harper
will publish during the week. to be entirely
verted from that idea. "a Ragged Register" a. its
name implies is simply the offhand jottings Of the
authors experience q lecturer, collected and
gathered together in modest little volume. Miss
Dickinson is full of her life work that it is not
surprising that in running along this ragged
edge she stops once in while to emphasize her views
and theories. Not objectionably. however. for the
book. ia brimful Of fun from the first page
to the last that in reading it feels that lee
turer meets more queer people and has more amusing
experiences than any other person the world. Not
always amusing at the time. however. in the case
of the rampant president OF certain lecture assoca
ton who wanted her to lecture in his town. She
could not do it and meet her other engagements and
she told him SO quite plainly. But he would not
be put of. He told her that by taking the three
O clock A. NJ. train she could do it. After hard
nights work three O'Clock train il not pleasing
prospect and she declined the honor. ''In
be under your winder at half-past two
sharp" replied he Notwithstanding her
pressed determination. And he was as good
as his word 1t was pouring rain, but he and
banged away though the front door was a fort and
he battering ram. While he was banging an indie-
nant family into Miss Dickinson's room
with bucket Of water il her hand, and opened the
window above the mans head. ''Why do You waste
the water Maria,'' said Miss Dickinson, "he is wet
to the skin already" But Maria knew what she was
about. and standing the bucket the sill emptied
the contents down the besieged. Ahowl, NUT
tered exclamation. more vigorous than elegant,
and his feet heard splashing down the
walk. II thought that kitchen fire never
would burn Maria said she passed out
of the room. land that that there tea
kittlo never would bile-but it did, Fortunately.
Nrs.. TIA. ha.o
though people bored her she would take the trouble
to draw them out. She tells Of man, q speci-
men Of the Western men whom Dickens describes,
who took seat by her In the and tried to make
her talk by plying her with questions. to all Of
which she gave monosyllab;c replies. Becoming
discouraged. he dragged some greasy bills and
rency from his pocket and said -'WelI, now, look
here; you'n never lecture in our town. It's too
derned small. But I'd like to hear what you can do
when your steam's up. Thought I'd get free blow
out. but reckon you weren't born yesterday-got
your eye-teeth cut. There's q dollar, IL that pay
you for good square talk and all the fxens?"
She had hardly vsnquished this man when another
came strollng in from the smoking car II heard
you last night. Annie. he remarked. by way Of an
easy and friendly opening. 'at -. 1 don't live
there. 1 happened in. Yes." he repeated, II hap
pened into the lecture" though he were fearful
she would be too inflated at his voluntarily seeking
the show and must tell her how 1t fell by chance.
Then he went to tell her that although thought
her smart enough he did not like her sentiments.
With her ready wit she answered him so well that
he glad enough to escape back to the protection
of the smoking car. Then, again. she made some
pleasant acquaintances on the cars. One Sis
ter of Charity who had served her kind in the
of Italy, the Crmes, France and Germany. She was
an enthusiast. yet practical; devotee. yet full Of
tho nf Int
olic. yet a sympathizer with the movement for the
social and intellectual advance of women. These
two women had Q very profitable talk and Miss
Dickinson says:-'I never meet Sister Of Charity
without wanting to stand in the gutter. IL need be.
for her to go by dry shod."
Miss Dickinson tells Of some Of the adventures
she has had in keeping her lecture engagements.
One night she drawn q river on u sled by
two men-the ice too thin for horses and q
sleigh-in driving storm. The journey took three
hours. She arrived at the 'institute, teeth chat
tering. stomach chattering (no nourishment for
thirteen hoursl fingers stiff. feet like wooden Clogs
winter cold through and through me-" Miss Dick
inson has heard that somebody once asked Mr..
Beecher whether man would have gone through
that to have kept lecture engagement. and that he
answered. "No man would have been such
fool" And was justified in the saying" says she;
.only he should remember that the world. in
sonable fashion. demands Of woman that she do
twico much as man TO prove that she equal
him."
Miss Dickinson is undaunted traveller, and
would climb the steepest mountain for u view. She
met woman on the top of Mount Washington once
who seemed very much disgusteL with herself for
having made the ascent exclsiming. welll what in
the world people do climb all this up this nasty
mountain to get dinner for when they feed
daa hat dov tn NJ fha hof. haafe
mel" ...sf
Western scenery is Miss Dickinsons delight. Out
there she met she describes ''horrid
little scrub" who bound lengthy tour of
the Pacific slope. his wife lecturing, he mansg-
ing and an adopted daughter singing. the
whole made to "go" by gift enterprise. To mako
herself agreeable Miss Dickinson said something
about the marvellous Montana region. "A beastly
country" he cried, "a besstly countryi We did not
take $500 in it," In travelling through this coun-
try IL in stages she rode the seat with the driver
IL by railroad. the locomotive with the engineer.
Her dress for crossing the mountains on horseback
consisted Of soft felt hat loose coat. skirt the
knees. Turkish trousers woollen stockings and
stout shoes. Thus arrayed, she bestrodo her horse
like man. notwithstanding the of lady who
Joined their party and in audible whisper told
her companions to ''ook at that vulgar creature"
The ''vulgar creature from her comfortable aud
secure seat looked ut the long skirts anu twisted
bodies OF the other ladies. and, thinking of the
twelve hours ride the mountains. said to her
SELF Look at those idiotsl"
Sitting alone ON the platform Miss Dickinson has
often had hard work to keep from laughing at the
manner Of her Introduction by pompous charmen
OF lecture committee. One presiding officer In New
England Instead of introducing her offered up
prayer of twenty seven minutes duration in which
he intorcedcd with tho throre OF grace Miss Dick
.inson's behalf. Western chairman with eye
toward Congress spoke of her reputation lee
turer. "In fact" said he, wherever the English
language is spoken. wherever the American Stars and
stripes wave. her name is like household words.
Listen TO her. then. and know--yes, fellow citizens
know you will listen to her, since she always ad
dresses herself to the poor tho maimed tho halt and
the blind. You will listen to hor since she always
addresses herself to the ignorant, tho downtrodden
i a IL - IL a