Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1879-09-11
A Lecturers "reminiscences.

of "reminiscences of her lecturing tours.
calling IL 1.-THE Ragged Register" ]"
Among other amusing stories she tells
one of the rampant president OF n certain
] lecture association who wanted her TO
lecture him his town. She could not do
it.and meet her other engagements, and
she told him 10 quite plainly. But he
would not be put Off. He told her that by
taking the three o'clock train she could
do 1t. After hard nights work a three
o'cl lock train is not a pleasing prospect,
and she declined the honor. "Tll be un
| der your window at $50 sharp replied
he, Notwithstanding her expressed de
termination. And he was as good as his
word. 1t was pouring rain. but he came
and banged away ms though the front
door was fort and he battering ram.
| While he was banging nm indignant
family servant came into Miss Dick
inson's room with IA bucket of wa
ter in her hand, and opened the window
above the mans head. "Why do you
waste the water Maria" said Miss Dick
! inson; "he is wet to the skin already
But Maria knew what she was about,
and standing the bucket on the sill,
emptied the contents down over the be-
sieger. A howl, mutteyed exclama-
tion more vigorous than elegant, and his
feet were heard 'splasbing down the
walk. Il thought tlat kitchen fire
would never burn" Maria said. as she
passed out of the room, land that there
tea kettle never would bile, but it did"
Miss Dickinson tells of one man who
took seat by her in the cars and tried
TO make her talk by plying her with
questions. TO all of which she gave mono
syllable replies. Becoming discouraged.
he dragged some greasy bills and cur
rency from his pocket and said " Well.
now, look here, you'll never lecture in
our town. It's TOO small But I'd like
hear what you can do when your
stcam's up. | thought I'd get n free
blowout. but / reckon you weren't
born yesterday-got your cye-tccth cut.
There's a dollar, vi that pay you for
good square talk and all the fixins'?"
Miss Dickinson tells some Of the adj
ventures she has had in keeping her lee
ture engagements. One night she was
drawn across river on sled by two
men-the ice was too thin for horses and
a sleigh-in "A driving storm. The jour
ncy took three hours. She arrived at
the institute, teeth chattering. stomach
chattering (no nourishmcnt for thirteen
hours). fingers stiff, feet like wooden
clogs, winter cold through and through
me-" Miss Dickinson has heard that
somebody once asked Mr.. Beecher
whether man would have gone
through that to have kept lecture en-
kagemcnt, and that he answered, No
no man would have been such "A fool. :"
And he WAS Justified in the saying says
she; "only he should remember that
the world, in reasonable fashion. de-.
mands of "A woman that she do twice rs
much ms n man to prove that she can
equal him."
Western scenery is Miss Dickinson's
delight. Out there she met n man whom
she describes as "horrid little scrub. :"
who was bound on "A lengthy tour of the
Pacific slope. his wife leCturing, he man.
aging and an adopted daughter singing.
the whole made to "go by gift en-
! tcrprlse. To make herself agreeable.
Miss Dickinson said something about
the marvellous Montana region. "a
bcastly country." he cried. "a bcastly
country! we did not take $500 in it." In
travelling through this country. If In
stages. she rode on thc seat with the
driver; If BIZ railroad. on the locomotive
with the engineer. Her dress for cross
! ing the mountains on horseback consist
ed of n soft felt hat, loose coat, skirt TO
| the knees, Turkish trousers, wooden
stockings and stout shoes. Thus arraycd.
she bcstrode her horse like n man. not
| withstanding the snecrs OF n lady who
| Joined their party. and in an audible
| whisper told her companion TO " look at
! that vulgar creature" The vulgar
| creature" from her comfortable and So
cure scat. looked at the long skirts and
! twisted bodies of the other ladies. and &.
thinking of the twelve hours ride over
the mountains. said TO herself, Look Mt
/ those idiotsm
Sitting on the platform alone Miss
| Dickinson has often had hard work To
keep from laughing at the manner of
her introduction by pompous chairmen
/ Of lecture committee. One presiding
| officer in New England. instead of intro
/ ducing her, offered up prayer of
twenty minutes' duration, in which he
I inteTceded with the throne of grace in
Miss Dickinson's behalf A Western
| chairman, with an eye toward Congress.
| spoke Of her reputation rs n lecturer.
In fact" said he, wherever the
/ English language Is spoken. wherever
! the stars and stripes wave. her name Is
| like household words. Listen To her.
then. and | know-yes. fellow-Citizens.
I | know you will listen TO her, since she
always addresses herself TO the ignorant.
the down trodden and the oppressed oi
! every color. cline and tongue
! Audiences are thus described by Miss
/ Dickinson: "Somc audiences are stone.
You strike against them and rebound
angered by their hardness. Some arc
sponge-absorb, and absorb, and absorb.
and give nothing back, till you feel
as though you had enjoyed six
hours of the Turkish bath and then
been put under an exhausted receiver
and some are like champagne, or vigor.
Gus tea, or clear cognac, or aggressive
coffee, or whatever II may be that the
most quickly and enchantingly stimu.
laies your brain and nerve.m