Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-11-11
MRS. HENRY WARD BEECnER.

wholesale agents.
MRS. HENRY WARD BEECnER.
The Rev. DIR. Parker Publishes a
Description Of Her.
Rev. DR.. Parker, minister of the
City Temple, London, who recently
visited this country was for several
days the guest of MIR. Beecher at his
residence on the Hudson,
sketches Mrs. Beecher in the London
Fountain Of October 6, in the follow
ing strange fashion:
AS this lady is nearly as much be-
fore the literary public as her famous
husband, l make no excuse for thus
referring to her. | was introduced to
her in the White Mountains one sum-
mer night in 1873, but l then saw
nothing OF her, in the hotel corridor,
but a very white head and a very dark
eye; the vision, not without wierdness,
passed aud vanished, as l thought for
ever. And if forever | did not care,
for l then thought that SO stern a face
could give me no gladness. When we
visited Peekskill this summer, l was
reintrOduoed to the stern looking lady
in her own house; she inclined her
head, | inclined mine, and we
mutually declined one another.
1t was said to be hot in
America, but at that moment |
felt it to be just about as cold as the
North pole. My breakfast nearly
choked me. When she asked me il /
would take Oolong or English break
fast tea | did not for the world know
what to answer, and not for the world
would | take anything from the thin
fingers of that stern lady. | saw she
was handsome, that her head was the
head of a thinker, but her eye seemed
to have evil in it as it malignly fixed
the very center of my tremb-
ling life. Mr.. Beecher asked a bless
ing, but no answer came my way. !
suppose somebody got that blessing.
but it was not Mrs. Beecher, other
wise that darting eye of hers would
have melted as she looked upon the
Englishman whom she had stabbed to
death with glances which plainly said:
You villain, this morning is your last
on earth Breakfast concluded and
the party dispersed, a kind old gentle
whispered TO me:
Won't you 60 in and e the old
lady for a moment?'
mot for worlds" said 1, gasping
for very fear.
THE kind old gentleman saw my
p%redicament and led me into the open
air, mumbling incoherently something
that was probably meant for 40 expla.
nation. | sat down and the air
refreshed me a little; | looked around
and took heart again. The funeral
party sat down to an early dinner and
asked another blessing, no larger than
the one asked over the breakfast.
though the meal itself was a good
deal larger. Stories were told.
One after another Jokes began
to make themselves heard. To
my surprise Mrs. Beecher took some
interest 10 them, and l saw that her
eyes wero not half so hard as | had
supposed them to be. A few more
stories, and then the eyes cleaned
with delight, and when the evening
came the venerable lady had thrown
OIL most Of her sixty-nine years, and
was just as chatty, as genial and affec
as a dear old grandmother
be. The evening and the
morning might be the same day in
some grand astronomical sense,
but not in a social sense, for the sun
that rose in cloudiness, more than
doubtful, sat quite tenderly and shed
a soft Light over all things that II
touched. / now saw the real Mrs.
Beecher. Speaking Of her in general
l should describe her as Of
medium stature, with a keen face, hair
like driited snow, eyes dark, head
nobly rounded in the intellectual re-
gion, and distinctly expressive of in.
t%ellectual refinement and energy. The
face bears the look Of one who has had
much occasion to distrust the world,
it is skeptical, critical, partly cynical,
and Is meant to keep people at a dis.
lance until they have been adjudged
and valued by an acute examiner.
But having passed the judgment pretty
you are all right; the eyes are
the voice is confidential.
and the grip gentle rather than firm,
because Of bodily frailty. CONSIDERING
indeed, how much physical debility
,he has suffered, Mrs. Beecher is a
miracle. She has the invincible will
gives conquest to the soldier.
Ind that will has carried her through
trouble that would have killed a dozen
ordinary women. Weak as she is. and
,ertain to suffer every moment Of the
lime, sho would undertake a voyage
% Europe at an hours notice If any
object we're to be attained.
Zen months older than Mr.. Beecher
n point Of mere age, she is twenty
lears younger in everything calling
or the special exercise Of tho will. In
ancy, in poetry in fun, Mr.. Beecher
5 barely out OF his teens, but in the
Of being up TO time, overcon-
ng obstacles, defying seasickness and
;illing enemies, he is nearly 239 years
y age. II ever Mr.. Beecher Is to
7isit England, Mrs. Beecher will have
o act as tug and bring him out. That
S no poetry. 1t is about the plainest
act l have any knowledge off,
EHrruafasa o.~.