The Portland daily press., 1882-06-12


Juice. The walls were frescoed with tobacco
Juice. But [ concluded that enough work
could be put into these rooms to clean them.
Then took the next boat and went to Cincin-
natl, 20 miles down the river-getting the cap
tain's permission to bring back furniture free
of charge. found Henry at his father's-Dr.
Beecher was there then, and Mrs. Stowe was
there. Iexplained matters. Two rooms, said
Henry; you can't keep house in two rooms-it
can't be DONE"
1T has got to be done.' said, 'or we must
starve.
Are the rooms furnished?' asked Mrs. Stowe.
No. said, mot even chair
And L haven't single dollar said Henry,
'to even buy chair with
1T doesn't make any difference, said l, for
my mind was made up. Mrs. Stowe laughed
heartily to think of my going to housekeeping
on nothing as she called it.
said to my husband, Henry, where is That
bed you told me you owned when you went to
school here in Lane Seminary?
I'm sure don't know he answered. 'Brok-
en- to pieces and burnt up long ago l suppose
DO you know it is?' / asked. No, he didn't
know for certain, but it was an old thing, and
only little single bed anyhow. Well. 1 said.
we would go and hunt for it. We went up to
the seminary, and, sure enough, we found that
bed, and Henry lugged it to the boat. Father
gave US little strip of rag carpet, one breadth,
that we could lay down in the middle of one
of the rooms. George gave us cook stove and
a couple of lamps. My brother contributed
some things. A Mr.. Hastings, former class
mate of Henry's, gave us a set of knives and
and forks. So we went home half equipped.
Then we scrubbed those rooms. Henry and /.
On our knees, with all that soap and sand and
water would do, it took some days to get the
stains out 1 forgot to say that when we got
homo from Cincinnati I asked the owner of the
building if he would allow us to paint the floor.
%. MOI! he said, it would rot the wood!' So
there was nothing but scrubbing left for us.
But that triumphed. Some of the people in
the parish gave US table, and, after we had
slept few nights on the single bed, some kind
mattress of cheap stuff and filed it with husks.
So we
WENT TO HOUSEKEEPING.
enjoyed it-every day and minute of it, 1
would like to go through it again." and Mrs.
Beecher's face seemed to grow young as she
spoke, and flushed with pleasure at remember
ing those days of early struggle.
80 he rooms were furnished / said, to
recall aer to the interesting narrative.
Yes. after while Henry yet wanted a
book case. Looking out the window 1 saw a
crippled old wash stand lying over in the COR
ner of the yard, far gone in dilapidation. sent
him for it. He ne yer had much ingenuity as a
carpenter, but we fastened it together, and
rugged some shelves in it, SO that it served him
very nicely for book case.
Then found piece of wire in the road and
strung it across one corner of the room, and
made curtain of some fourpenny calico, and
Kept behind it my wash tub, -four barrel and
cooking utensils. And Henry put stick
across the top which held his saddle. fas
tened some sticks to the legs of the single bed
stead and made it a high four-poster; and
around this hung cheap canopy and fixed
some nails inside, and used it as q wardrobe
except when we had company"
At this moment the birds made such tu
multi of noisy music as quite to interrupt and
plain, were some 80 or 40 in number, and filled
big cages in the great bay window of the room
where we sat. They were mostly of Contra
and South American species, several of then
fine singers and most of them prettily marked
and OF brilliant plumage. Two large and elab
crate Bullets, filling the entire end of the room
were laden with rare and precious sets of china
porcelain and other choice wares. "These we
have saved from the wreck, said Mrs. Beech
er: "these and the birds. With birds and flow
ers about us, we can be content; not happy, O.
course, as We were in Lawrenceburg, for Their
we were together all the while, except wher
Henry went to sweep out the church, or tx
make fire thereswhile was getting away the
Sunday breakfast dishes. When he had writ
ten something in the other room, he would
whistle, and would run in, with my hands
covered with soapsuds or dough, very likely
and kneel down by him while he read to me
for criticism or approval. It was happiness
I'd like to go through it again"
How did your husbands preaching strike
you then as compared with that of his later
vears?'
"Well, can see that he has grown ani
broadened, of course. 1 was rather partial
perhaps, but his sermons were satisfying, ever
then. He was always personally popular, ant
he carried about with him the same hopeful
CHEEKY breezy manner that has since won fol-
him SO many frie DIS. He
SEEMED LIKE BOY
then, and he is full of boyishness even now, hi
and the boys having no end of fun together.
"Then you went to Indianapolis"
At the end of two years we went to Indian
apolis. He declined calls to different places
but, on receiving the second or third call from
the indianapolis church, he laid it before ths
synod, and, on its advice, accepted. His sala
~, which had been $500 year, now became
5000; but we had no more than before-rathel
less. For, on the one hand, our regular ex-
penses were larger, and on the other he wal
the city minister, and was expected to enter
tain the country parsons. Those were year.
of struggle. Many time have sat up al
night at the parsonage in Indianapolis
and made a shirt and washed and ironed it,
and sold it in the morning to get money
enough to buy food for the ministers whe were
coming to dinner. 1t sounds hard, but it was
was sick. Chills and fever got hold of me
and shook me half to pieces. When wen
home to Massachusetts,, after four years alb
sence, my family did not know me.
My mother said when I went in: sYor
want to see the doctor? The doctor is out, bu
will be in soon. Won't you sit down. WheI
she found out who was she said: Don't tel
your father; see if he will know you?'
And when father came in he said: sGoot
morning, madam; do you wish to see me? You
look as if you needed a doctor. What can d,
for you?' I said earnestly: We'll, should
and he spread out his hands and exclaimed
MADAM! what a propositionp Then mothe
laughed and introduced u.s.
sBut those were good times in Indianapoli
country ministers, shirt-making, economic
ing, chills and fever and all. For Henrys ex
acting public life had not yet come to defraut
me. Happiness does not depend on money, o
leisure, or society. or even health; it depend
on our relation to those we love. When go
here to Brooklyn the public began to get m,
husband away from me. His study was nj
longer in the house, but in the church. Ant
when he went out / used to gasp for breath ant
my eyes wonld fill with tears, for 1t seemed al
If
WE HAD QUARRELLED.
He couldn't help it, of course. No woman
ought to marry man on whom the public ha
a strong claim-a popular minister, or grea
lawyer, or a politician unless she has explici
ambitions of her own and is willing to miners,
herself in society.
She fastened to the bay window and looked
out. No! That was not he she said, but she
was looking for him every minute now. What
a lovely day he had had in the country!
You asked me about Lawrenceburg, she
said, ''and have led into long talk. You arr
a journalist, and / have little reason to have
much confidencs in gentlemen Of your profes
sion. Be discreet, I beg Of you, in what yor
say Leave out all that would not look well ir
print. But should be glad to say anything thai
could help the little flock at Lawrenceburg.
1 have obeyed the injunction. | have omit
ted all that did not seem to belong to the pic
ture, and have, am sure, included nothing
that the lady need regret. The story seems
more of a monology, of course, than it would il
my own part in the conversation were not prop
erly omitted as being no part of the narrative.
Mrs. Beecher is wonderfully vivacious and
agreeable lady. She b as seen trouble. She has
borne ten children and lost six. With her
square prominent forehead and deep sunk eyes
she seems seventy when her face is in repose;
but in animated conversation she looks not
more than 35 or 40. She has q distinguished
face and manner, and even those who have
don htad Mr. Raachar's rectitude mUSt admit