Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-02-26
AN ECCENTRIC PAIR,
Rev. Thomas Z. Beecher and His An,
cient Female Admirer-A Pastor
and Publican Who
Likes Beer and Plays Billiards-The
Eccentrieities and Queer DOiDgs
Of an Old Couple.

HAN way up the high MIL 10 Inc east OF
| Elmira, New York, writes a correspondent
| of the Buffalo Telegraph, and looking out
upon the beautiful valley of the Chemupg,
stand two cottages. The valley stretches far
| away TO the north toward Seneca lake; and
| to the south, in the dim distance may be seen
! the monument to General Sullivan, of revo-
| lutionary fame. A little further up he HILL
! an almost in the rear OF these t~o cottages
| stands the summer home of Mark Twain
| whose bushy hsir and STOPPING shou ders
| may be seen on our streets almost every sum-
| mer. There is nothing peculiarly strange
about these two cottages, except that they are
| occupied by persons whom the world calls
| queer" As you approach the one turthest
| north, you glance through the window and
| look with wonder on the picture that lies be-
| fore Won. Across the room bright fire
| blazes in large fireplace, the occupant being
totally opposed to the use of stoves. The
| floor, OF different colored oiled woods, is
wholly without carpet OF any char,
acter, aud shines as brightly though
! N ade of glass. In the center of the room a
| large square mat of some plush-like material
| is laid, and scattered about smaller mats
| of the same description. There are few pic
| lures on the wall, and the furniture is very
| plain and commonplace. The room, which
! does not look cold and cherries, as anyone
| would suppose, is the family parlor of the
residence OF the Rev. Thomas K. Beecher,
| celebrated politically as a Greenback states
| man, and locally as the half brother of
Henry Ward Beecher, the Plymouth pastor.
| The other rooms on the first hoor-the bed
room, kitchen and dining-room-are fur
nished in exactly the same manner as the
| one described above. 1t is here that Beecher
| lives, drinks beer and has his being. The
| other house, which stands in the same lot and
| but short distance away, is built almost
| exactly after the same plan as that OF
| Beechers, and is furnished in the same man
! per, being utterly devoid of carpets, stoves,
| etc. Both houses are built after the summer
| cottage plan, only more substantial and
warmer, and are fitted up with bathrooms,
| hot and cold water and all modern convent.
! ences for heating and ventilating. 10 the
! latter cottage lives Miss Ella Wolcott, an
l aged maiden lady, who is as thoroughly
| eccentric in her ideas as her reverend
neighbor. There are strange stories float
ing around regarding the social intercourse
| of these two persons. One story is that
| Miss Wolcott bears for Mr.. Beecher pa-
| tonic affection; that she admires him for his
| intelligence and eccentric ways, and that she
| is most happy when holding sweet COM
munion with him, or is in his presence,
where she can sit with sestheticaliy folded
| hands and gaze at him with as much rapture
| and delight as Oscar Wilde would enjoy in
| gazing upon lily or a big suntlower. An
| other story is that Miss Wolcott was born
and brought up in Hartford, Connecticut,
' and that there, many long years ago, she
| formed strong affection for the promising
young divine who bore the name of Beecher.
! The fires OF that affection, so the story goes,
have never gone out, or bsen suffered even to
| diminish. Although grizzled and gray now,
| she has for him the same feeling as when she
was young. 1t is not definitely known
| whether her feelings are reeiprocated or not,
| but one thing is certain, the Rev. Thomas X.
| Beecher has been twice married, and never
so much As gave Miss Wolcott a chance to
| accept him. When Beecher came to Elmira
| in 1854, Miss WoIcott followed soon after,
and both resided in the city for a while.
| Then Beecher built his home on the hillside
| and she Immediately initiated his example.
And so up there alone she can bask in the
| sunshine Of his smiles and intellect, without
fear of hindrance from the rude and plebeian
| world.
Miss Wolcott is not handsome, and at the
present time there are no indications that
she has been. She is short, fleshy and has
seen the suns of at least sixty summers, and
| the Lord only knows how many winters.
| Her face is covered with tough skin, which
| is sadly marked with erysipelas or scrofu-
| lous blotches. Her eyes are blue, although
| the luster which once was theirs has died
| away with years. Prominent and poetic
| nose high cheek bones, broad forehead, a
called pouting, gray hair done up in a knot
| far down on her neck, and her photograph
is completed. She ia reputed t. be quite
wealthy, and during the rebellion she gave
literally to the government TO aid in prose
| cutting the war to a successful Close. She be
came partially crszed on this subj ct, and
gave So much Of her money as to almost i'm
| poverish herself, and her friends were re-
| quired to have guardian appointed for her
until she should recover her intellectual
equilibrium. She is at present librarian Of
Beecher's church, and from all accounts is a
most devoted member. She aims to iHi-
tate Mr.. Beecher in everything, and
seems to think him entirely perfect.
At Park church she is noticeable as
occupying "a chair directly below the pull
pit, with her hand TO her ear to aid her in
catching every word, as she is partially deaf
Mr.. Beecher does not in any sense resemble
his celebrated half brother. He ia about
five feet ten or eleven inches tall and quite
thick set, with slightly stopped shoulders.
He walks with heavy, Aat-footed tread,
With head and shoulders bent slightly for
ward. He has long, brown hair, and full
whiskers of the same coler, slightly massive
forehead and well-shaped head. His nose is
of the Roman order, his mouth is firmly cut
| and his chin broad. Out from under bushy
| eyebrows look pair of cold blue eyes. He
| is about ffty-two or ffty-three years of age.
He always dresses in the summer in a salt
| and-pepper suit OF clothes, with a large
SLOUGH cap of the same material. In the
| winter his suit is of black and his cap of
black velvet. During the latter season, if
there be snow, he is frequently seen on the
streets with his pants stuck in his boots, and
| would be taken for a well-to-do farmer who
| had lust come down to sell some butter. He
is magnetic and graceful speaker, and talks
to the point. Mr.. Beecher loves beer and
billiards, and has frequently been seen
| quaffing the decoction Of hops from a
| SCHOONER" in various saloons. He generally
buys mis- beer by the key End bottles it him
! self in his cellar. He does not seek
to hide from the world the fact that
| he drinks, but does it openly. The story
| is told of him that a few young friends
called on him al his home one evening, and
after talking a few minutes Beecher said:
"Well, boys, you will have to excuse me, as
1 have fresh keg of beer down in the Gel
| lar which must bottle tonight" He was
excused. Scientific as he is in the handling
OF beer, equally scientific is he in playing
the game Of billiards, and he has many
times shown his superiority by worsting the
Young bloods in the measurement OF cues.
Park church, over which the reverend beer
drinker presi,.es, Is the finest church build
ing in the southern tier, and was conceived
and planned by Beecher himself. When he
laid his plans before his congregation he was
laughed at, but they finally agreed to back
him up financially, and the church was
built, and il will be monument to him long
after he has turned TO dust. In the second
story of the edifce is large and spacious
room, known as the "romp room.' This
room was built exclusively Tor the children,
and in it anything can be played, from a
theatrical engagement to a game Of base
ball.
1t is provided with fine stage, and the
floors and walls are deadened so that the
noise cannot be heard outside. Beecher
believes that the success of the church de-
ponds upon the Treatment it gives the chill
dren, and the sight OF his large form fitting
about in the midst of game with the little
ones is a truly edifying spectacle. The
church, which was once designated by now
retired member of Congress as the hippo
drome," is imposing structure. 1t occu-
pies the length of an entire block. The front,
on Church street, resembles church with
the usual steeple. From the center rises q
dome that gives the building capitol
appearance. The rear, fronting on another
street, degenerates into an ordinary private
residence, containing the pastors study and
the living rooms of the jsnitor. The main
auditorium largely resembles theaIer in
appearance. saving that the galleries are
connected by stalrways with the stage or
platform. The latter is roomv, the
speaker using small reaolnS oezk
The place usually occupied by foot
lights in a iheater is here filled with
rare flowers from the conservatory OF
General Landon, Mark Twsin's brother-in-
law. whose house is opposite the church.
Beecher favors congregational singing, and
a big fat maltster occupies the platform and
manipulates a baton. Beck OF the preacher
choir of four, OF which Governor Robin
sons Dave" and his wife are members,
sing few hymns and gospel songs separate
". B echer Is clear and concise IN his ser
mons He has been known 10 preach the
same sermon twice, but he always told OF it
At times he conducts mild revival services,
and though nominally congregational Is
wholly Beeehs ristic. Every year he breaches
a political sermon about election time, and
many of his congregation are guided in vot-
ing by what he says. He has twice been
nominated BY the Greenbackers, a member
OF which party he claims to be. In 1880 he
uas Nominated for Congress and wrote most