Morris tribune., 1883-03-31
THE HOMES OF BOSTON.

-LOngfelioW.
THE HOMES OF BOSTON.
Life and Amusements in the aesthe-
tic Households at the Hub"
Letter to San Francisco Argonant.
Some of the pleasantest houses in Bos-
ton are miles out; excuse the Irishism.
One doesn't seem so far away who can,
like the Curtis family, from their coun-
try-house at Chestnut Hill, see the lights
in their library windows on Beacon
Street, six miles off. Such lovely views
abound within six miles of the city, that
people are tempted to make their
country. places home for the year round,
in English fashion, Boston being more
accessible than any town / know Of
But was going to speak oflife as it goes
on at these delightful houses, where per-
haps. each daughter has her own sitting
and bedrooms, with adjoining room for
any friend she wishes to invite, and
where the married son brings his girl
wife home to her own Independent
suite in the pleasantest wing,
with her own conservatory open
ing from it, and the
indulgent handsome mother-in-law put
French romances to the blushby betting
her new daughter to distraction. 1t isn't
in this circle Of Boston society. You find
the specialized damsel with student voice
who corrects your pronunciation, and
always reads her testament.in Greek.
In, these families the girls have complex
ions and lovely Observation-Disclosures
are unknown. One models beautiful
heads in marble, another paints flowers
with her needle, third invents COM
dies which they all perform. The papa
very likely has his private fads, his col
lection of coins or gems or autograph
letters, or old china, and belongs to the
Horticultural and the Natural Science
societies, and leads life the nearest
like that of IN English country gentle
man, without being in the least an imi-
tation oft. Not so much flirting goes
on in these houses as New Workers find
essential, but tn ev are great at theatric-
ais, and charades, impromptu amuse-
ments, where quick wit and talent are
needed-and somehow one finds plenty
of fun in life without having to everlast-
ingly make love toithe woman next to him
But what doyou think is the favorite
diversion this year? What but mind
reading and willing, brought over from
the London circles, who are trying all
sorts of experiments in personal magne-
tism, and even studying up astrology
deep in the Satanic Dictionary, which
gives the old witch formulas and modes
of raising the internal powers. She has
been in disguise to the fortune-telle-s
in Paris, who half frightened her out of
her wits, telling her things already
come to pass. She tells me she has as
sisted at London circles, not in the least
spiritualistic. where Lady-told her
everything she was thinking of, by put
ting her hands on her head. and where
beautiful American, who was the gift
of second sight, foretold the wreck of
the next ocean steamer and the failure
of mine in which they had all taken
shares.
"Why," said bright woman to me,
lately, "there isn't circle where you
won't find some one with the gifts of
reading thought and forecasting events
Our intense modern life develops this
constituencies morbidness if you will.
There is nothing supernatural about it,
and people who have the talent are not
Happy OtcT IL dHhWdIo
knowing just what person thinks"
further developed. Imagine yourself
in crowded horse-car, sitting next one
Of the mind-readers, who, by contact,
becomes possessed of your Utmost
thought. It's little queer, in one of
the games began to speak of, seeing one
come into the room, and, after wander
ing aimlessly few minutes, be drawn to
some inconsequent performance on
which the company had fixed their
mind. There is not a word or hint of
direction, but hands are laid on the head
and shoulders of the subject, and
quiet kept by those who can get on with
cut cackle, till some influence reaches
the sitter; he or she rises, and, tracing
the idea, slowly goes to the hat rack, in
the hall, chooses the colonefs felt hat,
and throws it out of the window or puts
vase of flowers into it; perhaps goes in
to the library and selects the right vol
ume of La Harpe's thirty-two Histories
of Travel Girls scarce in their. teens,
and young boys are quitU susceptible to
this influence OF mind On mlnd.-and
their elders sometimes feel it without
pretended to extraordinary gifts, told
me that he forgot to water very fine
plant, just roofing, before he went to
town. The idea worried him in his
office, and he fixed his mind very firmly
ON drawing his wife's attention to it,
willing her to see that the plant was
cared for. When he went home at
night. she said:
II happened to think of your rose this
forenoon, and watered it, for the poor
thing was beginning to drOop."
He asked when she first thought of it,
and she named ten o'clock, the time
when he was urging her five miles
away, to look after the French rose. II
this sort of communication lis developed
telephone stock will 60 down.
A pleasanter amusement to my taste is
the four-part singing, which cultivated
amateurs essay. Four ladies whose
voices suit, or three, perhaps, meet at
each others houses mornings, to study |
songs and ballads which go well without
accompaniment, and it is very
pretty evenings when, WITHOUT the piano,
trebles and alto rise in old English part
songs, sweet as If distilled from unfold
ing flowers. Arrangements of favorite |
ballads for three and four voices are
much sought for, and occupy the pens of |
those ladies who scribble music-the |
one thing, grabbed philosopher says,
he can forgive their writing at all. |
Well-trained voices, without instruments, |
are the perfection of music, and such |
singing is an accomplishment quite val |
ued for intimate society. If you doubt |
it, you should listen 10 three smooth, |
blending voices in Fair Kirkconnel |
Lea" as sung in charming country |
b ,use, before the fire at midnight, by |
three sisters, fair as the Helen of whom \
the ballad sighed. The soft, wistful |
melody haunted us to our dreams.
-e-e.-
Aorordino RI q v.ritor in tho ion, mol ~ /