The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-06-06
HENRY WARD BEECHER.
his Seventeen Birthday To Be Celebrated
by His Family and Friends,

A-
New York, June4-Henry Ward Beecher's
SEVENTEEN birthday will be on the oath OF
this month. His family and neighbors, and
church and other friends are planning to
make the day memorable. What will lessen
their efforts is the fact that the birthday falls
upon a Sunday. Mr.. Beecher said, laugh
ingly, this afternoons: 'They are geese.
Why should they make a fuss about nv
SEVENTEEN birthday? They didn't make a
fuss when L was forty years or fifty years
old, or when | was sixty years of age. Why
now, tor L am just as young as ever l was?"
MIR. Beecher's spirits and health are of the
best. He and Mrs. Beecher will start on an
extended Northwestern and Western tour on
the 9th of July. The family have broken
up housekeeping, and are boarding with a
son.
Mrs. Beecher, speaking to-day, said she
was engaged to be married to Mr.. Beecher
when she was eighteen years of age and he
seventeen. Seven years after they were mar
RED. There was a deal of poetry in her ex-
presslons to-day, of a wish to live the old
life over, when Henry was a pastor in In
~dianapolis and in Lawrenceburg, Ind, on a
salary of $500 a year.
YES" she said, I'VE lived on less than one
dollar a day, and we did not live or bread
and water. That matter of bread and water
and one dollar per day has caused my hus-
band to make 5000 explanations. We lived
on less, and L should like to live those days
over again, for then l had my husband with
me-" Mrs. Beecher said that she would be
seventy-one years old on the Goth of August
next. She is ten months and two days older
than Mr.. Beecher.
Onthe first Sunday of July next Plymouth
Church will hold a communion service, and
Mr.. Beecher will preach, and also on the 9th
OF July, when there will be baptismal sery-
ices. The next day he will start on his
journey. He will lecture in California, Ore
gon and Washington Territory, and will visit
his son, Herbert Foote Beecher, who has a
residence at Seattle, W. T.
How the Great Preacher LoOks-What Does
He Do with His Money?
New York Letter in Hartford Times.
1 saw him a few days ago. He has grown
older, of course, than he was in the days of
the Tilton scandal, and his somewhat gray
and very decidedly thinned locks hang loose
~ and half curlingly over his coat collar,
showing the work of time. But he still
wears, tipped back on his head, that soft old
slouch hat Che could not wear any other; he
would look ridiculous in a "beaver," an up
right, angular 'stovepipe" of the fashion; he
would feel restrained of his freedom, and
altogether i'll at ease in it)-and under It's
comfortable brim, so carelessly turned up, OF
knocked indifferently backward, that bold,
uhO1 > SIuId ldCC kOOO-lldluItulf Gtl,
with that honest scrutinizing glance for
which those bold, intelligent eyes seem so
well adapted. How curiously, by the way,
those eyes of his are placed. 1t is the very
opposite of the oblique line of John China
man; the outward corners go down-not up.
And there is a world of Drumming fun and
humor in the expression. 1t is the look of a
man who is entirely at ease lone would sayl
with himself and the world-the future
world included-and feeling altogether COM
Portable. This mans stomach is evidently a
good one; it would grind up a tenpenny nail
If it can't digest the Westminster Cate
chism. Beecher enjoys his dinner.
There is withal a certain beefy heavi-
ness and c%oarseness in that rather
fat, red face that bespeaks a strong animal
nature as well as a keen mental (shall 1 say
spiritually faculty. Altogether he is a re-
markable man. His sermons will bear read
ing-and will be read, too-a generation
hence. Can as much be said of the Sermons
of other preachers hereabout2
One thing puzzles me. What does Mr..
Beecher do with his money? Does he save
it? He ought to be getting rich. His salary
at Plymouth Church is $780, 900. In addition
he must receive at least 5000 from his lee
lures. Then he is said TO own a newspaper
interest in the Christian Union, which must
bring him m something, and he owns copy
rights which yield him something more-to
say nothing of all the marriage fees and
presents he receives. Altogether he mus be
getting nearly $780, 900 a year. He is known
to be careless in financial matters. He buys
things he does not need-he gives away a
considerable amount in charity land he is
bored to death by all sorts of fools and hum
bugs asking for help)-and he lives fairly
we'll. But he is said to have no money on
hand. His wife is a prudent, saving woman:
a good housekeeper, it is said; and it is I'M
derstood that she has the purse-strings at
times. A case that happened not long ago
| will ,1I,,etrata Raacharic raa6iracs IN p,alo
was a big book of plates picturing Egyptian
scenes and objects OF interest. The great
preacher took a passing interest in it, "How
much is it2' 'The price is $3.50" A pause.
That is a large price. Well" drawing a full
breath. sit is only one more lecture; I'll take
it." He didn't need it, more than a dog
wants two tails.
HE DIDN'T BELIEVE IN Hell