Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1888-07-21
MRS. ELIZABETH THOMPSON.
The Remarkable Woman Wbo Gives Away
Annually Probably $50,

daughter of the heroine of the Mcrri-
mac. TO whom. in the seventies, a mon
umcnt was erected on an island 81 the
river. Samuel Rowcll, her father, was
"A grandson of one Of the children who
fed with their father from the home IN
Haverlliil, Mass, when attacked by
the SayageS. The mother and Mary
Nelf. the nurse, were left behind, and
their subsequent escape with The scalp,
OF two Indians is one of the thrilling
tales of our colonial history.
Elizabeth Rowcll grew up amid grim
privations in the mountains Of Yer
mont. when a young girl she started
to Boston to learn the drcssmaking
business. On the train WAS Thomas
Thompson, a well-known Boston MILL
i|onaire. who fell in love with her and
refused 10 rclinquish the acquaintance
until She married him. \ tiny lorg-
ncttc. IN which there is a profile view
OF Mrs. Thompson taken on her we'd
ding, which hcr husband always wore
ON his watch-chain, reveals a face %
such exquisite beauty that the roman
tie marriage needs no further eNplana.
ton.
during her husbands lifetime Mrs.
Thompson was well known in Boston
for her charities. On his death Mrs.
Thompson came into q life estate which
produces an income of from 5000 10
$4,000. She receives this in monthly
installmcnts, and | am told a week af-
ter often has to borrow money.
But it is the mannCr in which her
generous impulses move that dlstin-
cuisines her. The greatest Gift that
wealth can bcstow, She says, is oppor-
tunity. Mrs. Thompson does not iden-
tify herself with all the objects of her
generosity, whether people or cauSeS
She assists and then she rests. She
has but one enthusiasm, and that is re-
served for the men who advance civ
iIization. The men who control and
compel natures forces in new combi-
nations set her mind alamc. 1t is
scarcely necessary to add that she and
Mr.. Edison are great friends.
Rev. Hcber Newton and Prof. Adler
have found her a desirable ally in their
various humanitarian schemes. 1t i>a
remarkable trio things diverse,
vet meeting on one side. Mrs. Ihomp-
son concerns herself but slightly With
the infinite. A deist in belief, she docs
not bother with speculations conccrr
ING IA divine personality.
J. 1t is w~ell-known that she furnished
he sincws of wal for the Concord
SclA9oi Of Philosophy and built the
chapel IN the midst of Mr.. Alcott'S old
| apple ecchard. As an instance of the
way in which Mrs. Thompson separates
herself fr0Ef.h causes which she fur
theirs, she was asked what was the OBJ
jcct of the school.
at is "A mutual admiration society.
AT the same time H. IS "A comfort to
know that there is On2 place where
ANYBODY with an idea oaG 90 withtu ut
fear of being knocked dcwD for it. As
for the discussions, | didnt care for
them. The fact was, We had God
served up for breakfast, warmed NJ
for dinner, and hashed for suppcF, anc
like the Chinaman's kitten that VA.
cooked in fifty different ways, it is DE
same God all the time, although tha'
isn't a very pretty way To put it."
She tells IA story of the driver who
took her from the train at Concord.
Folks say they can't understand
Nh. Emerson" he said, contidentially
but I've lived nigh him three years
and | can understand everything h,
SAYS"
But to return to Mrs. thompson
system of giving. She has been on
of the sponsors of the Rugby scheme
and largely interested in another pro
iect of the same kind in the far west.
Admitting the writings of Rev. Mr.. Al
ger, and hearing that he was in ba,
health, she urged his resting a year,
and paid him his salary, $4,000, for
year. She bought Of Mr.. Frank Car
pentcr the painting of the signing o
the emancipation Proclamation, an,
presented it TO Congress. IN return
she is the only omar who has re
ceived the freedom Of the floor of Con.
gress.
One Of her common ways Of helping
people to help themselves is in setting
up cabmcn. She never kepta carriage
but p~atronizcd her cabbicS, who were
able to work of some of their debt in
that way. She enabled Mrs. Stanton
and Miss Anthony to publish II WORK
on ''Fcmalc Suffrage She also help,
ed Stephen Pearl Andrews to issue his
pondcrous 'Universology."
why did You do it?" she vas once
asked.
His wife was dying, the dream OF
her life had been to see her husbands
work in print. | wanted her To die
happy. | never read a line of the book
myself"
Mrs. Thompson is not a reader.
Life is SO much more interesting. she
says. She never read but two novels.
Jane Eyre and The Scarlet Letter.
When She wants a new book she reads
these over. She has happened to pick
up a book of biography, and was sur
priSed to find it Interesting. Books of
science she buys and, rs she expresses
| it, ~.thumbS.'
Like Horace Greeley, whose friend
shcwas, Mrs. Thompson is a woman
of siiSplc tastes. Her chief diet is bread
and mffs and apples. Being not only
a beautiflA woman but u brilliant con
versationalfss, she has never been d
society womarfs.
she never goes TO the theatre, she
found it too tame. The world is amoro
cnliyening stage. '~'E.verybody there
plays his little game. f,.too, have my
little game" ~
Wherever Mrs. Thompson a&as lived
i'm town she has been attended. by a