The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-09-10
THE AUTHOR F"UNCLE TOM"
Mrs. Stowe Receivers Sufficiently to Be
Removed to Her Home at Hartford.
Her Life and Literary Labors-The Amazing
Circulation Achieved by the Book that
Brought Her Fame and Fortune.


|
SAG HARBoR L. l., Sept 9.-Harrist Beecher
Stowe was removed from Captain Corwin's
North Haven cottage to the steamer Sunshine.
at 6:30 this evening. She was accompanied by
her son and three daughters, who will 60 TO
Hartford with her in the morning. She bears
the journey we'll, and DR.. Sterling reports her
condition comfortable.
Harriet Beecher Stowe, the most famous
writer of the Beecher family, and author Of the
most celebrated work OF fiction ever published
in America was born at Litchfel1, Conn, June
II, 1872. She first became well known 70 an
author in 1852 when the world-renowned ''Uu-
Gle Toms Cabin" first appeared as serial in the
National Era, an anti-slavery paper then pub
lished in Washington.
The story was afterwards issued in book form,
and the sale of nearly half million copies in
Eve years is without parallel in this country.
This was moro than thirty years ago, and its
sale has continued undated, Thousands of
copies being sold annually That the interest
in tie story Of Uncle Tom does not die out 10
best manifested by its continual representation
in theaters.
It's sale abroad Ia best described by an article
In the Edinburgh Review in 1855, which says
"In September, 1852. London publishers fur
nished one house 200. 900 copies in four weeks,
. nd had to employ 1000 persons IN preparing
copies to supply the general demand. By the
end OF that year probably ten times many
copies had been sold as of any other work ex.
cent the Bible and Prayer book. By the end OF
1882 Uncle Toms Cabin had been translated
into Italian. Swedish. Danish, Dutch, Flemish.
German, Polish and Magyar. There are twelve
different German TRANSACTIONS, End the italian
translation enjoys the honor OF the Pope's pro-
hibtion. 1t has been dramAtizsd In twenty diff
ferent forms and acted in every capital 10 Eu-
rope and America
In Mrs. Stoves home twenty six thick TO-
Ito volumes. sodly bound 10 morocco, with the
American eagle on each. The books were the
result OF LORD Shaftesburys efforts. behalf of
the women Of England, TO send IAN affectionate
aud Christian address to the women OF America"
The address, composed by Lord Shaftesbury,
was signed by 552 44S women of every rank in
life. When completed the document was sent
to Mrs. Stowe, with a letter from Lord Carlisle.
Mrs Stowe also had in her possession ninsteen
editions of "Uncle Toms Cabin" translated 10
different languages besides thirty five editions
issued in London and Edinburgh
Mrs Stowe once said, speaking Of her brother
Henry, that he had threatened never to read
"Unce Toms Cabin" but couldn't help 1t. and
| wrote: eff you ever write another such book /
viii kill you, If have to 60 around the world to
| find you. You have taken more out OF me than
u WnOie year OF preaching. i Wish mat all the
shareholders in the South and all their Northern
| sympathiZers with them we're shut up for
century aud Obliged to read about Uncle Tom.'"
Ata garden play given 10 honor OF Mrs
| Stowe. says MIR. j. q. Derby in his Fifty
Years Among Authors" in June, 1882, Oliver
Wendell Holmes referred to the different editions
of uncle Toms Cabin in the following felici-
tous lines
IL every tongue that speaks her praise
! For whom shape my tinkling phrase
Were summoned to the table,
The vocal chorus that would meet
OF mingled accents, harsh or sweet,
From every land or tribe would beat
The polyglots of Babel.
Briton and Frenchrnan Swede and Dane
Turk. Spanixrd. Tartar of Ukraine,
Hildago, Cossack, Cadi,
| High Dutchnau and Low Dutchman, too.
| The Russian serf, the Polish jew,
| Arab, Armenian and Mantchoo,
| Would shout I'VE know the lady.
! Some once said 20 Mrs. Steve: 81 don't
We'll, said she. Il was sick three days aftor
her DEATH
The story was read to the family a. it pros
| crossed, and when Eva died the house was still
| and solemn As at funeral
OF Uncle Tom there is said TO have been an
original. who pleased Mrs Stove very much,
and he may have contributed few ideas.
| The original of Sam said Henry Ward
| Beecher, twas very curious fellow. He was
| once convicted Of stealing and served two years
| in the psnitentiary. Mrs. Stowe once said: Il
have always been sorry let Sam die off, but
| had nothing for him to do Topsy had an oriei-
nal, and the original Was just such a creature 40
| described in - ncls Toms Cabin She lived In
Cincinnati. Her name WAS Celeste"
| Mira Stoves conversations about negro peo.
| ple." continued her brother, when she 10 .
| narrative mood, are equal to anything in her
| book. Sojourner Truth once gave Mrs. Stowe
| an account OF her life. 1t 10 q most extraor-
| binary narrative OF events, which could never
have occurred anywhere but among those Amer
Ian Nae o,st~ II - kA,.
| story is very touching. When che was 10 Rome
she related il to Mrs Browning and the sculptor
| Story. They were SO struck with IL that parties
were afterward formed to hear her give mar
| rative accounts Of some of these negro charac-
! ters. have sometimes thought she narrated
| better than she wrote"
In answer to question in regard 70 his sis
ters habits while writins, Mr. Beechsr said
Harriet Stoves habits In those days were
| peculiar. She would owl about all day, 60 to
| look at q picture get book and cit down in q
corner ard read II anyone talked 20 her she
wouldn't hear what was said. In the afternoon
| she would go to sleep. About or o'clock she
| would arouse and talk For two or three hours.
and her conversation was perfectly fascinating.
She had a wonderful memory. She could re-
peat pretty much all OF the English classics.
don't mean she could recite the whole, but
| passages that would come pat Ii one was talk
ing about anything and should say: How does
that runf she would catch the note and recite
| it. So with the Bible: she could recite it almost
1
Mrs. Stoves next novel was "Dred, Tale of
the Dismal swamp" This title was subse-
quently changed. and il is now published under
the name of Nina Gordon, Story of Slavery
In 1889 "A Minister'S Wooine" was published
which many consider ths best work after Uncle
Tom. Archbishop Whateley pronounced it
superior. from literary point of view, to any
thing Mrs Stowe had written.
Mrs. Stowe also published "The May6owsr
or Sketches OF the Descendants of the Pill
grims," "A Key TO Uncle Toms Cabin, ,"
''Sunny Memories OF Foreign Lands" "Ths
| Pearl or Orr's Island" '.Agnes of Sorrento, "
"Old Town Folks. my Wife and l." and other
works.
Mrs Stowe married Prof. Calvin f. Stowe,
ID. D., in 1882 He was then Of Lane Seminary,
Cincinnati, .. There were born to them be-
sides son twi n daughters, the latter having
been constant and loving attendants on their
mother during her last illness. The Stowe
homestead at Hartford, Conn, is described by
Mrs. Laura C. Holloway, In recent article, as
"a pretty house standing back from Forest
street ard above il. 10 color il Is light gray,
and it has an old-fashioned air in keeping with
the yard about it. Mrs. Stoves nsighbors'
houses stand in the center Of their grounds, and
there is rural air about the locality which JUS
| titles the name of the street The Stoves
are plain people in their habits and
thew are as unassumiue in their way
of receiving and entertaining company rs
~. T.