The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1888-03-21
Miss HayergaPs Welsh Home.


Miss HayergaPs Welsh Home.
Returning one afternoon from pic
mic at Caswell Bay, near Swansea,
Wales, my friend pointed out little
white cottage nesting among the Welsh
hills as the former home of Frances
Ridley Havergal. SUPPOSE" she
said, "you Americans have heard about
Miss Havergal ?" "No," | replied,
"we have not as yet heard much of her,
but her works are becoming very popu-
lar in my country" My friend is a
minister's wife, who had known Miss
F. r. Havergal, and is acquainted with
her sister, Miss Maria V. G. Havergal,
who then occupied the house. She
asked me if l would like to call. AS l
was very much pleased with the notion,
we descended from our donkeys, and
walking up the white-pebbled pathway,
rang the door-bell. 1t was answered by
a rosy-cheeked Welsh servant girl, who
showed us into small reception-room
on the left of the hall. Here few
minutes afterward an elderly lady with
silvery hair and pleasant, beautiful
face entered. There was no need of
my friend to introduce her as Miss
Havergal, sister to Frances Ridley
Havergal When ! spoke to her of her
sister and told her ] had read her life
and thought it beautiful, her face
lighted up, and she said: Eyes, you
have read her life, but to us who have
lived with her, and seen and felt the
influence of soul so pure and dispo-
sition so sunshiny rs hers, we only knOU
her life." She led the way to a room
just across the nall and pointed to a
large-sized portrait which hung over
the piano. "That is a photograph of
Frances" she said, 4" but it isn't much
like her." photographer could pho
tograph the beautiful golden hue of her
hair, nor catch the heavenly expression
on her face. Frances was small in
stature, quick in her movements, with
a fine, delicate complexion, an abun-
dance of golden hair and beautiful blue
eyes. She often dressed in white and
when she stepped out upon the platform
at some of the Band of Hope or
mothers meetings, and began singing
some of her beautiful hymns, the poor
old mothers would look up and say,
"Surely, this is an angel from heaven"
The house was small and plainly fur
nished, but very orderly and neat.
"The house is very plain and simple, )"
said Miss Havergal, "but Frances
preferred it so. l have often wondered
at her living here in such a quiet
way, with none but herself and me,
when she could have lived in much
grander style. Often when we re-
turned from visit to our sister Frances
used to say, Marie, this suits me bet
ter" Miss Havergal's study was a
small, square room just over the recep-
tion-room, one side of which is covered
with shelves which were filed with
books. | noticed several large Bibles
on one of the shelves. Miss Havergal
told me her sister translated them.
One was translated from the Greek to
the English, one from English to Ger
man and another from English to Swiss.
There were two windows in the room,
and near one was Miss Havergal's low
rocking-chair. sat down in it and en-
joyed the view from the window.
There were near at hand green pastures
to Caswell Bay, hedged in on either
side by the pretty English holly. In
one corner of the room was a queer
looking little piano. The sister sal
down to it and sang in clear voice that
beautiful hymn, "Tell it Out" the
words and music both being composed
by F. r. Havergal. The sister said
Frances had very sweet voice and
sang with her whole soul, so inspiring
all who heard her that, as one person
expressed it, they couldn't help singing
too. Then she told how her sister
spent the mornings in her study writ
ing, and often, when she could not
think of just the right word or idea
she would go to the piano and sing
We used to hear her downstairs anG
would stop to listen" said Miss Haver,
gal. Almost in the center of the room
was Frances desk, where she had com
posed so many beautiful poems anC
written so many noble and encouraging
works. 1t was a large ash desk, tn,
top being covered with green felt, ant
down either side were a number o
small drawers. Everything was pu
away, just as she had left it, in perfec
order. Her pens and pencils, togethe
with her diary and little blank bool
with the names of all her correspondent
written in it, the date of receiving ant
date OF answering all letters. Every
thing had place and all was neat an(
orderly, $50 characteristic of her."
thought, " who was so faithful in al
things, even the smallest" Miss Haver
gal very kindly presented me with sew
eral books, songs and cards that hat
belonged TO her sister, which | highly
prize as souvenirs of my visit to Frances
Havergal's home. Miss Haverga
opened one of the small drawers, anC
taking out cabinet-sized photograph
handed it to me. 1t was the photo
graph of young lady with pleasant
frank face, dressed in plain, unassum
ing manner AT the bottom was writ