Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-05-14
THE PRESIDENTS WIFE,
A Cosby Sketch of Mrs. Caroline
 Scott Harrison.
Her Girlhood Discussed by One of Her Childhood Associates - How She Be- came Acquainted with Her HusbanH
 A Woman of Many Virtues.

l | Caroline Scott Harrison was born in Ok | lord, O., about fifty-tiv years ago, writes l one of her grlhood friends in the Chicago Inter Ocean. Her father, Rev. J. W. Scott, | had short time before entered upon his duties as professor in Miami University, at that time one of the most popular institu- tions of learning in the West. Dr. Scott | was nan of learning and ability, of com manding figure, fin e presence, a gentleman | of the old school, genial in disposition, and | possessing happy and cheerful tempera- ment that made him very popular with the young people who were his charge.
 Mrs. Scott was the daughter of John Neal, prominent banker and business man of Philadelphia, and had enjoyed the best ad- yantages of her time. So the little Carrie was born into a home refined, cultured, re- ligious, with all the best environments, if | we except wealth, which seldom abounds in the families of teachers and preachers.
 There was an older sister in the family, now Mrs. Lord. a model little girl, refined, studious, digniied and ladylike.
 Not so the little Caroline. She had hot little temper, that would blaze up with flash and be as quickly extinguished with flood of repentant tears. She would run away and play marbles and make mud pies, l climb trees, tear her frockS, and be in more mischief every hour than could be told III a l day. Her well-trained lady mother was often in despair over it, and the good Doc tor would address Caroline in his gravest and severest tones, possibly conscious all the time of his llttle daughters inheritance of his own temperament.
 But the training went on, and the little l fingers would be washed and set to sewing l seams, to striking notes, to drawing and painting the flowers she gathered. The quick and eager mind was strong in it's grasp, and so the gay, fun-loving girl was after all a child of promise in her early youth. So life went on in the beautiful old | college town for several years. Then came the anti-slavery agitation, which broke up the faculty of old Miami for the time, and the venerable president, Dr. Bishop, and l Dr. Scott accepted positions in Farmers College, at College Hill, near Cincinnati, and remoSed their families to that place. In few years the Oxford Female College was built and Dr. Scott was invited to be- l come it's president
 4 family school which he had organized for the purpose of educating his own daugh- ters and an orphan niece followed him to | Oxford, and was the nucleus of what soon became large and popular school which has continued to prosper to the present day. It was from this school that Caroline | Scott graduated in 1853.
 Ben Harrison had graduated in the neigh | and earnest young man, self-poised and re- | served, had found an irresistible charm in the bright and witty girl overtiowing with | life and spirit. Within q year they were married, and as has often been told, found a home in a tiny cottage in Indianapolis. The little bride was young, but had been well trained for her position She was well edu cated, fair musician, an artist in taste, an expert needlewoman, and competent ill | household maOappmeDt There was no surplus of wealth either side. But to make the matter light, there was no pre- tense of it-and the accident was never con- sidered by them bar to the best society. Their home was always 0 hospitable one and friends were given genuine and I hearty welcome whether the home was cottage mansion.
 When the war came the name of Benja- min Harrison was already well known in Indiana, and prosperous and rapidly growing business had been established. He willingly laid down all his interests and entered the ranks to fight for what he be- ieved to be the right. The wife as bravely gave up not only their hard-won pros perity, but the husband she loved, and with her two little children spent the lonely and anxious years without murmur or complaint, always busy with the little ones or the many charitable offices that the times demanded. She as well as her husband have always been conscientious and faithful in all religious duties, and 6 generation of children have grown up in Indianapolis who received their first im- pressiops of the spiritual life from her training in her infant classes. The chari- table institutions have felt the impetus of her executive ability, and her bright and cheerful spirit has given hope and courage in their times of Encouragement and need.
 The pretty little hands, that would still be good model for 8 sculptor, have always been very busy, and the adornments of her own home in painting and embroidery have been in large measure the work of those hands And many friends cherish fondly their gifts from the same source. During their six years residence in Washington the Harrisons lived In plain and simple style They were not rich enough to follow the lead of the millionaire Senators even had they wished to do so. They adhered to their old plan of living as they could afford. and maintaining their self-respect Mrs Harrison held her unpretending weekly re- captions in their hired rooms, and they soon became center of attraction in the gay and busy capital. The bright and en- tertaining mother and her lovely daug ughter, with their genuine welcome and good cheer, were sufficient to give happy hour to many who gladly escaped the moro formal entertainments. Here also she showed her efficiency in charitable work, and the estab- lishment of the Garfield Hospital, so greatly needed in Washington, was due in large measure to the faithful and earnest work of Mrs Harrison and Mrs. Logan.
 Three Kinds of Pops.
 There are three varieties of popping the question now in vogue-the pop hesitate, the pop deliberate and the pop precipitate.