, 1890-02-13
UNCLE TOMS CABIN.
Mrs. Stoves Last Days at
Her Home.
SHE IS FADING QUIETLY AWAY.
The woll- Known Author Is Not
Expected to Live Many
Weeks Longer.

Hartford Letter.
While the life Of Mrs. Harriet Beeohei
Stowe Is fading fast away, and she Is
not expected to live many weeks longer,
her vitality Is remarkable. For nearly
a year this remarkable woman has been
in conflict with the great destroyer.
Her homo Is one Of the pleasantest lii the
Hill section OF Hartford. Surrounded 10y
graceful trees, tho house has an inviting
appearance Large bow windows and a
pretty porch add to the beauty Of tho
building In which the author OF "Uncle
Toms Cabin" Is passing her last days.
Adjoining in the rear is the quaint
house Of Mark Twain, while within a
stones throw Is the home OF Charles
Dudley Warner. Flor household Is com.
posed Of herself her twin Daughters,
maiden ladies of 45, two servants and
the nurse IN constant nttendanco upon
the falling head of the family. The
son, the Rev. Charles stowe, aged about
~, has until few weeks ago been the
pastor of the Windsor avenue Congrega-
ional church and Lived mile or more
from his mothers place. Mrs. Stoves
sister, Isabella Deechcr Hooker, of
woman suffrage fame, lives in Forest
street.
The last time the reporter met Mrs.
Stowe out OF doors she was followed by
her nurse In stroll through the back
yards oil her own and adjoining resi-
dences. She was singing IN low voice
the stanza commencing, Am 1 SOL,
dier OF the Cross7" She stopped and
lookcl the writer squarely. In the eyes
and for a moment or more did not utter
q worl. Then came an inquiry about
the domestic affairs, for he was an old
acquaintance; but when he attempted
10 enter into conversation or even
10 make nm answer, MIS-: stowe
,mmediately % resamea me, We ssa 1,a
turned and asked: .Are you trusting
in Godp" That Is her common query
of everybody. II the answer Is in the
affirmative or IL cylsivc she adds that
the pcrson Is oil right II his trust Is fixed.
During her wandeings that day she
was as happy as a child. yet there was
no smile on her face. Instead tile coun-
tcnaucc wore hali-evcre look, soitened
only by the natural womnnliness in tho
outlines. Tho head was white with tho
vavy gray hair us Of yore, fastened with
"A band OF velvet.
II was ubout the time of the death OF
her brother Henry that she fully realikcd
that her faculties were ON the wane. Up
to this time she was considered In tile
height of her mental powers. The fatal
illness of her brother. with its hours OF
an xious watching for the end. wore upon
her mind. Her love for flowers was
strong and she would occupy hours In
wandering around In search OF wild
blossoms, of which she seemed especially
fond, Her nurse followed behind
IN ali her walks, but allowed
the frail mind 10 have full play
as far rs was. possible. During
these wnnderings the woman would sing
In low tone. the words being some
familiar hymn OF the olh-time ohutcli
service, or more frequently, when scarch-
ing for flowers, about the gilt of God in
the flowers. A familiar hymn with Mrs.
Stowe is tho one sung In all tile churches
for the last half-century or more begin
ming: when | survey the wondrous
cross on which the Prince Of Glory died "
and that she sings again and again every
day.
fhe Rev. Charles T.. Stowe has gone to
About the time OF his departure he
asked leave of absence for one year from
the duties OF pastor of the Windsor
avenue Congregational church. \ meet.
,ng was held, and word was forwarded
10 him that tho society could hardly
erant 80 long n vacation. IL hoped lac
would urrngc his plans so rs to return
10 MS pulpN nHer u IS"sohnNic hp9eilSN'
Ia response to this cnmc promptly q
formal resignation, which was at once
accepted. The cause of this trouble i'
the ovurwork Of MIR. Stowe In writing
tho biography OF his mother, which ha,
recently been placed on sale. lie
intended To write the life Of Mrs.
stowe, but expected To take his time,
and not finish ], until after her death.
Mrs, Florence Thuyor McCray, viva
u NJ tthknr Of Nr.
stowe, conceived the idea OF volume
Oh the works on the famous authoress,
and to this end obtained the consent ol
both the subiect and her son. This was
two years ago. Size at once went IL
work TO get material, and made frequen,
visits to the stowe home, where she
eonyersed with Mrs. stowe about the in
cdcnts which led to "Uncle Tom $
Cabin and her other books. She oh.
tanned many facts outside of the su bjec
matter OF her work, aud
even obtained through the son
and daughters, photographs OF Ms.
Stowe at ditleront ages. she has got
copies Of the Inscriptions on the silver
plate presented TO her by abolition so
ceties In this country and In Europe,
and which is now stored in 4 safe depos
it vault The bright little woman then
began to look about outside the family
nii.Wy things.
1l,e son became alarmed at the scope
nf the work, which he had supposed
wonld only act rs an advertisement for
his hook TO follow. In fact he had
written TO Mrs. McCray that the work
which he was doing would ''be likely to
Dc all the better received for the work
which you are about to publish When
he discovered the material 1T Mrs. Me-
Cruy's disposal he made n neck.and-
neck race with her. For over a year he
confined himselfto the work of getting
his uipgraph on the market as soon or
before the book OF his riVal, Hard feel.
Ing between the two took the place OF
pleasant relations. All this time he
was doing his pastoral work and prepar.
ing hi. sermons, In one year he per
formed the labor he had laid out ior
three years. Three months ago the
race was ended, with Mrs. McCray
neck In the lead, her book ali-
pearing one week in advance of tho
Rev. Mr.. Stoves biography. The price
of the former was about half that OF the
latter which fact greatly aided the
cheaper hook and compelled the pub.
fishers of Mr.. Stoves work To reduce tho
figure considerably, IL has been n hit.
ter controversy. The oyerwork and the
worry ;.aye nearly shattered tie health
Of Mr.. Stowe. so serious was the condi.
tion OF the reverend gentleman at the
time lie went Souta that his physician
said rest and quiet were absolutely
necessary to prevent fatal results. His
true stale of health was known TO but
few.