The record-union., 1891-03-08
Mrs. Beecher's Articles on Her
Husbands Life.
Her Quiet Life and Industrious Habits
Mrs. Emma f. Pettengin a Sue
cessful Law Reporter-A Few Re-
marks About the woman's Coun-
cil-women Do Not Want to Vote.
Irregular Correspondence OF the SUNDAY
UNION Copypyright, 1911

Beecher, the widow of Brooklyn's great
preacher. One New York paper, with
more enterprise than decency, invaded
the quiet home Of Mrs. Beecher last year,
and then printed column after column Of
ridiculous lies about Mrs. Beecher's looks,
health, habits, and, more disgusting than
all, her everyday life with the great man
whose happy wife she was. 1t would
seem that correspondent with grain of
intelligence might write readable article
about Mrs. Beecher without touching on
Mr.. Beecher's past in it. One remarka-
BILE statement in this series of lies was
tthat for years Mrs. Beecher had been a
.paralytic, and that for six years she had
not moved out of an arm chair in the bay
window of her house.
Such description of the dear woman,
'who can be seen sewing at the window OF
her house on Orange street any fine morn
ling, is not calculated to raise that journal
in the estimation of decent people. ''The
anything for sensation" style of jour-
nalism is happily passing away. The day
after the yarn on the state OF her health
appeared Mrs. Beecher was on the streets
shopping, looking as well as she did ten
years ago. To-day it is doubtful if q
woman of her years could be found who
could think quicker and do more than she
is doing.
Only two weeks ago she held sale at
her house for the benefit of the Beecher
Memorial Church. / called at the house
to write up the sale, and as there was no
one else present but Mrs. Beecher, had
good opportunity to talk with and eX-
anime her. The room (the best room
into which the little maid servant ushered
me, was plainly furnished. Indeed, 1
have seen grander furniture and costlier
carpets in the homes of well-to-do me-
chanics. But the pictures of the late Mr..
Beecher, and the other rare works of art
and books, set off the room. When
entered Mrs. Beecher sat on low rock
ing chair sewing away as fast as her fin
gers could fly. She was putting the finish
ing touches to black waist for herself,
so she begged me to excuse her for not
laying aside her work.
''Look around the room," she said,
"and see the things / have had sent me for
the SALE You will find the aprons in the
back parlor."
After noting down what l saw I sat
down by her side and entered into con-
versation with her. Her talk was not
confidential. On the contrary, she seemed
glad to avail herself of an opportunity to
several papers. In May, the LADIES'
Home Journal will begin to publish Sc
ries of articles from the pen of Mrs. Beech
er, on the happy days when Mr.. Beecher
was her companion. 81 am only giving
them husks," she said, meditatively. But
as SO many people had written about her
home life with Mr.. Beecher, she felt it
her duty to say something in defense of
the grossly inaccurate stories that have
been so widely circulated.
For two years the publishers of the
Journal had entreated her to begin the
series, but she had steadily refused their
offer until now. Away back, when Mr..
Beecher was one of the editors of the
Christian Union, Mrs. Beecher wrote arti-
cles on the household, and excellent arti-
cles they We're. She was ''clever," wide
awake woman when the modern woman
was yet in embryo. The story of her
early married life out in Indiana has
been told and told, but, like all good
things, it is worth repeating again.
Young men and women who want to
marry, but are afraid to venture because
they have not money enough to live in a
French flat and keep hired girl, can
always get an object lesson from Mr.. and
Mrs. Beecher's start in life. Mr.. Beech
er's first pastorate out in Indiana paid
him $500 per annum. The couple started
housekeeping in two rooms, Mrs. Beech
er doing all her own work, even to the
washing.
A prejudiced biographer of Mr.. Beecher
oOtlS MIS-. DctCHtl d SitdI
by saying that she was much older than
her husband. Mrs. Beecher, who always
looked younger, was just ten months and
two days older. While not possessing an
intellect as brilliant as that of the Beecher
family, Mrs. Beecher's brain is of the
quality which wears well to the last.
Acknowledging that Mr.. Beeeher was
one of the greatest men of the times, it
must also be conceded that she helped
him to attain the place which he holds in
the hearts of the people.
MRS. EMMA f. PETTENGILL.
Mrs. Emma f. Pettengill combines the
conservatism of the past with the radical
spirit of the present, and to this happy
medium is due her success. As steno-
graphic expert she is without peer in
this part OF the country. She is the Off
cial stenographer of the Brooklyn Surgi-
cal Society, and most of her other work
are cases tried out of court before referee.
Although she has reported in every court
in the city, she does not call herself a
court reporter, but q law reporter. In
her business she employs four regular
stenographers and typewriters. Money
making, however, does not take up all
her time. Keenly alive to the response
bilities of successful woman, she teaches
the Saturday night class in stenography
at the Young Woman's Christian Asso-
citation. Her only compensation for teach
ing there is the right to say who shall
enter the class. Mrs. Pettengill does not
believe that girls who can hardly spell
should learn stenography. The country
is flooded with Indifferent stenographers
and poor typewriters. She feels that her
time is valuable, and therefore she re-
serves the right to exclude silly and in
competent girls from entering an over
crowded profession. But she encour-
agingly adds, There is plenty ofroom ON
top for first-class stenographers." Mrs.
Pettenglll is a native of Massachusetts
and graduate of a normal school. She
taught before she stadied shorthand ten
years ago. She is the President of the
Wayside Home for Homeless Women,
and President and one of the organizers
of the Ladies' Guild and Visitors, Bu-
reau" of New York.
Ladies, strangers in the city, have found
the bureau pleasant stopping place, and
the chaperon in charge is able to furnish
them with everything, from Russian in
terpreter to trst-class dress-maker,
whose charges are not extortionate. This
winter a restaurant and small hotel was
opened for ladies. Such a place as this
was needed in New York, and the women
who were far-seeing and thoughtful
enough to open it deserve the thanks OF
all women.
The meeting of the Woman's Council
in Washington last week convinces me.
more than ever, that the majority of
thinking women in this country do not
want to vote, and, what is more, would
not go to the polls if the franchise were
granted them. Unquestionably there
were some able women at the council,
but most of them We're eccentricities,
a great many women, who are quietly
helping to mold public opinion, were con-
spicuous by their absence. Mrs. Martha
j. Lamb, the editor of the Magazine Of
American History, and a member of
historical ir.f 4