The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-04-12

eeen. Those of whom glimpses can be
caught are little children. still too young
10 Be- ground In the mills, and bowed old
crones Of women already ground by
the mills into voicslessness and shapeless;;
ness. Up. up, up for a mile you plod, and
al last reach q tiny open space. Inc
houses are get around II closely, QUAINT
shops aud ancient inns crowd IL at all sorts OF
curious angles. This Is the head OF the VII
lace. topcgraphioally. In habitstions and in
aristoorsny not for It's attractiveness, but
becatrse n seems an outlet TO somewhere. YOU
pass into little court behind the Black Bull
Inn. n il maze Of angles and winds. Sud
denly another thin open space confronts you.
Here nre an old. oblonR, two-storied Stone
house with a few yards OF grass plot " us
side little stone church, attached 70. rather
than blended with, A grim Norman tower;
graveyard cluttered with crumoling stones;
The whole covering barely 81 mere OF ground;
These were Haworth parsonage, church ana
churchyard. the earthly and final home OF the
Brontes. and their living eyes ever rested on
Haworth moor, which rises immediately
above the churchyard like a wall OF rounded
stone.
Here. within the village nest of the moor;
side eerie. one may fttingly pause and recall
the history If the Brontes rs fnmiiy. Inc
father. the Rev. Patrick Bronte. was son OF
"A county Down, ireland. farmer. whose Teai
name was Prunty. lie was born on Patrict-
mas day. l777. his name being changed 10
Rroufe m the suggestion Of his benefactor.
the Rev. Mr.. Tghe. rector Of Drumgoolsnd
parish. in Down Fine III physique, hand
some and ambitious. he foreswore peasant
life. and much after the manner Of the Poor
Scholar" IN Cnrleton's patriotic tnle, gained
enough learning al sixteen 10 teach small
private school; soon became tutor, entered
Il John's College. Cambridge. IN 1902: ob-
l.. I fpu later.
orfaincd % O curacy; and we find him, on ms
marriage in 1912. ~ Maria Bramvell. sweet
and Gentle Cornish maiden Of Penzance, the
incumbent Of the church living az
Hartshead. a little village neal. Hudders-
fnld 1bont twenty miles across the moors,
10 tLe southeast of Haworth. They were five
years az Hartshead Then Mr.. BIonto was
transferred 20 Thornton. another Yorkshire
West Riding moorl0nd hamlet. "ovFe the
stairesu-that is. over the stairs-or hills, four
miles south Of Havorth: the gray old octa-
gonal chapel tower at Thornton being vlsible
from the heights OF Brow1noor. Just oyerth
across the valley. Mr.. Bronte was given the
living Of Haworth in 1870. and with his family
took possession Of the old parsonage Just "a
You SEQ il today. He remained until hiS
death IN 1861 q period Of fOrty-One years. tho
incumbent Of St. Michael and All Angels.
this now world-famed church, which with tho
parsonage, the graveyard. and these closely
lOQ4lt4 HOUSES u SiDi' llohp w "a b'iAt ''N
village picture.
II wili be your fortune 10 be driven from this
parsonage door Just as were Miss lhackeray
and scores a English literators in the past; ~
was the Rev. Dr. 1ho0doreF. Clarke. Of Brook
lvn. only last summer; and as was yesterday.
But You may see the old graves the Brontes
saw; wander upon the moOrs they knew; study
the ancient tower that escaped the ynndns
hands and stand beside the memorial tablets
t. the one family tina, made all .Haworth
shrine Then. IL you will be cautious, and
VIII assure tho simple-hearted old creature
that YOU will not betray her condolences 70
the present precious incumbent OF ~:
Michaels. with old "Sussy' Ramsden-ha!t
blind and deaf. quite fOuTscOre years Of
age. but with her love for the Bronte family
flaming deeper and brighter as the end
approaches You may 60 over all the sad,
sweet story. OF the pious yet stern old curate >
HawOrth ministratiOns. the loss 81 the gentle,
patient mother, the death Of the older sisters,
the curse Of The hayward brothers life and
terrible death tho grim. mistaken sense OF
duty shown in the surviving sisters holding
tho sunless home together and then 81 the
long years # iron-hearted struggling by the
three sisters. "Currier. Ellis and Acton Bell,
respectively Charlotte Emily and Anne
Br0nte. 20 reach the mighty world heart with
their PARKWAY unknown voices and pens the
final victory and reioicings. the coming 10 the
gray Ola Village OF illt lAIluS anu Eitut W W.
honor to the now wOndrous folk OF the par
s1naae. the loss Of Clarlottes two sisters
within one year: her own brief aud happy
welded life and untimely death; tho late death
Of the sturdy old father. the death, but the
other day. in Ireland of his surviving sister,
the last Of the Bronte family and, finally tho
grooming gossip about Charlotte's husband,
Nh. Nichols once the clrate here, and now
white-haired English farmer-all In so tender
q way that you will more and moro love tho
very earth these perfect women trod.
From ones longing lettering about the old
parsonage where now the spirit OF envy and
hate repels all who come pilgriming to the
former nest Of genius and love; from wander.
ings over the mOors 10 which the father and
al the gifted sisters were so passiOnately de
voted, from dreaming about the ancient
churchyard with is dark graves and soughing
willows. and from hushed and pensive linger-
ing within the church by the very spot where
nj these loving and loyal. sad and tempestu.
Gus hearts are resting In the eternal silences;
it is delight II still melancholy
pleasure, 10 Turn 20 an humble home
not stones throw from parsonage,
church and graves where younger cousin Of
Charlottes faithful nurse, Martha Brown, has
with logged fidelity 10 n generous sentiment
gathered together many Of the scattered relics
Of the old BrOnto household. With marked
contrast 10 the clerical dyspeptic who hos re-
peatedly declared that the name Of Bronte