Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-10-29

try. Here Hawthorne is buried
and adjoining the plat are the
graves now containing the entire
family Of the Alcotts A Few weeks ago
there was laid beside her famous sister
Louise. Meg" Of Little Women'-.the
last member Of this brilliant family. A
short distance beyond il the resting
place OF Thoreau. the hermit poet and
philo. opher. To the right a well beaten
path leads up from the carriage-way 10
huge boulder Of rough granite. This
rugged monument bears no inscription.
but more impressive than sculptured
sulogy 10 the unwritten tribute of the
foot-worn sod around the grave Of Amer
lca's greatest essayist and poet. Ralph
Waldo Emerson.
His Home Intact.
Since his death the interior OF his
house has been kept intact. and against
the curious public safely guarded At
present the surviving family are in Eu-
rope. and through the influence OF one
Concord's oldest inhabitants. an hon.
ored member OF the Antiquarian society,
we obtained from the custodian OF the
premises permission 10 make. under his
vigilant eye. tour Of this noted house.
The architecture is rather more Of the
British style Of a century ago than OF
the prevailing colonial style OF that day.
IL islighted with windows Of ample pro-
portions and in groups OF four The
hall is commodious one, from which
the winding staircase leads TO toe upper
stories. To the right OF this hall. as you
enter from the front. is the room which
during his lifetime he used as n study.
Most OF the available wall space is occu-
pied by his extensive library. which per-
haps exceeds 5000 volumes. many Of
them rare. and the majority OF them are
out OF the ordinary line found
in the workshop OF literary men.
The windows all have the old
fashioned deep window seat, and beneath
them the space has been converted for
holding books. In the centre OF the
room stands the round mahogany table
upon which most Of his writing was done
during the last ten ycarsof his life. OPP
posite this is the rocking chair in which
he sat Near the table, within conven-
lent reach. we noticed full series OF
Dickens and Waveriy novels in uniform
bindings which showed signs OF having
received constant use. In corners and
alcoves are some pieces OF ancient sculp-
ture and few rare ornaments which
bear inscriptions OF having been pre-
sented by famous people. Connecting
with his library is a room OF about the
same size also well stocked with books
and containing many pieces Of ancient
furniture. This was the sitting room OF
Emerson and his family.
Mrs Emerson's Pride.
Through an alcove passage is the
dining room. and from it's windows il a
view OF the Concord
meadows and Of the beautiful flower
gardens adjoining the house. The latter
were Mrs Emerson's especial care and
pride. Here, as in all OF the other rooms
Is an open CRATE. or rather the old fash
Toned tire place. each with beautiful
marble mantels ornamented with plain
but exquisite workmanship In the
renter OF the room stands the mahogany
table. around which have gathered many
~ the great men and women ri this and
M the past generation. Hero have been
discussed problems In ethics and gov.
eminent and IL may be doubted il
around any American board have
gathered more truly famous liter.
airy people than have assembled In this
sane room. In the stairway and
IN the UPPER hall are paintings and
pictures ~ the Emersons for genera.
lions back. While nothing % art in the
pictures give them great value. there are
N the walls many with which the rs
'ociaiions connected render them parti.
.uiariy attractive 20 an American oi this
iay. The house IL divided above
similarly 40 below. tho room ovcr the
EAR % the library having been used "a
ne sleeping room. Here are a number
fqosint and valuable bits ~ furnfture
one ~ which have undoubtedly been I
u the possession - this family for
Many Esuerstions The high four ro.'ted 4
nahorsny b~dstead IL COVERED wish
snopy as u has he~n Ter enc huo6red I
'rars Or nnore and THE "a vel az the 4
'ther articles ~ furnitBre, shows that f
he greatest cars has tern bessouei In 4
heir preservation. From the windows
Z this room On one side 10 cen the 4
pliage. firm The other the garden. The
'rock and he meadows beyond
othcr Adornm~ntz
Dn the Opposite siae - The house i
he au-serv. Here. discarded ~ Young
feTs = ffis and other generations : =
nali collection an0ag vhich = a hobby
Csc caFrylnf ita Neight ard date -
tla nHu1h eT ~ enErsvtrgs hanr On
~ rails nest a them FartrsylHg Z
aarai 81 ri1ni living. aud 90 doubt dsd
AT - inhu nz TIE minds - youthful
ecn psnts ven ffue standard 'or "a
.TYrerarn A afe
The hour spe-t IN TIA k.,rss = 90
~ e p reEHwrer nflf anne far
Hat ihe tye EeheiI buffr ~ s.-efa'
'nns eo1neffet 'hersWifh IL the real
sffon rat from here haze rrne fufs
lSrissficc AMI fheechf fhar "a lesf -
nrrint % fhe ertre Fiv.iizes wog.id
= hsteeer uat - the Fsfa~s - tNfs
t~fortc 81 eEs 9 viH always 80 rich
J "Reminiscences srd rsef ssacciaiScss
-ern She's NJ rfhe- ifra~s~sra ~ f-~.s