Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1894-02-16


held is still standing; it has been unused
for years, but is guarded with religious
care by its present owner, sOn-in-law
of llUratiO Seymour. The whole of the
second story wa one large room,
warmed only by AN open fireplace III the
north end. For in those days, as Lowell
tells It's
There warn't no stoves Cten comfort dleo)
To bake We to u puddin'."
But "A Fireplace did not always bring
comfort to the school-room during the
severe cold of that Vermont winter. The
north wind at times would whistle
around the building and penetrate the
schnol-room until they could endure the
cold no longer But the tact OF the
schoolmistress was equal to the emcr-
gency. She would then $50 she writes
in letter to Judge Swift) call her girls
to the floor aud arrange them two and
two IN a lorg row for contra dance;
aud while those who could sing would
strike up some stirring tune, she, with
one of the girls for a partner, would
lead down the dance. and soon have
them all in rapid motion. Afterwards
they would return to their school eX-
ercises.
But in two years she closed her con
nectIon with the female academy. On
the 10th day of August, 1909, she was
married to DR.. John Willard Aud this
brings Us to the second phase of her
Middlcbury life, aud to consider the in
flucnce of this marriage upon her after
career.
DR.. Willard was twenty-eIght years
the senior of his wife; but nowhere IN
the annals of biography shall we find a
married life more happy than theirs was
from first to last. From several letters
we are permitted to see how intimate
was the union of heart and soul between
the two. AS we read them there arises
before us the fair picture of the enthusi-
astic young wife studying to make her
self less unworthy of the good and wise
man who had enthroned her in his heart.
In his absence she delves into the dry
books Of his medical library, to prepare
herself to sympathze with him in his
passionate attachment for these old
authors. He is delighted to find her
kinded into his enthusiasm and able to
discuss with him intelligently questions
of physiology and medicine. Then at
another time she takes up the study of
geometry. DR.. Willard has nephew
in college who lives with them-his
namesake-afterward for many years
Judge of the supreme court in New
York. One vacation she takes up his
Euclid and reads on, proposition after
proposition, fascinated with the study.
She thinks she understands it; but the
prevalent belief in the incapacity of "the
female mind" for mathematics causes
mIsgivings, until she submits herself to
her nephew for examination, and he pro-
nounces her learning correct. The same
thirst for knowledge afterwards leads
her to take up natural philosophy, and
to study Paley's choral Philosophy
and Locke's ESSAY Concerning Human
Understanding" Most men in those
days (perhaps, some in our day), would
have discouraged wife in such am
bilious and unfeminine studies. Not so
DR.. Willard. His generous heart was
pleased with her efforts after intellectual
culture. and he was proud of her
achievements. There began to dawn
upon his mind new views of wOman's
mental capacity, and a disposition to
take her part against mans lordly as
sumption of superiority.
But it would be a great error to i'm
agine that during the early years of her
married life Mrs. willard was engrossed
in intellectual pursuits. These were
only her diversions; domestic duties
occupied the greater portion of her time.
Her son was born in 1910. DIR. Willard
was away from home much of the time,
and the charge of the household and the
farm devolved upon the young wife,
who performed these duties with care
and prudence. An interesting letter,
uuOlcu ny Ut. lJOIus lHlOTluS utT NUS
band that "the winter apples are gather
ed, the cider is made-23 barrels; the
potatoes are nearly all in; the buck
wheat is gathered"-and so on through
a long list of homely duties. Surely
here was
"a creature not too bright or good
For human natures daily food"
So passed another period in the lite
of this great woman-a period filled with
the happy experiences of wifehood and
motherhood. But clouds after awhile
appeared in their bright sky; God was
leading them on to a higher stage in
their lfe-wOrk.
DR.. Willard was man of property
and of high social position at the time
of his marriage to Miss Hart. lie
owned several small farms in the vicinity
of Middlebury; he had just built an
elegant brick house on Main street, now