Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1895-02-07
DIR. HOLMES HOME.
A Pleasant Picture oil the Domestic Life
OF the Autocrat.

OF the Autocrat.
Mrs, Annie Fields, the widow of the
well-Enown Boston publisher, contributes
u sketch Of DR.. Holmes to the Century for
February. After quoting some character.
istic letters Of the autocrat, hitherto un.
published, Mrs. Fields writes:
The removal from Montgomery Place,
where he had lived some years, to Charles
street. was matter of great concern. He
says in the Antocrdt that The had no idea
until he pulled up his domestic establish
inent what an enormous quantity OF roots
he had been making during the years he
had been planted there" Before announc.
ing his intention, he came early one
morning, with his friend Lothrop Motley,
TO inspect our house, which was similar IL
the one he thought of buying. | did not
know his intention at the time, but was
delighted with his enthusiasm for the
view over Charles River bay, which in
those days was wider and more beautiful
than IL can ever be again. Nothing would
satisfy him but to go to the attic, which he
declared, if il were his, he should make
his study.
Shortly after, the doctor took possession
of his new house, but Enthusiastically
made picturesque study in which TO live.
lie passed many long days and evenings,
even III summer, in lower room opening
on the street, which wore the air of the
office of physician, and solaced his love
Tor the picturesque by an occasional after
noon at his early home in Cam bridge
OF visit to this house find the follow
ing description in my note book Drove
out, in, the afternoon and overlook Prof.
Holmes the liked to be called professor,
them, with his wife and son, who were
all on their way TO his old homestead in
Cambridge. They asked us to go there
with them. nnlU a faut Sta Fra
where we We're The professor went to
the small side door, and knocked with a
line brass knocker which had Just been
presented to him from the old Hancock
house. 1t was delightful to see his ex-
quisite. pleasure in everything about his
his early home. There hung portrait of
his father. Abiel Holmes, at the age of 81
"a beautiful face it was; there also a
picture of the reverend DOCTORS first wife,
fair, and perhaps trine couuettish, or
what the professor called little roman
tlci' the old chairs from France still
there: and no modern knickknacks inter
fering with the old-fashiOned. quiet effect
OF the whole. lie has taken for his writ
lng-room the former parlor looking into
the garden. lie loves to work there, where
he and his wife spend good deal OF time.
Washington slept three nights in the old
house, and is said TO have planned here
Il
stepped from the door to make a PRAYER
for the troops before their departure TO
Charlestown. There are fine trees behind
the house, where we sat in the shade and
talked until the shadows grew long upon
the grass. During the very last years OF
DR.. Holmes life lie used to talk often of
the old Cambridge home and the DAYS of
his childhood there. 81 can remember,
when shut my eyes" he said one day,
lust as if it were yesterday, how beauti.
full it was looking out of the windows of
my fathers house, how bright aud sun
shiny the Common was in front. and the
figures which came aud went OF persons
familiar to me. One day some one said,
There 20 Russell Sturgis and his bride
and looked, and saw what appeared to
me then two radiant beings All this
came back to me us read volume of his
"reminiscences lately privately printed, not
published, by his children"