The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1895-02-21
DIR. HOLMES HOME.
a Pleasant Picture of the Domestic
Life OF the Autocrat.

a Pleasant Picture or the Domestic
Life OF the Autocrat.
Mrs Annie Fields, the widow of the
well-known Boston publisher, contrib
utes sketch OF DR.. Holmes to the Cen
tlL1U. After quoting some characteristic
letters OF the autocrat, hitherto unpub-
Iished, Mrs. Fields writes:
The removal from Montgomery Place,
where he had lived some years, TO Charles
street, was matter OF great concern.
II says in the "AutocraL" that "he had
no idea until he pulled up his domestic
establishment what an enormous guam
tity OF roots he had been making during
the years he had been planted there
Before announcing his intention, he
came early one morning, with his friend
Lothrop Motley, 10 inspect our house,
which was similar 10 the one he thought
of buying. L did not know his inten-
ton at TIE time, hut l was delighted
with his enthusiasm for the view over
Charles River Bay, which in those days
was wider and more beautiful than ii can
ever he again. Nothing would satisfy
him bur to go TO the attic, which he de-
! clared, if it were his, he shoGld make
| his study.
Shortly after, the doctor took posses
| sion OF his new house, but character
sticalIy made 40 picturesque study in
which to live. lie passed many long
| days and evenings, even IN summer, in
a lower room opening on the street,
which wore the air of the office of a
! physician, and solaced his love for the
picturesque by an occasional afternoon
| at his early home in Cambridge.
! OF a visit to this house | find the fol-
! lowing description in my note book:
! drove out III the afternoon and overlook
/ Professor Holmes" Inc 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, as IL was only
a few steps from where we were. The
! professor went to the small side door, and
| knocked with line brass knocker w hlch
! had just been presented TO him from the
| old Hancock house. Ii was delightful TO
see bis exquisite pleasure in everything
about his early home. Ihore hung a
! portrait of his father, Abiei Holmes, at
the age of 3l-a beautiful face it was; there
| also a picture of the reverend doctor $
/ first wife. fair, aud perhaps a trifie CO.
! Quettish, or what the professor called "a
/ little romantic; the old chairs from
France still there; and no modern knick-
| knacks interfering with the old-fashioned,
| quiet effect of the whole. He has take
! tor his writing-room the former parlor
! looking into the garden. He loves to
work there, where he and his wife spend
"A good deal OF Time " ashington slept
| three nights in the old house, and is SAID
! to have planned here the battle OF Bunker
| Hill. DR.. Bradshaw stepped from the
| door 10 make prayer for the troops be-
! fore their departure TO Chariestown.
| There are fine trees behind the house,
where we sat in the shade and talk ed
until the shadows grew long upon the
grass" During the very last years OF
DR.. Holmes life he used to talk often oil
the old Cambridge home and the days OF
his childhood there. II can remem Der,
when / shut my eyes," he said one day,
Just as if it were yesterday, how beauti-
ful il was looking out of the windows Of
my fathers house, how bright and sun
shiny the Common was in front, and the
| figures which came and went of persons
familiar TO ME. one day some one said
There is Russell Sturgis and his bride,
and l looked and saw what appeared tc
me then TWO radiant beingsv' All this
came back 10 me as | read volume O
his "reminiscences lately privately printed
not published, by his children.