The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-01-26
THE GREAT ROMANCER
SOME PLEASANT RECOLLECTIONs
OF NATHANIEL HAWTHORNE.
Mrs. Rose Hawthorne LathroT Re-
calls Her Famous Fathers Hab-
its and characteristics.

In the early years of our stay in Eng
land his personality was most radiant
His face was sunny. his aspect that OF
shining elegance. There was the perpetual
gleam OF glad smile on his mouth and in
his eyes. His eyes were either light
gray or violet blue. according 10 his
mood. His hair was brown and waved
loosely q take IT very hard wnen people
ask me If 1t was at all redl. and his COM
plexion was as clear and luminous as his
mothers, who was the most beautiful
woman some people have ever seen. He
was tall and with as little superfluous
flesh and as much sturdy vigor as a young
athlete. for his mode OF life was always
athletic, simple and abstemious. He
leaned his head little to one side, often
in position indicating alert rest, such as
we find in many Greek statues-so different
from the straight, logged pose OF Ro-
man emperor. He was very apt to make
an assent with an upward movement of the
head, a comfortable hmm and a half
smile. Sympathetic he was, indeed, and
warm with the fire that never goes out in
great natures. He had much dignity; so
much that persons in his own country
sometimes thought him shy and reticent
to the verge of morbidness. But ii was
merely the gentlemanliness OF the man.
who was jocund with no one but his init
mate friends, and never fierce except with
rascals, as I observed on one or two &C.
casions. Those who thought him too silent
were bores whom he desired not to attract
Those who thought him unphilosophical (and
some philosophers thought that were not
Those who knew him for man and a
irleno We're manly and salubrious OF soul
themseiyes Perhaps the testimony OF old
George Muilet, or Salem, who was often
with my father in the custom house, will
serve as an example Of the good fellow
snip or nature which could be so silent
Capt: Stephen Burchmore was the vet
eran ship-master' spoken of in the introdtc-
ton TO The Scarlet Letter. whose stories
stirred Hawthorne TO laughter and admira-
ton. The stories themselves were gener-
ally extravagant and grotesque; Ii was the
marvellous gift of narration that carried
people away. 1 have known the company
present to roar with laughter, and not one
more convulsed than Mr.. Hawthorne .
FOR nearly four years I was brought into
almost daily proximity to him. either off,
clally or casually. His port, his placiddty
MS hours of abstraction, his mild. pleasant
voice mo sweeter ever uttered by mortal
llps), are all readily recalled even now"
AN EXPRESSIVE FACE
He was usually reserved, but he was ready
for action all the time. His full, smooth
| d
student Of facial lines how vivid was his life,
though absolutely under his cool command.
He was delightful companion even when
little was said, because his eyes spoke with
a sort Of apprehension of your thought, so
that you felt that your expression of face
was clear record for him. and that words
would have been a sort of anticlimax. His
companionship was exquisitely restful, since
1t was instinctively sympathetic. He did not
need to exert himself to know you deeply,
and he saw all the good in you there was to
know: and the weakness and the wrong of
any heart he weighed as nicely in the bal
ance of tender mercy as We could do in pity
for ourselves. always felt a great awe of
large eyes, liquid with blue and white light
and deep with dark shadows, told me even
when when was very young that
ferent from other people. He could be
most tender in outward action, but he
never threw such action away. He knew
swine under the cleverest disguise. speak
of outward acts of tenderness. AS for his
spirit, it was always arousing mine, or
any ones and acting towards ones spiritual
being invisibly and silently, but with gentle
earnestness. He evinced by 1t either a
sternly sweet dignity Of tolerance. or a
generous approba ton. or sadly glanced,
adverse comment that dashed ones inner
consciousness with remorse. He was medi-
| tative. as all those are who care that the
world is full OF sorrow and sin but cheer
and genius to see the finite beauty and per-
| lection in the world which are sent to the
true-hearted as indications of heaven He
could be full Of cheer. and at the same time
never lose the solemnity Of a perception OF
| the infinite-that familiar fact which we
many of US, have ceased to fear, but
which the greatest men SO remember and
reverence. He never became wholly merged
| in fun, however gay the game In which
| he Joined with us children; just as a man
| of refinement who has been in war never
| quite throws aside the dignity of the sor-
| row which he has seen He might SEEM
| at a superficial glance. to be the merriest
not. OF course, there were times when ii
| was very evident to me that my father was
| as comfortable and happy as he cared tc
| be.
BEFORE THE FIRE.
| When he stood upon the hearth rug be.
| fore the swapping, blushing English fire
| always poked into blaze towards even
| ing as he was about to enter the parlor
| when he stood there with his hands
clasped behind him, swaying from side tt
| side in a way peculiar to him, and which
recalled the many sea-swayed ancestors
| Of his who had kept their feet on rolling
decks, then he was a picture of benevolen'
| pleasure. Perhaps for this moment the sol
der from the battlefelds Of the soul ceased
to remember scenes of cruelty and agony
he swayed from side to side and RAISED
| himself on his toes, and creaked his slip
| pered heels loosely, and smiled upon me
| and lost himself In agreeable musings. II.
was very courteous. entirely sincere anC
| quiet with fixed principles as a great ma
chine with consistent movement II,
! treated children handsomely; harshnes
| was not in him to be subdued, and scorI
| OF anything that was honestly developing
would have seemed to him blasphemy. III,
| stopped TO my intelligence and rejoiced il
We were usually a silent couple when of
Tor walk together or when we met b,
chance in the household. I supposed tina
we were seeing which could Guido tn
| other at holding his tongue" But still
our intercourse. as / remarked before
| might be complete / knew him very wei
indeed-his power. his supremacy of hon
was fully aware. could see through me a
easily as If 1 were a soul in one OF his owl
| books.
His aspect avoided, as did that of hi
art. which exactly reproduced his char
acter. anything like self-conscious pictures
quesness. 1t is pleasant to have the objec
of our regard unconscious of himself III
had way of ignoring. while observing
automatically, all accessories, which re
minded us that his soul was ever awake
and awaiting to be made free of earthl
things and common ideas. During our Eu
ropean life he frequently wore soft brow
felt hat and a brown talma of fines
broadcloth, whose Greek-like folds an
double-decked effect were artistic. but di
not tempt him to pose or remember hi
material self. He was as forgetful Of hi
4 appearance as an Irishman of the tru
quality, who may have heard somethin
about his coat or his hair, but has let sill
from his mind what IL was. and cares no.
so long as the song of his comrades
some such downright way. was convinced
| nv father regarded the heauty and STATE