Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-08-14
MRS. GAskELL's HOUSE
Memories Of Charlotte Brou.e md
Her Family.

memories OF Charlotte Brouse and
Her Family.
From the Woman at Home
The house which Mrs. Gaskerrs mama ,..
rendered famous stands in Plymouth Grove
broad thoroughfare. pleasantly planned
with trees, which leads from the suburbs
into the city of Manchester. The bouse !.
OF gray stone commodious. double fron,ed
with gravel carriage drive sweep,ne rouni
to the front door. tall trees forming n
screen from the road. with a pleasant gar
den at the back. When Mrs Gaskell first
made 1t her home, in 1888. IT stood I'm som,-
rural isolation; now houses abound on every
mana, and the uamcars pass along the
road There still live Mrs GaskeIrs two
unmarried daughters, Miss Gaskell and
MISS Julia Gaskell. ladies who are keepinp
up the traditions or their celebrated house
In dellghtful manner, and to whose kindly
courtesy am Indebted for the privilege of
becoming acquainted with its contents and
literary associations.
Never surely were biographer and hiovra
pnled more closely connected i'm the puhlic
mind than are Mrs. Gaskell and Charlotte
Bronte To mention the one suggests the
other; IL was during visit to Sir James
ana Lady Kay Shuttleworth. at Brfery
Close, near Windermere I'm the autumn Of
1850 that Mrs. Gaskell first saw the au-
thor OF Jane Eyre" "a little lady I'm n
plack SILK gown. who sat and worked
away and hardly spoke Before the visit
ended the two became fast friends and the
Following year Charlotte Broate paid the
frst of her memorable visits to Plymouth
Grove. and henceforth the house and its
inmates have many a kindly uenfion in
her letters. In 1853 she came again and
this time passed week under Mrs Gas
kelfs hospitable roof. 1t was pleasant TO
SIT IN the drawing room where she had sat,
and listen to Miss Gaskell a she called up
her childhood memories pf h.. Wis
Miss Gaskell told me that the impression
which she retained of Charlotte Sronte
was of dainty, birdlike creature very
delicate IN appearance, slight i'm figure,
with tiny hands and feet: very large gray
eyes, silky brown hair and a shy timid
manner. At times, when strangers were
not present, and she was at her ease size
would become quite impassioned in con-
versation, using her hands to accentuate
her remarks. Miss Gaskell recalls hearing
Miss Bronte describe the acting of Nine
Rachel. whom she had recently seen I'm
London, and in order to illustrate some at
titude of the actress Miss Bronte clinched
her fists. The aroused passion which thrill
ed through her fragile body, and the ac-
ton of clinching the fists made a lasting
impression Miss Gaskell, then a tiny
child She had also a vivid recollection of
Mr.. Bronte in his last years as she accom-
PANEL her mother to Haworth when, after
Chariottes death. Mrs. Gaskell visited the
moorland parsonage to gather materials for
the Life" Mr.. Bronte was confined to his
room at the time, and Miss Gaskell recalls
the vivacious manner with which he re-
ceived them and what picturesque figure
he made sitting propped up I'm bed, his
snowy white shirt showing up his hand
some face and fine head. He talked inces-
sanity, telling story after story and spin
ming yarns like Napier, full of point and
vivid coloring. 1T was easy to under
stand" said Miss Gasken, where the
Bronte sisters got their genius from" Miss
Julia Gaskell had also a story to add re-
garding Mr.. Bronte. when my sister and
1 were visiting in the neighborhood Of Ha-
worth parsonage" she said, I'VE had &C.
casion to go into a little jewelers. and
clockmakers shop there, and the owner OF
1t told US that old Mr.. Bronte, who was
then in q dying condition, had sent his
pistol to him to have new spring put 10
the trigger which would enable him to fire
il Off more easily. Mr.. Bronte, should ex-
plain, had a very violent temper, and was
in the habit of firing OF a pistol TO relieve
his feelings: and even In his dying state
he could not abandon the habit, and mad
sent TO have the trigger made sufficiently
easy for his weak hand to press IL. He
died three days after this Incident was re-
lated to u.s. and believe fired his pistol to
the last"