Bellows Falls times. [volume] (Bellows Falls, Vt.) 1856-1965, 1897-06-02
AN OLD-TIME DINNER.
Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe Was Not the
I Most Genial of Companions.

Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe Was Not the
Most Genial of Companions.
Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higgin-
son. in his autobiography Cheerful
Yesterdays" gossips entertainingly of
the early days of the Atlantic Maya
zine and tells of the monthly dinners
which were given to contributors I'M
der the presidency of editor Francis
H. Underwood Mrs Stowe and Miss
Harriet Prescott (now Mrs. Spofford)
were guests at the most notable of
these gatherings, which was given at
the Revere house, Boston, on the &C.
casion of Mrs. Stoves projected de-
parture for Europe. 1t was the sole
dinner of the series to which ladies
were invited, and Mrs. Stowe only ac-
cepted the invitation after a good deal
of hesitation and with distinct guar
anty that no wine should be furnished
for the guests.
Miss Prescott had become famous
through story called ''In a Cellar"
which was SO very French in every re-
spect that it was suspected of being
translation from that language. Col
onel Higginson remarks that the hon
est young author had so little appre-
citation of the high compliment thus
paid her that she Indignantly proposed
to withdraw her manuscript in conse-
quence. Miss Prescott was young and
shy and spent bad three-quarters or
an hour with Mrs Stowe while the gen.
tlemen waited downstairs in the hope
that other fair contributors who had
been invited would appear. When at
last it was decided to wait no longer
DR.. Holmes and Colonel Higginson
were detailed to escort the ladies to
the dining room. The lively autocrat
affected great fear of Mrs. Stowe, as
at that time he was subject to severe
criticism from the more conservative
theologians. The lady, however, prov
ed gracious and came downstairs wear
ing a green wreath, of which Longfel-
low says in his diary that he thought
it very becoming
When seated at the table Colonel
Higginson said to Miss Prescott:
This is a new edition of 'Evalina, or
Young Lady's Entrance Into the
World Begin at the beginning What
did you and Mrs. Stowe talk about for
quarters of an hour?"
She answered demurely: Nothing,
except she once asked me what o'clock
it was and | told her | didn't know
The narrator comments that there
could hardly be a better illustration of
that curious mixture of mauvaise homie
and Indifference which often marred
the outward manners of that remark
able woman (Mrs. Stowe) and adds:
Imagine any kindly or gracious per-
son in middle age making no effort to
relieve the shyness of young girl
stranded with herself during three
quarters of an hour of enforced seclu-
Sion!'
The entertainment seems not to have
proved great success. Many of the
guests felt the lack of the thawing in
fuence of wine, and although after a.
while, by an understanding with the
walters, several glasses appeared suf-
fused with a rosy hue, the affair hard
ly answered to expectations Both
ladies were rather silent, one by rea-
son of youth, the other by tempera-
ment. Holmes devoted himself to
demonstrating to DIR. Stowe that all
swearing doubtless originated in the
free use made in the pulpit of sacred
words and phrases, and Lowell at the
other end of the table maintained for
Miss Stoves benefit that tom Jones"
was the best novel ever written. DR..