The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1897-05-03
az Old TImE pINNFR.
EFrom the Chicago Record.1


Colonel Thomas Wentworth Higg1n-
son in his autobiography, Cheerful
Yesterdays gossips entertainingly Of
the early days of the Atlantic Magazine
and tells of the monthly dinners which
were given to contributors under the
presidency of Editor Francis H Under
wood. Mrs. Stowe and Miss Harriet
Prescott (nOW Mrs. SpOfOrd) were
guests at the most notable of these
gatherings, which was given at the Re
we're House, Boston, on the occasion or
Mrs. Stoves projected departure Tor
Europe. 1t was the sole dinner Of the
series to which ladies were invited, and
Mrs. Stowe only accepted the invitation
after a good deal of hesitation and with
a distinct guaranty that no wine should
be furnished for the guests.
Miss Prescott had become famous
through a story called In a Cellar
which was so very French in every re-
spect that it was suspected of being a
translation from that language. Col
Onel HigginSOn remarks that the hon
est young author had so little appreci-
alton 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 a bad three-quarters of
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 II was QeClQeQ 10 Wdtl l1O AOAAe5CAs
Dr.. Holmes and Colonel Higginson were
detailed to escort the ladies to the dln-
ing room. The lively AutOcrat affected
great fear of Mrs. Stowe, as at the
time he was subjected to severe cr1tl-
cism from the more conservative theo-
lOgians. The lady, however proved
gracious and came downstairs wearing
a green wreath, of which LongfeIoW
says in his diary that he thought 1t
very becoming"
When seated at the table Colonel
TIigginsOn said to Miss Prescott: Thls
is new edition of 'Evalina, or Young
Ladys Entrance Into the World Be
gin at the beginning. What did you
and Mrs. Stowe talk about for three
quarters of an hOur?"
She answered demurely: Nothing,
except once she asked me what O'Clock
it was and I told her didn't know"
The narrator comments that there
could hardly be a better illustration of
that curious mixture of mauvais
honte and Indifference which often
marred the outward manners OF that
remarkable woman (Mrs. Stowe) ana
adds imagine any kindly or gracious
person of middle age making no effort
to relieve the shyness of a young girl
stranded with herself during three
quarters of an hour of enforced Sc
clusion!"
The entertainment seems not to have
proved a great success. Many OF the
guests felt the lack of the thaWlng IN
fluence of wine and although, after
awhile. by an understanding with the
walters, several glasses appeared sur
fused with a rosy hue, the affair hardly
answered to expectations. Both ladies
were rather silent, one by reason of
youth. the other by temperament
Holmes devoted himself to demOnstrat-
d0IIbtIess originated in the free use
made BY the pulpit of sacred words and
phrases, and Lowell at the other end
of the table maintained for Mrs
Stoves benefit that Tom Jones" was
the best novel ever written. DR.. and
Mrs. Stowe told Whittier afterward
that while the company at the club was
no doubt distinguished, the CONVERSE
ton was by no means what they had
been led to expect.