Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1901-11-08
IN THE THoREAu HousE.s
Browsing In the Numerors Diaries
OF Bronson Arcott.

8roWnfD0 In inc Numerous Dlar3eo
of Bronson Arcott. s., /;
The literary world seems to be turn
ing away from the theme of colonial
war and bioodshed, and II Is pleasant
TO find such poetic works as those Of
Henry Thorecu again coming to the
front. His sisters letters. recently pub
Dshed. reveal the mind OF man whose
nature was too sweet and true and sim.
pie to have been spoiled by the lack of
recognition. he sang for the love of
singing and for the love OF beauty and
not for the praise OF the world. In the
little village CT Concord. however,
where he lived and wrote. he has al
ways been revcred both as man and
poet.
One OF Concords beaux esprit (now
gone over the Styx himselO was wont
to say lotterly that Concord was like
n potato patch-the best part of II was
underground" / thought Of this re-
mark many times last year while was
living IN the Thoreau house, for while
there had access to the diaries OF
Bronson Alcott, of which he left many
volumes. the thoughts OF forty years,
and In which he mentions many times
the sweet singer OF Concord" There
is hardly IN American name which has
furnished so much literary and person
al gossip for publication as that OF AL
cott and yet in those journals there Is
much interesting matter still unexploit-
ed. Mr.. Alcott had prolific mind, and
he was generously endowed with the
giving out quality. In his poetic spirit
his daughter Louisa and Thoreau and
Emerson, too. found inspiration. The
Kindergarten system. introduced In
America by that lovely woman Eliza
beth Peabody, was tested by Alcott In
the training OF his own children, and
In his journals he speaks of talking
over these things with Elizabeth. Illus
trating the doctrine by saying that
Louisa at the age OF six distinguishes
the difference between body thoughts
and spirit thoughts" He asserts, too.
that she loves figures of speech aud al
legory and that both she and Anna are
$50 immaterial in their natures as to
find ideas more satisfying than reali-
ties"
Louiso's reputation as q story teller
began at the age OF six, when she held
the nursery people spellbound by her
imaginative gift. In the height Of her
fame, when she, with several other
brilliant women who were charter
members OF the New England Won
ans club. had won the world ss listen
ers, one OF her best dinner stories was
the ghost story of the Thorcsu house.
where at that time the Alcotts lived.
Henry, having n mechanical turn OF
mind. had fitted up for hiiusclf sn am
ateur pencil factory ut the rear OF the
house. His mother, who was nortaliy
afraid Of fire, used to visit the room
many times each day to watch the
wood burning in the open fireplace.
While the Alcotts lived I'm the house
they were much annoyed by the cur
rent report that Madam Thoreau, long
dead. still continued these visits, and
Miss Alcott had the outside staircase
by which the madam was supposed to
ascend removed from the house. The
melodramatic effect OF the tale lost
nothing In Miss Alcott's telling.
Thoreau's hut In Walden's wood.
which is some distance beyond the
Emerson estate, is stu shown as one
OF the interesting spots OF Concord.
second only 10 the little Gothic School
or Philosophy building. His hute.
which was said to be OF SO sweet a
tone as to charm the birds and squir-
rels, is In the possession OF a sculptor
who resides I'm New Bedford.
Apropos OF Concord stories. the ven
cradle president OF the New England
Woman's club is. us every one knows.
delightful speaker, and Mt celcbra-
ton held by the club last year upon the
one hundredth anniversary OF Bronson
Alcott Mt which due honor was also
paid to all the Concord celebrities,
Mrs. Julia Ward Howe opened her re-
marks by telling I'm her own quaint
way story OF Alcott illustrating his
humor. OF which he had pretty gift.
II was present." said she. "at a din
ner where he was an honored guest.
which was given soon after he had |
adopted tho vegetarian doctrine. AS It |
happened, most inadvertently, the talk |
ran for awhile on canniballsn, and. TO |
every ones surprise, Alcott began an |
argument in defense OF the killing and |
eating or man. Some one exclaimed. |
You believe in cannibalismr Yes, yes
he answered, with his charming smile. |
If one must eat flesh. why not eat the |
bestr "-Laura Cate In New York Post.