The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-04-28
SHE KNEW LAFAYETTE.
Mrs. Beebe Once Breakfasted With
the Great Frenchman.
She Was Also n Passenger on the
First Steamboat, and Morse Was
Her Neighbor-Used whale OIL
Before the Candle was Invented.

To have seen and spoken to the IA
nous French soldier, and to be strong
enough. physically and mentally. to enjoy
, telling all about it, is the happy fortune
OF Mrs. Helen A. Beebe. of Detroit. In
talking over the "reminiscences OF her
long ego youth to the Free Press Mrs.
Beebe said. among other interesting
things:
Beginning with the third President Of
the United States, can recollect most Of
the circumstances of their lives and
deaths. have lived to see all the great
inventions hat have been accomplished in
the last century. The first steamboat in
vented cerr,ed me a passenger several
times up and down the Hudson. / can re-
member the first steam engine which ran
from Schenectady to Albany. 1t looked to
me Ike some strange denizen of the bot
tomless pit. as IL ca ne snorting and blow
ing, with its bright eye OF light brighten
ing up the landscape a long way ahead
Morse, of telegraph fame, was near
neighbor of ours; the telephone has been
invented and many other wonderful things
have been accomplished since | was born.
/ could show you many trinkets which
were given to me when | was girl,
among which Is a bead purse that was
knit by my aunt before was born and
presented to me when / was six years old.
When but fourteen years of age ! at
tended a breakfast given by Mr.. Ten
ere! Lafayette on his second visit to this
country in 1894. During the breakfast an
old soldier tried to gain admittance, but
the guards at the door would not let him.
With tears in his eyes, he exclaimed:
For Gods sake, let me see once more my
old generalr Lafayette, who heard him,
arose and said, Let him in, Let him inr
And as the old man came into the room
they threw their arms about each other
and, sinking upon their knees, thanked
God that their lives had been spared to
see each other once more. l do not think
there was a dry eye in the room during
this affecting scene.
Il remember when we did not have
matches. The flint and steel were en-
ployed, and we used to keep light by
folding piece of linen in a tin box, then,
striking light, would place 1t on the
fire and, pushing the cover nearly tight,
let it smolder. In those days. too.
stove was a great rarity. The fireplace
filed tine whole of one side OF the room.
and the men folks used to bring in the
big cordwood and chuck it into the CRATE
And when Christmas time came, the tur-
key was hung from hooks in the ceiling
over huge dripping pan and in that
way was roasted as it turned; and we
used to bake our shortcakeS and Johnny
cakes in hot spiders before the fireplace.
Il remember when we had nothing but
drip candles for lighting, and after that we
used whale oil; and then we would light
pine knot and place it in the chimney
nights so we could read by the light.
Some of the most popular reading matter
consisted of the old English Reader,
Simpsons Brief Remarker, and Pilgrims
Progress of which | have still copy that
was given me when but child.
81 recollect most of the Indian wars. the
impression of our seamen by the British,
and 1 have lived in the reigns OF four
kings and one queen of England-George
III, George ~, William ~, Victoria, and
Edward VII"