The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-09-15
HE KNEW MISS ALCOTT.
A Boston Man Who Relates Some
Amusing Anecdotes of the Family.

Boston Correspondence New Orleans Times
Democrat.
We have been fellow-guests with DR..
Frederick Willis and his wife. Mrs. Love
Whitcomb Willis, who is a New England
celebrity on her own account. DR.. Willis
Is cousin Of the late n. P. Willis. scholar
and Wit, and has had a checkered career,
having been expelled for his broad theories
at Harvard-broad on psychological lines
and compelled to retire from his ministry
IN the Baptist Church for undue catholicity.
lie found a haven for a time in the Uni
tartan faith, preaching that doctrine for
many years. abandoning it finally for the
practice OF medicine, a career for which
he had been fitted early. He is best known
hereabout as a lecturer on psychic sub
Jects and the sciences Of light heat, vibra-
ton and nature, and has achieved distinc-
ton for his learning and elOquence. lie
has written several books and expects to
compile his lectures in a volume shortly.
DIR. Willis was giving us off-hand remi-
niscences the other morning at breakfast,
interior glimpses into the lives of we'll
known persons who are or were his friends.
Margaret Fuller, Emerson, Camille Flam-
marion, but none of these recountings
were so interesting al that referring to
the AlcOtt family OF Concord, and its
most distinguished member, Louisa NJ,
familiar to every child of the present and
just past generations; for the reason, per-
haps, that Dr. Willis had known her best
Of all, their mutual associations having
been from their earliest youth, he having
lived for years at time in the Alcott
household.
r nr 1fg hac only fO
that he was thoroughly impractical man,
so much so that his wife, sanity woman
sorely tried, burst forth on one occasion,
the only one on which DR.. Willis could re-
member such an ebullitiOn, and exclaimed:
Welli 1t We're a pity that some of these
people whose heads are always in the stars
did not take their bodies along with them
This was the natural effect of act on
the part of her husband that must have
provoked even her quiet soul to wrath. The
family were almost starving and without
had sent Mr.. Alcott SIS; whereupon, forget
ful or their strenuous needs, the imprOvI-
dent gentleman proceeded to eXpend the
whole amount in fine stationery!
On another occasion Mr.. AlcOtt happened
70 De possessed or $40 bill, doubtless
through charity or the earnings of his
daughter, and meeting a tramp before his
house and being asked for cents, he an
swered: Il have no scent piece, my friend,
but you are welcome TO this bill" The
tramp took 1t wOnderingly and disappeared.
Before Mr.. Alcott realized his folly ne re-
ceiyed a Scrawl of a note to the effect that
the writer couldn't bring his conscience to
the point OF imposing on so supplemented
and generous man-and inclosed the bill
intact! For my part l think the only ad-
mirable quality displayed in this anecdOte
the tramp Is responsible for. Poor Louisa
wrote from necessity, as may be seen by
these facts, and as soon as her circum-
stances would allow rented a room I'm a
quiet Boston street in which to do her COM
posing. for she could never get away from
the noise and interference in her own home
in rural Concord. So, while she was the
family subsister, she was evidently &C
corded little solicitude.
1t is welcome news. always, to hear that
genius has foibles, so it is interesting to
lis, that Miss Alcott. great-brained, great
hearted as she was, had from her earliest
days discomfort of her lot and a longing
that was never satisfied, that she might
grow beautiful. She did all sorts OF odd
things with her hair In an effort to effect
Its becomingness, and tried to train her
lips TO sweetness; and, after reading a
story one day about a heroine with large
orbs, announced that she intended to
stretch her eyes wide open till they would
be bound to grow great and liquid. There
upon she went down the street with her
eyes distended and smile on her face, and
marveled why people should look at her
so. Am I already so beautiful" she asked
herself. When she returned to her home
she walked into the sitting room where the
family was assembled, and some one look
ing at her, shreked. Look at YOURSELF
ne Sdld, anu the dSIOunueu young woman
marched to the mirror. There the face of
grimacing maniac confronted her, and
she fell into chair, discouraged, sick at
heart. 81 never be beautiful she
cried, hopelessly. After that incident she
seemed to reconcile herself to her plain
exterior.
DR.. Willis returned to the Alcott home
to board just after the publication OF
Little Women" and was met at the door
by Mr. Alcott, VINO, grasping his hand
said: did you recognize yourself as
Laurie?' " DR.. Willis. who had not then
read the book, did not understand what he
meant. "Why, you are the Laurie OF
Louisa's new book he said, land she is
the 'Jo.'" There have been many unau-
thenticated 'Lauries" since that time most
of her early men acquaintance sc consti-