The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-01-16
C. p. HusrINGToys WEDDING FEE.
The Use which Henry Ward Beeches
Made OF IL.
Ph.lade,phia Post

Philadelphia Post
Once. in 1854. Henry Ward Beecher re-
queSted me 20 postpone lecture engage
nent on account OF an important wedding
which he had on hand. he declined 10 tell
me who was 10 be married. and asked me
10 say nothing about IL. In fact. he said
he knew little about II himself. lie in
vited me 10 his house that evening. and 1
was sitting with Mrs. Bsecher in the
library when the doorbeH rang and the
parties We're escorted 10 the parlor.
be called Mrs. Beecher 10 scin the party.
but was not invited They must have
remained an hour chatting after he cere-
mony. and then Mir. Beecher. in his cheer
the door and they drove of. Mr.. and Mrs.
Beecher then returned 70 the library. ak
pressing great wonder. and, think salts
faction, at the event. Then he told me
thai be had just married c. p. Huntington
TO Mrs. 4. l.. Warshsm. who was quite q
prominent woman IN New York. He be-
lieved she would make Mr.. Huntington an
excellent wife. She was just the woman
for him.
Several weeks after this incident Mr..
Beeoher and 1 were together on the cars
and he was having what he called a gen
eral housekeeping OF his pockets-not an
uncommon occurrence His pockets would
often get loaded up with letters and pa
pers, snd IL he happened TO be sitting by
an open car window he would clear out
his pockets, tear up old letters and throw
them away.
On this occasion he happened to put his
hand in the watch pocket OF his panta-
looms and found there a little envelops
which he opened. When he saw its con-
tents he called me 10 sit beside him and
remarked:
You remember the evening married c.
+. Huntington. / was so much interested In
the subject that I forgot he handed me q
little envelope as he went out OF the door.
l put il in the watch pocket OF my panta-
looms and never thought CT il again until
JUST now. and here IL is-four 81 600 bills"
NOW, he said. don't tell any one about
a n nd "a n
great deal Of happiness with this money.
We will just consider that we fouaj IT.
A few days later he called and asked me
TO so with him downtown to look at a
| cargo OF rugs which had Just arrived. 1
think we Went to a place somewhere in
Pearl street. below Fulton. and we had to
place was packed with rugs, and people
were handling them and marking them.
Many We're brought out and shown TO Mr..
Beecher, who seemed 20 be quite an expert
in rugs as well as in all other lines OF art.
He picked out quite a cumbersome OF
them very valuable ones--and left instruc-
lions to have them sent 10 various friends
o. mis- IN accordance with list which he
had made out. There was one beautiful
prayer rug which he sent to q friend I'm
Peekskin, a member of his church. and L
think be sent one to each OF his children
and to his sons wives He also purchased
small prayer rug he paid so. I asked him
TO let ne pay Tor that one aud Keep IL for
myself. he said:
mo; that's the finest rug here. pro-
pose TO Keep that one for myself" I saw
IL sold for $95 at Mr.. Beechers collection
sale Al OF those rugs would bring higher
prices than Mr.. Beecher paid for them.
Later we We're at q store in Philadelphia
where he purchased beautiful coin silver
lamp and paid 500 for it. remarking:
Pond, this IS some OF the money that we
found" He sent the lamp TO his own home.
and 7 afterward saw IL sold in his collec-
ton at the American art galleries. ! think
ii led To h.
auctioneer TO tell him that IL was a coin
silver lamp and what Mr.. Beecher had
He for Il bat psr Of sSo 5s in
nsf and sent them TO his little friend
Violet Beach in Peekskill- Her mother
irg Mr.. Beechers farm. In his letter to
Violet's mother he said: 'I send a present
20 Violet. end II she doesn't like IL let her
He purchased great many unmounted
gems, some of which he subsequently had
mounted and gave them to friends. Many
he really did absorb the entire $4,000 IN
making happiness among those whom he
loved.
ington was very kind to Mrs. Beecher. He
always furnished her transportation for
transcontinental trips to visit her son
Puget sound, and II was my privilege to
call upon Mr.. Huntington with Mrs.
Beecher's messages. as Mr.. Beecher dead
was Mr.. Beecher living to me, and took
pleasure In going on these errands
One day / related TO Mr.. Huntington the
incident OF Mr.. Beecher's discovery OF the
four 1000 bills and he replied:
st should never have given them to him.
It was all wrong. I made mistake.
Money never did him any good"
Since that time have visited many or
Mr.. Beecher's old friends and have seen
IN their houses some Of the rugs and other
presents purchased with that money
souvenirs that call I'D fond memories OF
the dearest friendship one could possibly
possess. often wonder whether happiness
made IN that way is not more effective than
when money is invested in some public
| library or other charitable institution.
where IL never seems to arouse any deep
| feeling OF personal gratitude on the part
| of the benefciaries