The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-07-05
THEY NEVER FORGOT BEEcHER.
An Upstate Farmer aud Ills WIFE Who En-
tertalned the Preacher QTnnwares.

tertaaned the Preacher QnnwmreS.
The old farmhouse before which thu
traveller refined up his horse and hallooeC
and asked for nights lodging is becoming
| scarce said New York man who made
trip up the State in an automobile. "Anc
the old man and woman who sat up with
city arc not often seen.
Automobiles and coaching parties anc
bicycle riders have made many changes
But now and then you find an old house
where there is an old woman with knitting
needles, and an old man who alta on the
porch waiting for some one TO come along
Il had breakdown in the road shor
distance from one of these primitive farm
houses last week. The night was coming
on and after the farmer had helped me
TO get my machine fixed he asked me il
l wouldn't like TO have some supper,
IL accepted the invitation, and while
we were eating a thunder shower came
on, and tn G good old couple said If could
put up with such accommodations as they
had l was welcome to stay. I had not
had an experience of that sort in thirty
years, and most gladly awaited myself OF
the hcspitable offer.
After the supper the farmer and his
wife joined me IN the family room and
we had an old-time chat about people who
the guild aud wife was bit fresher in her
recollections than the husband, and as she
made the needles fly by the lamp light
l became won derfully interested and
entertained.
After We had talked about good many
people she asked, as she pulled of several
yards of yarn from big ball
"'Are you much acaua inted in Brooklyn?
~ said ! had some very dear friends there
some in Greenwood and some in Flathush.
Ibid you know Mr.. Beecher?' she asked
as the ball gave out another relay.
II said had seen Mr.. Beecher, and that
/ had heard him preach
A'He was one of the friendliest men l
ever saw, said the good old woman. So
plain in his way. He just made you feel
at home with him.
-'Then you knew hima' asked.
He stayed all night at our house. she
replied, in the very room where you will
sleep tonight He got caught in the rain n
him to stay. We didn't know who he was
at the time, did we, pa''
And pa reckoned not. IF we had we
wouldn't a been SO free with him, mebbe,
said pa.
Mebbe not, pa. But you know how
1t come about.
After the supper was over, and we
had been talking al we are doing tonight,
he asked pa IL we had family prayers, and
as we always did. we were glad he asked
us. So pa got the Bible and the stranger
read the fourteenth chapter Of st. John.
We had just had some trouble in the family.
And then he prayed the most beautiful
prayer l ever heard
n min hn al oil m hp
licked 80 distinctly that it sounded noisy:
And then the guild auld wife, pulling on
more yarn from the ball, changed her
manner and laughed.
You might as well tell how we came
to know it was Mr.. Beecher,' said the hus-
band.
4 was comm to that, pa. 1t was this
way: My husband and had little dis
agreement, and pa he appealed to the
stranger to arbitrate the trouble. Pa
can tell you the rest
Well, showed him to his room, pa
began, and when l put the lamp on the
stand | says to him, stranger, you might
l. And then he says, my friend, l learned
a long time ago that you can't break up
settin' hen"
I thought that was about the smartest
thing ever heard and when come down
stairs l told ma what the stranger said,
L expected that II would make ma mad,
but she laughed until she cried
And the next morning. continued
ma, as the stranger was leaving | asked
him his name, and when he said he was
Henry Ward Beecher l remembered the
Epistle which tells us about entertaining
angels unawares. And about week
after he sent us that picture you see up
there over the clock, with his autograph.
Yes, indeed, We knew Mr. Beecher'
And then the needles stoned for n
minute, and the guild auld wife, looking
at me steadfastlv for minute, said, May
be you're preacher YOURSELF?
And then | was shown to the same
room, and slept in the same bed which
had been occupied by HenryWard Beecher