The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1907-03-02
TRAINING OF EMINENT WOMEN.

It is not an easy matter to find out
just how our eminent women have
been trained. Not having held high
government positions, nor having run
for public Offices (Which brings all
the good and all the bad to public
notice eminent women are not so
thoroughly known as eminent men.
They have been, for the most part,
a humane and self-sacrifcing set,
growing from girlhood to woman
hood with high ideals; and with tire
less efforts they have helped to pro-
mote many much-needed reforms.
Harriet Beecher Stowe stands at
the head of the list of our country's
most widely distinguished women.
The question arises-What sort of
training had shea =
Her father was a preacher on sal
ary of $500 year, and her mother,
Roxana Beecher, was woman whose
beautiful life was well worth imita-
ting. Harriet was the seventh child
in home crowded with boys. The
early life of these children was very
plain, but environed by good litera-
ture, intelligent conversation, and
plenty of work. There was no car
pet on the floor till the young wife
painted piece of cotton cloth in oils,
with border and bunch of flowers
in the center; this she laid on the
floor. One day a good deacon of the
church came 70 see the family and
was cordially invited. to walk in.
"Why, can't" he replied, "thout
stepping on t." Aud then added,
"D'ye think ye can have all that,
and heaven too?"
Harriet was a very happy little
girl. In later days she said that she
was educated first and foremost by
Nature" +" She was only five years
old when her mother died, and eight
little ones deeply mourned her loss.
Harriet was sent to her grand
mothers, and there remained until
her father brought a new mother to
the home. At first Harriet was shy
of the new mother, who was refined
and excellent woman, and said to her,
oCause you have come and married
my father, when I am big enough l
mean to go and marry your father j.
But she learned to love this good
stepmother very much.
At the age of twenty-five, in the
year 1896, Harriet married Calvin E.
Stowe, learped man, and professor
of Biblical Criticism in Lane Theo-
logical Seminary, at Cincinnati, of
which her father had been made pres
ident. Lane Seminary in time be-
came a botbed of discussion on the
question of slavery, the school was
broken up, and in 1850 the Stoves
came north, Mr.. Stowe accepting a
professorship in Bowdoin College,
brunswick, Maine. Here at forty
years of age, with an infant in arms.
a few boarders to exc out the limited
salary, and with her hands full to
OVERLOOKING, she wrote "Uncle Toms
Cabin" This great work at cnce
lifted its author into fame, and gave
the poor, tired, overworked woman
more than enough money for daily
needs. One can scarcely estimate
how great factor this work proved
to be in helping to overthrow slavery,
and goes to prove that the best work
of the world is done by the busiest
hands guided by the kindest hearts.
Lucretia Mott, the greatly beloved
and widely-known Quaker preacher,
was born in plain country home,
and grew to girlhood in habits of
economy, neatness and helpfulness.
Her mother was woman OF great
energy, wit and good sense. Lu-
cretia was sent to public school
for time, and years after said, 1T
gave me a feeling of sympathy for
the patient and struggling poor, which,
but for that experience, might never
have known.
She was next semitic a Friends
boarding school at Nine Partners, N.
Y, and at the age of fifteen was made
assistant teacher, and at eighteen
married James Mott, one of the teach
ers of the school. She and her hus-
band had many reverses. After the
war of 1872 young Mott found him
self with a wife and infant daughter
to support, and no work. Lucretia's
father, Captain Coffin, had died. leav-
ing no property, and discouragements
began to affect the health of the young
husband but Lucretia, with her
usual cheerful, helpful spirit, said,
'My cousin and / will open school /;
thee must not be discouraged, James. !"
The school was opened with four
pupils, at 81 a. quarter; but soon
there were forty enrolled. James
found a situation at $1,000 year,
and their troubles seemed TO be over |;
but worse sorrow than poverty then
came to them-their only son died,
saving with his latest breath, 81 love
thee, mother" A few months after
her voice was lifted in prayer in a
Friends meeting. Friends encour-
aged her, and she became the great
preacher and leader in good works,
whom many of us have seen and
known. "She did good by stealth
and blusbed to find it fame.
Mary A. Livermore, the famous
lecturer, writer and leader of the
great Sanitary Commission OF war
times, was the daughter of excellent
parents. Mary was an eager scholar,
and a great favorite in school, because
she took the part of all the poor chill
dren.
One day, after sporting on the ice
for a full hour, she rushed into the
house, rosy with the exercise, and
exclaimed, "It's splendid sliding %
eyes," replied her father, tits good
fun, but wretched for Shoes" The
girl realized at once how hard it was
for her parents, with their limited