Omaha daily bee., 1909-09-26

changed his smooth shaver face for a
bearded one, but there is even a difference
OF tradition as to the height and figure
Of the man,
What did he look like?" said Mr.. Brew
ster in answer to a question, and then he
crossed to the wall OF his library and
showed an unusually well executed crayon
portrait Of Brown. with head and bust con-
siderably less than life size, but extremely
clear and characteristic.
The picture was copied from a photo
graph, which in turn may have been taken
from life or from the fun length. life size
portrait In oils which hangs in the Boston
Athenaeum. 1t shows the great, spade
like white beard and heavy white mus
tache which John Brown grew to disguise
his countenance when he decided on post
poning the Harper's Ferry raid to return
to Kansas after the Doyle murders.
That" said Mr.. Brewster, rs exactly
the man as / remember him. gave a
better copy to be hung in the capitol at
Albany. He was nearly six feet tall, but
spare. though broadshOuldered. As / re-
call him he was erect and although then
SO years old, strong and active.
His sons were much like him in height
and shape. My brother-ln-law, Oliver
Brown, was one OF the best made young
men l ever saw. John Brown never stayed
long at the farm when l was there, but |
saw him often and heard him speak in his
everyday life will the family. He sell
dom worked much about the place, but l
remember working half a day with him
smoothing up a piece Of rough ground that
had been cleared OF timber.
He was not like most bosses. or at
least not like those who boss public Jobs, -
said Mr.. Brewster, with a reminiscent
smile, evidently born Of his experience as
president of the village, for he worked
along harder than everybody else, stopping
only now and then to give orders and
hardly speaking a word at any other time.
He seemed deep I'm thought"
John Brown struck me, boy as / was,
as the firmest kind of believer in his re-
ligious faith. He had family prayers morn
ing and evening and said grace before
meals. Hts eye was keen, but one OF the
ktndest l ever looked into.
Sometimes of an evening he'd stand up
and talk to the family. His voice was deep.
clear and pleasant. One night l remember
he said very sOlemnly to his wife and
children that. although the times seemed
ulScouiaBlhe, lhey should know hat the
darkest hour came before dawn, the black
est clouds often before clearing weather"
Possibly this speech OF John Browns, a
mere commonplace OF traditional human
wisdom, was apropos of the hard fortunes
OF the family or in prospect Of the de-
hverance he was expecting to bear to the
slaves. Al any rate, in the summer after
Mr.. Brewster went to live with the Browns
Ithe family vas reduced In number By the
departure OF several for the mountain farm
In Maryland three or -four miles from the
Virginia line and within easy striking dis
lance Of HarpeT's Ferry.
MY sister. Martha, went with her hus.
band to keep house at the farm In Mary
land. while John Brown got together his
ammunition and implements OF war" said
Mr.. Brewster. She was gone all summer
and until some time in October. l think
she started north so as 10 reach home about
the time the attack on Harpers Ferry wa.
made.
II remember we'll the night OF the at.
tack, though l did not then guess what n
was that made the family at the farm Sc
uneasy. Ny sister had been back from
Maryland only a few days; the men OF IN,
family and the Thompson boys were still
absent II was a fine October night. sharI
but not cold just The Kind OF good weather