Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-07
WILL HAVE PARTY
ON 99TH BIRTHDAY
Mrs. Spring, Nearing the Century
Mark, to Celebrate Ami
versary Tomorrow
LONG LIFE Is INTERESTING
Intimate with Whittier, Meets the
BroWnings and Is Guest
of Royalty
LONG LIFE is INTERESTING

Tomorrow will mark the ninety-ninth
birthday of Mrs. Rebecca Spring of 500
North Soto street, woman In excel
lent health and clear of intellect, who
was a close friend Of John Greenleaf
Whittier: a guest at the last court ball
OF Louis Philippe of France in the Tutl-
leries and who was entertained by Car
oline Amelia, queen doWager OF sweden.
This remarkable woman, who is 50
near the century mark, recahS clearly
many of the noted men and women or
the early part of the nineteenth cen
fury. Her memory is unfatling as TO
details and she talks interestingly Of
those vino were shaping the history of
the nation three generations ago. AT
dinner to be given at her home tomor-
row afternoon she will be surrounded
by daughter, five grandchildren ana
two grandchildren.
Mrs. Spring was born at Providence,
r. l., June 8, 1911. Her father was
Arnold Buffum, the first president of
the Anti-Slavery league, the pioneer
institution formed to fight slave condi-
tions in the south. He was the close
friend and adviser of Lafayette,
strong bond existing between the two
through life. Her mother was Rebecca
Gould, a Quakeress of Newport, X. L.
In 1880 she was married at Phlladelpnla
TO Nitrous OpIlhBB OiiO Va SiAS
mission merchants Of New York city
who died in 1874.
CAME HERE 20 YEARS AGO
Twenty years ago she came to Los
Angeles when the city was, as she.
describes 1t. "little more than good
sized country town" She marvels at
the clty's growth. predicting wonder
full future for the municipality.
speaking of predictions" she con-
tinued, "I stood beside my father one
day as the stage coach between Wor-
cester and Boston had stopped for a
change of horses, and heard Danlel
webster from a seat on the coach, say
to him: The day will never come
Arnold, when the distance between
these two cities can be covered in less
than four hours What would webster
saw were he here today to see that
same distance covered in less than an
hour?
"Great men? Yes, knew many OF
them, One of my choicest friends was
John Greenleaf Whittier" and she ex-
hibited a picture of the poets nome,
across which was written his, name and
the assurance, "I am thy friend"
"I've met kings and queens during
my life," said Mrs. Spring. when l
lived in Europe 1 attended the last
court ball of Louis Philippe OF France
In the Tuilleries. One OF my tonaesI
recollections is a dinner at which L
was the honored guest, given by caro-
line Amelia, queen dowager of Sweden,
who was the patroness of Hans Chris
tian Andersen, who has left behind him
q rich heritage In his fairy stories;
"Yes, 1 love children. Nothing pleases
me more than to have them about me.
Yet. there's a feeling of sadness comes
with their visits. / realize that years
will not be many before go to another
land-and this one is SO beautiful. LOOK
out into that garden. Is there anything
more beautiful than a flower? Is there
a note sweeter than the unframed call
of bird?"
AS the smoke curled away from
safety match she remarked; Il re-
member when matches were invented,
and recall the awful dread in which
they were held by the ignorant, who
looked upon them as some invention OF
the internal regions. l can remember,
too. the first issue of postage stamps.
is IN PERFECT HEALTH
"My favorite author? All, my life
has been so long that I've had many OF
them / have often been entertained
by Mr.. and Mrs. Robert Browning.
Perhaps this fact leans me toward
RrownIng's works. Thomas Carlyle,
whom 1 often visited at his home in
Chelsea, England. impressed me great
ly. I first met him just after his COM
pletion of the History of the French
revolution and the History of Fred
erick the Great He was good
hearted Scotchman, and my meeting
with his family will ever remain a
pleasant memory.
"My greatest hope in life? 1t was
granted mel saw the abolition of
slavery. From the time was young
girl 1 was filled with abolition prin-
ciples. William Lloyd Garrison and
Wendell Phillips were my ideals My
greatest delight was to aid fugitive
slaves in their dash to freedom. I'm
a northerner through and through, but
of course the days of bitter feeling have
gone"
Mrs. Spring, despite her age, is In
full possession Of all of her faculties.
reads and writes voluminously and
works daily in the garden of her home.
She enjoys perfect health, not having
suffered a days serious illness in twenty
years.
At the dinner rendered to her tomor-
row will be present Mrs. Jennie Peet,
her daughter, a sculptor and writer of
this city; Arthur LOring Mackaye,
newspaper man of this city; Cloudsley
Johns, Gilead and Herbert Heron Peet
and Mrs. r. Steinhauer, grandchildren
of the centenarian, and two great
grandchildren, Constance and Dorothy
Heron Peet.
Next Friday luncheon will be ten
dered to Mrs. Spring by the Friday
Morning club at the clubs rooms at
Ninth and Figueroa streets.