New-York tribune., 1910-10-23
Ninety Years youn6
The Spirit Of the Battle Hymns" Author
Knew Nothing of the Flight of Years.

Many people remember how, only ten
years ago, she was still delivering public
lectures. In one little New England town
the lecture was held in a rather poorly
lighted hall. and il is remem bered that her
handwriting was very fine and that she
read the written pages without glasses. A
few years later she was wearing them,
however, but only when obliged TO read in
a poor light.
Her delightful grandchildren" found in
her a congenal companion, and she cared
more for their society than for that of
many older people. She told them, while
they listened with rapt attention, stories
of her own childhood and young lady
hood in the days when New York was
really little old New York" and the same
stories have been set down in her "Remin-
iscenses," and in her daughters when l
Was Your Age" for the benefit of other
people who may he interested. One picture
shows us TIE red-haired child on old Bond
street, where her father had built way
up tOWn''-one of the finest houses in the
city They had an elegant carriage, of
course, in which the little girls and the
aunt who was trying to fill their dead
mothers place took their afternoon airings;
it was a great yellow chariot" though,
and lined with fine blue cloth. Now, it oc-
CURED TO the kind aunt that it would have a
charming effect if the children were dressed
TO match The chariot. SO thought so done!
DIessmakers and millners piled their ar !;
and one day Broadway was electrified by
the sight of the little Misses Ward seated
in uneasy state on the blue cushions clad
in wonderful raiment of yellow and blue
They had blue pelisses and yellow satin
bcnnets. And this was all very well for
the two younger ones, with their dark eyes
and hair and their rosy checks. but Julia
young a she was, felt dimly that blue and
yellow was not the combination to set off
her tawny locks and exquisite seashelI
complexion"
In another picture the three little girls
are trudging off 10 school on a winter day
in their morocco slippers and white cotton
stockings, because the good aunt did not
believe in ''pompeying'' the children.
When Julia was nine they took her dolls
away from her, because she was Miss
Ward" and must grow up TO feel the dig
nifty of her position. Poor little soul, She
Srieved over them at first, but soon her
intellect began to expand. and she found
her greatest pleasure in books The re-
suit is shown in another picture, not from
the "Reminiscences this time. but from
the journal of Miss Hamilton
walked down Broadway with ali the
fashion and met pretty bluestocking Miss
Julia Ward with her admirer. DR.. Howe.
just home from Europe She had on a
blue satin cloak and a white muslin dress
! looked to see If she had on blue stock
ings. but l think not. / suspect that her
sf r,fulr
slippers. as grandmamma does They
say she dreams In Italian ana quotes
French verses. She sang very prettily al
a party last evening and accompanied her
self on the piano l noticed how white
her hands were"
National and world wide fame came to her
in her maturity. as every one knows. She
was prominent in public life, an abolition
ist. one OF the first exponents of 'women's
rights" an organizer OF women's clubs
author. philanthropist and public lecturer.
But the spirit of youth never deserted her
and she always seems to have had time to
play with her children.
Very. very much our mother loved her
books" writes her daughter, Mrs Laura
r. Richards, in When / Was Your Age"
yet how quickly they were laid aside
when any head was bumped, any knee
scratched. any finger cut! Our mothers
genius might soar as high as heaven on the
wings OF such a song as The Battle
Hymn but we always considered that she
was tied to our little string. and we never
doubted our perfect right to pull her down
TO earth whenever a matter OF Importance
such as a dolls funeral OF a sick kitten
was At hand.