Evening journal., 1911-05-26
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Experience That PuzzI-
ed Harriet BeeCher
Stowe
By "HOIland.S

Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe. whose
centenary occurs next month, was
probably as free from any taint of
superstition as any woman who has
gained even great or trifing reputa-
tion as a writer was able TO confess
herself to be. She was fond OF some Of
the magic toys. especially one which
was very popular some forty years ago
called planchette, This. the supersti-
tious asserted. was operated through
supernatural control of the fingers or.
palm of any one who demonstrated its
magic powers Mrs. Stowe was conf
dent, however, that the motion of plan
chette was wholly due to certain un-
conscious physical or muscular move
ments Of the player whose hand was
upon the little toy.
But there was one experience which
Mrs Stowe had which she was never
able TO explain II occurred at time
when she was living at Andover, Mas
sachusets, her husband, the Reverend
Dr. Calvin Stowe being then pro-
fessor in the theological seminary
situated in that town. Dr. Stowe was
] a NflN o'nDA0iiN mani hAA'A ulNahAHnh
he was accustomed to go to his library
and spend the day there, excepting
such hours as his professional work
made il necessary for him to devote
TO lectures at the seminary.
Mrs Stowe. who was one of the most
practical of women. being fully the
equal in this respect of her sister,
Catherine Beecher, who gained high
authority as teacher of domestic
economy, was accustomed to visit Bos-
ton once or twice a week for shop
ping. One morning al breakfast. Mrs.
Stowe said TO her husband that she
thought she would go i'm to Boston
that day. and take a train which left
Andover about 9 o'clock. That would
enable her, she said. to complete her
shopping and get back to Andover in
the mid-afternoon.
She went to the city as she planned,
was several hours occupied with shop
ping and returned home about o'clock
in the afternoon. She went at once
to the library and greeted her hus-
band, who looked up from his work.
He said why didn't you go to Bos-
ton? Where have you been@
81 have been to Boston and I have
| just returned" was the reply
How could you have done that?"
DR.. Stowe asked. Il saw you pass
through the library at about IL
| o'clock"
why, my dear husband. | was in
Boston al II o'clock
THAT is impossible" DR. Stowe re-
piled II was busy at my work. | heard
the library door open. ] looked mp and
saw you pass through the library; you
/ pa OF Il fhef,
went on and passed out of the door at
the other end of the room
Are you sure about the time?" Mrs
Stowe asked. 81 did look into the
room to say bood-bye Just before 8
o'clock"
yes, ] remember that very WE'LL
DR.. Stowe cried. But, then when you
passed through the room at II o'clock
IL occurred to me that you had given
up your trip to Boston"
Did have my bonnet on?' Mrs.
Stowe asked.
"No. and that was the reason I felt
sure that you had decided to stay at
home
Mrs stowe asked no further ques-
tions She realized that her husband
was absolutely certain that he had
seen her pass through the room at II
o'clock so certain that he could de-
scribe some details i'm her dress. and
noticed that she greeted him with a
smile AfterYard she recalled the fact
that al just about Il O'clock when she
was I'm a store In Boston, all of sud
den she thought of her husband and
pictured him to herself as busily en-
gagged with his books and his manu-
scripts upon the desk in his library
Could that thought have had anything
10 do with her husbands positiveness
that she had passed through his Ii
brary at IL o'clock that morning
over that question Mrs. Stowe puzzled
for a long time, but she never found a
satisfactory answer
Copyright 1911. by f J. Edwards. All
Rights ReserYed.)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards win tell Of
"The Chance Meeting That Made Two
] H.. l. Al