Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1919-04-18
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when he returned TO her upon his fur
Tough clad in the uniform of an Off
Ger of the Union forces. although his
peeuniary means were then small in
deed. He was then 4 splendid speci-
men of young American manhood
tall, erect, well proportioned, of frank
open eountenanee, of marked intelli-
gence and endowed with all that gra-
cions, eourtly urbanity which eharac-
terized the French Huguenot race.
| from whence he was sprung, as you
/ may judge for yourselves from his
| portrait in that memorial room yon-
/ der exhibiting him at that age. That
| particular endowment of urbanity
seems to have descended with the
! family name and somehow or other TO
| have missed US who are descended
! from the founder of the American
! Tourtellotte family just as closely
I but through female line | may add
/ that soon after the war it was discov-
cred that DR. Tourtellotte had some
heart difficulty, caused very likely by
i his exertions In the service, and it was
upon that account that the young cou-
/ pie. shortly after their marriage, set
tied in the far northwest. From that
cause he was an invalid during his
later years, and was most tenderly
and atrectionately cared for by Mrs.
Tourtellotte.
Her third characteristic, as | recall
her then. was her devotion to music
faud her musical ability. both instru-
mental and vocal. In those times a
piano was rarely found in a Thomp-
son home Melodions, as they We're
called. were plentiful, but pianos
rare She had had piano from her
early piFlhoed and had taken music
lessons I'm " orcester. and later had
attended somewhere a distinctive mu-
Sic school SO that ! am quite sure
that she was regarded as an accom-
nished musician She used al our
bouse to sing most sweetly, as it seem
cd to me. ali the old songs, at least
we consider them old MOVE special
IL the war songs even as they first APP
peare3, such as "Tenting Tonight ON
he cid Camp Ground. The Vacant
Chair" and Somebody's Darling .
also n song which ran something like
this: mo one to love, no one To ca
eeSs, all alone in this worlds lonell-
ness" which rather staggered me. as
she surely was not wanting IN that re
spect. She sang the Vacant Chair
with special pathos. and her singing
Of il made SO great an impression up
on my youthful mind that never af-
forwards have | heard that song sung
or even played upon the victrola with
cut her face rising unbldden IN my
recollection. That song of late has
acquired for many of our people a re
newed interest Upon one occasion,
few years since, when | was visit
ing her here, | spoke of her singing
and asked if she still sang, She am
swered Il have never sung a word
since my children died" That very
possibly was an extreme view for her
to take; but Rachel mourning for her
children and refusing to be comfort
ed was not, fancy, to be judged by
the stern rules of human logic
The hast characteristic which | re-
call of her in those years was her
keen interest IN business matters. |
used often to hear her talking over
such things with my father. and
then thought it a strange thing for a
woman Lately she explained that to
ME in this way When she came back
from the music school what was then
considered finished young lady.
her father one Sunday evening said
to her. Harriet. | want YOU 70 be AZ
the store at eight O'Clock tomorrow
morning and take your place IN the
office and learn the business. "Nhy.
father" said she, Il do not want to
20 INTO business, My daughter.
he responded. every woman should
understand business. and | intend YOU
to stay in the store fer year 70 learn
it," In that family has word was law
and the next morning n eight O'Clock
she appeared in the office and worked
faithfully there for the entire year,
learning the business from A TO q.
indeed. she demonstrated that she