The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-02-04

across the table from her at breakfast, dinner and supper for several months in the autumn and winter of 1878-9. It was the year before she went to Wellesley to take charge of the history depart ment, which led to her becoming President of Wellesley two years later.
 In his book Prof. Palmer tells briefly of his wife's two years in Saginaw shortly after her gradua- tion from the University of Michi- gan. He relates how she had quickly won the respect and ad- miration of the people of Saginaw, in school and out, and had just gotten pleasantly situated in boarding house-when serious new responsibilities were thrust upon her by the news that her father had lost his farm in New York State and turned over everything but his family to his creditors. In this emergency Miss Freeman came gallantly to the rescue, rent ed house in Saginaw and fur nished it and the whole family the father and mother, two sisters -one in an advanced stage of consumption, and a brother over 21-came on and occupied it.
 Mir. Barr Present
 Prof. Palmer tells how Miss Alice a 1N eli ctn in one of the grammar schools in town, and Mrs. Freeman did her bit by housekeeping and took a teacher CT two to board" To be exact, there were three boarders- two Miss Richardsons, sisters, from Detroit, and myself-and that's how happened to be there.
 It was another case of the not uncommon story where the little women possess the energy and gumption of the family and the big men-folks are inclined to drift along and take it easy
 For instance. I remember seeing those two big men-father and son-stretched out comfortably in the best chairs before the coal stove in the combination sitting and dining room, reading dime novels, while the self-saocrificing wife and mother from whom Miss Alice Freeman inherited her valiant spirit, was in the kitchen getting supper and going out to the woodshed herself to bring in wood for the cookstove.
 We were a company of nine at table-Mr. and Mrs. Palmer at opposite ends, Miss Alice Freeman and her Is year old invalid sister, Stella, whom she tenderly loved, and the Miss Richardsons-on one side and Miss Ella and Fred and Ion the other.
 Blessing Invoked
 There was no gloom at that table. After we were all seated and the head of the family had asked the customary "blessing" -cheerfulness and m errim mt reigned and all the worries and cares of that household were put aside. Miss Alice Freeman saw to that and cast charm over all.
 I haven't the slightest recollec- tion of what we ate, though it was un oub edly excellently cooked-but I can recall. after 60 years has passed, the expression of every face and most wildly Miss Alice Freeman's wonderful eyes, that so much has been writ ten about, and the magic of her voice.
 She spoke rapidly, her face all animation, and was simply in- imitable in relating an incident or telling a story. She was also a good listener and inspired others to do their best.
 recall an occasion when MT. Palmer was interrupted right in the middle of the blessing" he was asking and never finished it. Before I came down to supper that evening I noticed that there was a queer kind of a hump in my bead and on investigation discov- cred about Q bushel of autumn leaves between the sheets. When
 l came down stairs the others were