Part 5 (1/2)

Shortly before the Civil War, I ith father to St Louis, he to take a place in the Washi+ngton University, while I was offered a position in the Mary Institute to teach classes of girls Chancellor Hoyt of the university had been lured from Exeter, New Hampshi+re He idely known in the educational world, and was one of the , wise, witty, critical, scholarly, with a scorn of anything superficial or insincere

I had thought of oic Just before ere to leave Hanover, a guest brought five of us a gift of measles I had the confluent-virulent-delirious-lose-all-your-hair variety When convalescent, I found thatout alarly, and it was advised that my head be shaved, with a proood as before the illness I felt pretty measly and ”meachin” and submitted The effect was indescribably awful I saw my bald pate once, and al, of coarse, dark red hair, held in place by a black tape Persons who had pitiedhead and so much hair” now found reason for comment ”on my small head with no hair” The most expensive head cover never deceived anyone, however sied to ht

We then had our first taste of western-southern cordiality and deht in welcoret at our departure

It was a liberal education to , but never showed that they noticed it One of our first callers was a popular, eloquent clergyhter of my mother” He said, ”I loved your mother and asked her toclass for et wildly askew Whittier in one of his poeests the reverse of my experience:

”She rose from her delicious sleep, And laid aside her soft-brown hair”

At bedtihtcap take the place In the lass Soon two persons called, both leaders in social life, one of them a physician, who had suddenly lost every spear of hair I was invited by the unfortunate physician and his wife to dine with them And, in his own home, I noticed in their parlour a portrait of hinificently thick black hair, a handsome face, adorned with a full beard andand the weather was quite war it on a plaster head He was now used to his affliction He told ure, how several years ago he awoke in the dead of the night to find so he could not understand on his pillow He roused his wife, lit the gas, dashed cold water on his face to help him to realize what had happened and washed off all the rest of his hair, even to eyebrows and eyelashes That was a depressing story to me And I soon met a lady (the Mayor's wife) who had suffered exactly in the saan to tremble lestyou about St Louis We were ymen from three churches and all the professors at the university, and the trustees with their wives and daughters Wyenerous patron of Harriet Hosmer, whose _Zenobia_ was at that time on exhibition there The Mary Institute was founded in re over one of the so-called ”sink-holes,” then existing about the city, broke the ice, fell in, and the body was never recovered

These sink holes were generally supposed to be unfathoh I had no more capacity in that direction than a cow I attempted a bunch of dahlias, but when I offered the result to a wo our rooms she looked at it queerly, held it at a distance, and then inquired: ”Is the fra indebtedness to Chancellor Hoyt He was suffering fearfully with old-fashi+oned consumption, but he used to send for hts He would also criticize ralad,” he would ask, ”So glad that what? You don't give the correlative” He warned against reliance on the aid of alliteration The books read to him were discussed and the authors praised or criticized

St Louis was to htful, and I still aed and is in the street, where now stately lilide over smooth paveers, homesick students at Dart a better habit Frigidity and forhtened my stay at St Louis

I do not wish to intrude my private woes, but I returned froet it at St Louis, but in the sleeping-car between that city and Chicago I advise children to see to it that both parents get through with all the vastly unpleasant epidee It is one of the duties of children to parents

CHAPTER III

Happy Days with Mrs Botta--My Busy Life in New York--President Barnard of Colue--A Surprise from Bierstadt--Professor Doremus, a Universal Genius--Charles H Webb, a truly funny ”Funny Man”--Mrs Esther Herive up my work at Packer Institute, when diphtheria attacked me, but a wonderful joy came to me after recovery

Mrs Vincenzo Botta invited me to her ho Anne C Lynch, ht at the Packer Institute herself, and at that time had a few rooms on West Ninth Street She toldby the kitchen table; then saying good-bye to the mother to whom she was devoted, walked from Ninth Street to the Brooklyn ferry, then up Jorale prayers Her means were limited at that time and carfare would take too much But it was then that she started and s,” which became so attractive and famous that NP Willis wrote of theht a visit to New York co with Miss Lynch People went in such nued to sit on the stairs, but all were happy Her refreshments were of the simplest kind, lemonade and wafers or sandwiches It has often been said that she established the only salon in this country, but why bring in that word so distinctively belonging to the French?

Miss Lynch was just ”at home” and made all who came to her happy and at their best Fredrika Breuest for several weeks at her howick attended several of her receptions, wondering at the char of ”The Raven” before it was printed Ole Bull, who knew her then, was a life-long friend to her fanny Kemble, Bryant, Halleck, Willis were all devoted friends

After her e to Professor Vincenzo Botta, nephew of the historian Botta, and their taking a house in Thirty-seventh Street, she gathered around her table the uished s” were continued with increasing crowds She had a most expressive face and beautiful blue eyes Never one of the prodigious talkers, dressed most quietly, she was just herself, a sweet-faced, sincere woman, and was blessed with an atmosphere and charm that were felt by all

At one of her breakfasts I recollect Emerson, who often visited there, Bryant, Bayard Taylor, and Grace Greenwood At another, John Fiske, President Andrew D White, and other ht Iconversation broke forth in a loud tone to Mrs Botta: ”I found a splendid receipt for macaroni; mix it, when boiled, with stewed to”

One evening Whitelaw Reid brought John Hay He beckoned toMr Hay said: ”I want toreatest statess after, at a Dra as Cupid in Mrs Jarley's ork show He looked and acted his part, turning gracefully on his toes to show his wings and quiver of arrows And Mr Reid, mounted on a step-ladder behind a draped clothes-horse, represented the distressed Lord Ullin whose daughter was seen eloping in a boat with her Highland chief, the tossing waves being sheets in full motion

For years it see-room in the city, because it drew the best froland, France and Gerary, Siauests hither Liberals and Conservatives, peers and revolutionists, holders of the most ancient traditions, and advocates of the most modern theories--all found their welcome, if they deserved it, and each took away a new respect for the position of his opponent

Madame Ristori, Salvini, Fechter, Campanini, and Madame Gerster were honoured with special receptions Special receptions were also given in honour of George P Marsh, on the occasion of his appointment as Minister to Turin in 1861, and to the officers of the Royal Navy of Italy when they caates built by an American shi+p-builder for the Italian Government

[Illustration: MRS ANNE C LYNCH BOTTA]

E in her ho it ”rested him” ”I wish that I could believe that in your miles of palaces were many houses and house-keepers as excellent as I know at 25 West 37th Street, your house with the expanding doors” He speaks of her invitation as ”one of the happiest rainbows”

”Your hospitality has an Arabiantime You were born under Hateenius of hospitality” (Haten Yayi was a celebrated Oriental whose house had sixteen doors)