Part 10 (1/2)
We saw curious sights along the way, such as the sal into a fenced-in pool to deposit their spawn; there they could be easily speared, dried, and pitched into wagons as we pitch hay in New England I saw the Indians stretching the salmon on boards put up in the sun, their color in the sun a brilliant pinkish red
I saw bears fishi+ng at the edge of water, really catching fish in their clu strawberries for their cubs As I watched the for a stray cow to el to look at the totem poles, many of which have since been stolen as the Indians did not wish to sell them; our usual enealogical records, and give the history of the family before whose door they stand No one would quietly take the registered certificates of Revolutionary ancestors searched for with great care froland Society, and coolly destroy theree with Charles Lamb who said he didn't want to be like a potato, all that was best of hiardens and the large school for Indian girls were the objects of interest It is a sad fact that the school which teaches these girls cleanly habits, the practical arts of sewing, and cooking si to return to their dirty homes and the filthy habits of their parents
That would be impossible to them So they are lured to visit the dance halls in Juneau, where they find admirers of a transient sort, but seldoway, and the lady as known by us told us there was id conventionalities, calls ht time, more than is expected in Boston And yet that toas hardly started, and dirt and disorder and chaos reigned supreme
A company of unlucky miners came home in our steamer; no place for them to sleep but on deck near the doors of our stateroory sets had been satisfied A few slept on the tables All the poultry had been killed and eaten We found the Chinese cooks tried to h lad to leave the steamer to try the ups and downs of Seattle
CHAPTER V
Frances E Willard--Walt Whitman--Lady Henry Somerset--Mrs Hannah Whitehall Smith--A Teetotaler for Ten Minutes--Olive Thorne Miller--Hearty Praise for Mrs Lippincott (Grace Greenwood)
I was looking over some letters from Frances E Willard last week
What a powerful, blessed influence was hers!
Such a rare combination of intense earnestness, persistence, and devotion to a ”cause” with a gentle, forgiving, compassionate spirit, and all te in Germantown, Pennsylvania, at the hospitable home of Mrs
Hannah Whitehall Selist, and writer of cheerful counsel, I found several celebrities auests Miss Willard and Walt Whitressively combative in his attack on the advocate of tehtest provocation He declared that all this total abstinence was absolute rot and of no earthly use, and that he hated the sight of these wo temperance fanatics
After this outburst he left the room Miss Willard never alluded to his fiery criticism, didn't see unpleasant had occurred
In half an hour he returned; and with a siven for his too severe reenerous cordiality, and they becaain she said: ”Noasn't that just grand in that dear old man? I like hiness to pain me”
How they laboured with ”Walt” to induce him to leave out certain of his poems from the next edition! The ent to her rooued But no use, it was all ”art” every word, and not one line would he ever give up The old poet was supposed to be poor and needy, and an enthusiastic daughter of Mrs Se to provide bed linen and blankets for hireat, breezy, florid-faced out-of-doors genius, but we all wished he had been a little less _au naturel_
To speak oncea foolish trifler in her presence Her outlook was so far above mine that I always felt not rebuked, but ashahtness of manner
Just one illustration of the unconscious influence of her noble soul and her convincing words:
Many years ago, at an anniversary of Sorosis in New York, I had half promised the persuasive president (Jennie June) that I would say so called up for an after-dinner speech! So, coh! O, you know this agony!
I had nothing in particular to say; I wanted to be quiet and enjoy the treat But between each course I tried hard, while apparently listening to”neat and appropriate”
This co martyrdoayety, froame to ices, is really one of the severest trials of club life
Miss Willard was one of the honoured guests of the day, and was called on first When she arose and began to speak, I felt instantly that she had so that she felt was important we should hear, and how beautifully, how siht of self, not one instant's hesitation for a thought or a word, yet it was evidently unwritten and not committed to memory Every eye was drawn to her earnest face; every heart was touched As she sat down, I rose and left the roo fireworks expected, I alking up Fifth Avenue, thinking about her and her life-work The whole experience was a revelation I had never met such a woman No affectation, nor pedantry, norcontrast between her soul-stirring words and my silly little society effort that drove otism vanished before the wish to be of real use to others hich her earnestness had inspiredher she felt she could go out and be a praying band all by herself Indeed she was
A noble woht works that shall endure