1850, July. Birth of her seventh child, Charles Edward. 1850. The Fugitive Slave Law and slavery agitation. 1850, Mrs. Stowe’s vision of _Uncle Tom’s_ death; writes first chapter. 1851, June-1852, April. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” appears as a serial in “National Era.” 1852, March 10. Publication of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” in book form. 1852-1853. 300,000 copies sold in United States. 1852, August. “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” selling in England at rate of 1,000 a week. 1852. Mrs. Stowe in New York aiding escaped slaves. 1852-1863. Residence of Stowe family in Andover, Mass. Professor Stowe in Andover Theological Seminary. 1853, April-August. Professor and Mrs. Stowe traveling in England and Scotland. 1853, May. Meeting at Stafford House, London. “Address” of 500,000 English women, and the “shackle-bracelet” presented to Harriet Beecher Stowe. 1855-1856. Harriet Beecher Stowe aiding in the anti-slavery campaign in United States. 1856, July-1857, June. Traveling in England, France and Italy. 1856, August. Professor and Mrs. Stowe meet Queen Victoria. 1857, June. Death by drowning of their son, Henry Ellis. 1859, August-1860, July. Traveling in Switzerland and Italy. 1861, June. Visits her son’s regiment at Jersey City. 1862, November. Visit to Washington. The Contraband Dinner. Visit to Abraham Lincoln. 1863, July 11. Battle of Gettysburg. Her son, Fred, struck by a fragment of a shell. 1863-1870. Residence of the Stowe family in Hartford, Connecticut. 1864. Mrs. Stowe becomes an attendant of the Episcopal Church. 1869-1870. The Lady Byron Defence. 1867-1886. Spends the winters in Mandarin, Florida. 1872-1874. Giving public readings from her own works in New England and the west. 1882, June 14. Garden party given by her publishers at the residence of ex-Governor and Mrs. Claflin at Newtonville, Mass., in honor of her birthday. 1886. Death of Professor Stowe, of her brother, Henry Ward Beecher, and of her daughter, Georgiana May. 1896, July 1. Death of Harriet Beecher Stowe, aged eighty-five, at Hartford, Connecticut. CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. THE EARLY HOME OF HARRIET BEECHER STOWE 1 II. WORK AND PLAY IN THE BEECHER PARSONAGE 16 III. HARRIET BEECHER’S SCHOOLING 32 IV. EDUCATION IN THE HOME 51 V. THE BOOKS SHE READ 70 VI. DRAMATIC VENTURES 83 VII. STUDIES AND TEACHERS 96 VIII. SOME STEPS FORWARD 110 IX. A PILGRIMAGE 122 X. THE WESTERN HOME 133