Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
History
Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910
Richards, Laura Elizabeth Howe
Authors, American -- 19th century -- Biography; Feminists -- United States -- Biography; Howe, Julia Ward, 1819-1910
"_August 3._ Reached Schwalbach at three. My dear sister [Mrs. Terry]
came out to greet us. The meeting was a little tearful, but also
cheerful. Much has passed and passed away in these eventful years....
Presently Louisa and I were as though we had not been parted at all.
She is little changed, and retains her old grace and charm of manner."
"_August 4._ Out early with my sister. We have a regular and restful
plan of living. Meet after dinner, coffee with my sister at half-past
four, supper at half-past seven, in the evening reading aloud and
conversation. I am miserable with pain, probably rheumatic, in my left
hip. Think I must have got a chill on the Rhine boat. I say nothing
about this. Daisy and Wintie [Mr. and Mrs. Winthrop Chanler] came this
afternoon."
"_August 7._ To Anglican service with my dear sister. A dull sermon. The
service indifferently read--just the stereotyped Church of England
article. My dreadful hip joint does not ache to-day, and I am ready to
skip about with joy at the relief even if it prove but temporary. The
pain has been pretty severe and I have said nought about it, fearing
treatment."
"_August 9._ Read Aristotle, as I have done all these days. Took up St.
Paul's Epistle to the Romans, with a more distinct view than heretofore
of his attitude relative to them, and theirs to him. Walked out with my
sister, and saw at the bric-à-brac booth near the Stahlbrunnen a ring
composed of a fine garnet, set with fine diamonds, wonderfully cheap,
136 marks--I foolishly wanted it."
"_August 16._ _Heidelberg._ To the Castle--an endless walk and climb. I
was here in 1843, a bride, with dear Chev, my dearest brother Marion,
and my cousin, Henry Hall Ward. We went to the Wolfbrunnen to
breakfast--went on ponies to the Castle, where we wandered at will, and
saw the mighty tun. Some French people were wandering there also, and
one of them, a lady with a sweet soprano voice, sang a song of which the
refrain was: '_Comme une étoile au firmament_.' H. H. Ward long after
found this song somewhere. His voice has now been silent for twenty
years, dear Marion's for forty-six, and here I come to-day, with my
grown-up granddaughter, whom dear Chev only knew as a baby. How long the
time seems, and yet how short! Two generations have grown up since then
in our family. My sister Louisa, then a young beauty, is here with me, a
grandmother with grandchildren nearly grown. 'So teach us to number our
days.'"
* * * * *
It seemed to the second and third generations that the two sisters could
hardly have been lovelier in that far-off springtime than now in the
mellow beauty of their autumn. It was a delight to see them together, a
high privilege to sit by and listen to the interchange of precious
memories:--
"Do you remember--"
"And do you remember again--"
* * * * *
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account