Part 13 (2/2)

Pancras' bell was tolling and a funeral procession going by, we heard by cable of the death of our dear, dear Grandmother, the one who first encouraged us to keep a journal of daily deeds, and who was always most interested in all that interested us and now I cannot refrain if I would, from writing down at this sad hour, of all the grief that is in my heart. I sorrow not for her. She has only stepped inside the temple-gate where she has long been waiting for the Lord's entrance call. I weep for ourselves that we shall see her dear face no more. It does not seem possible that we shall never see her again on this earth.

She took such an interest in our journey and just as we started I put my dear little Abigail Beals Clarke in her lap to receive her parting blessing. As we left the house she sat at the front window and saw us go and smiled her farewell.

_August_ 20.--Anna has written how often Grandmother prayed that ”He who holds the winds in his fists and the waters in the hollow of his hands, would care for us and bring us to our desired haven.” She had received one letter, telling of our safe arrival and how much we enjoyed going about London, when she was suddenly taken ill and Dr. Hayes said she could never recover. Anna's letter came, after ten days, telling us all the sad news, and how Grandmother looked out of the window the last night before she was taken ill, and up at the moon and stars and said how beautiful they were. Anna says, ”How can I ever write it? Our dear little Grandmother died on my bed to-day.”

_August_ 30.--John, Laura and their nurse and baby John, Aunt Ann Field and I started Tuesday on a trip to Scotland, going first to Glasgow where we remained twenty-four hours. We visited the Cathedral and were about to go down into the crypt when the guide told us that Gen. Sherman of U.S.A. was just coming in. We stopped to look at him and felt like telling him that we too were Americans. He was in good health and spirits, apparently, and looked every inch a soldier with his cloak a-la-militaire around him. We visited the Lochs and spent one night at Inversnaid on Loch Lomond and then went on up Loch Katrine to the Trossachs. When we took the little steamer, John said, ”All aboard for Naples,” it reminded him so much of Canandaigua Lake. We arrived safely in Edinburgh the next day by rail and spent four days in that charming city, so beautiful in situation and in every natural advantage. We saw the window from whence John Knox addressed the populace and we also visited the Castle on the hill. Then we went to Melrose and visited the Abbey and also Abbotsford, the residence of Sir Walter Scott. We went through the rooms and saw many curios and paintings and also the library. Sir Walter's chair at his desk was protected by a rope, but Laura, nothing daunted, lifted the baby over it and seated him there for a moment saying ”I am sure, now, he will be clever.” We continued our journey that night and arrived in London the next morning.

_Ventnor, Isle of Wight, September_ 9.--Aunt Ann, Laura's sister, Florentine Arnold, nurse and two children, Pearl and Abbie, and I are here for three weeks on the seash.o.r.e.

_September_ 16.--We have visited all the neighboring towns, the graves of the Dairyman's daughter and little Jane, the young cottager, and the scene of Leigh Richmond's life and labors. We have enjoyed bathing in the surf, and the children playing in the sands and riding on the donkeys.

We have very pleasant rooms, in a house kept by an old couple, Mr. and Mrs. Tuddenham, down on the esplanade. They serve excellent meals in a most homelike way. We have an abundance of delicious milk and cream which they tell me comes from ”Cowes”!

_London, September_ 30.--Anna has come to England to live with John for the present. She came on the Adriatic, arriving September 24. We are so glad to see her once more and will do all in our power to cheer her in her loneliness.

_Paris, October_ 18.--John, Laura, Aunt Ann and I, nurse and baby, arrived here to-day for a few days' visit. We had rather a stormy pa.s.sage on the Channel. I asked one of the seamen the name of the vessel and he answered me ”The H'Albert H'Edward, Miss!” This information must have given me courage, for I was perfectly sustained till we reached Calais, although nearly every one around me succ.u.mbed.

_October_ 22.--We have driven through the Bois de Boulogne, visited Pere la Chaise, the Morgue, the ruins of the Tuileries, which are left just as they were since the Commune. We spent half a day at the Louvre without seeing half of its wonders. I went alone to a photographer's, Le Jeune, to be ”taken” and had a funny time. He queried ”Parlez-vous Francais?” I shook my head and asked him ”Parlez-vous Anglaise?” at which query he shrugged his shoulders and shook his head! I ventured to tell him by signs that I would like my picture taken and he held up two sizes of pictures and asked me ”Le cabinet, le vignette?” I held up my fingers, to tell him I would like six of each, whereupon he proceeded to make ready and when he had seated me, he made me understand that he hoped I would sit perfectly still, which I endeavored to do. After the first sitting, he showed displeasure and let me know that I had swayed to and fro. Another attempt was more satisfactory and he said ”Tres bien, Madame,” and I gave him my address and departed.

_October_ 26.--My photographs have come and all p.r.o.nounce them indeed ”tres bien.” We visited the Tomb of Napoleon to-day.

_October_ 27.--We attended service to-day at the American Chapel and I enjoyed it more than I can ever express. After hearing a foreign tongue for the past ten days, it seemed like getting home to go into a Presbyterian church and hear a sermon from an American pastor. The singing in the choir was so homelike, that when they sang ”Awake my soul to joyful lays and sing thy great Redeemer's praise,” it seemed to me that I heard a well known tenor voice from across the sea, especially in the refrain ”His loving kindness, oh how free.” The text was ”As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings, so the Lord did lead him and there was no strange G.o.d with him.” Deut. 32: 11. It was a wonderful sermon and I shall never forget it. On our way home, we noticed the usual traffic going on, building of houses, women were standing in their doors knitting and there seemed to be no sign of Sunday keeping, outside of the church.

_London, October_ 31.--John and I returned together from Paris and now I have only a few days left before sailing for home. There was an Englishman here to-day who was bragging about the beer in England being so much better than could be made anywhere else. He said, ”In America, you have the 'ops, I know, but you haven't the Thames water, you know.”

I suppose that would make a vast difference!

_Sunday, November_ 3.--We went to hear Rev. Dr. Joseph Parker preach at Exeter Hall. He is a new light, comparatively, and bids fair to rival Spurgeon and Newman Hall and all the rest. He is like a lion and again like a lamb in the pulpit.

_Liverpool, November_ 6.--I came down to Liverpool to-day with Abbie and nurse, to sail on the Baltic, to-morrow. There were two Englishmen in our compartment and hearing Abbie sing ”I have a Father in the Promised Land,” they asked her where her Father lived and she said ”In America,”

and told them she was going on the big s.h.i.+p to-morrow to see him. Then they turned to me and said they supposed I would be glad to know that the latest cable from America was that U. S. Grant was elected for his second term as President of the United States. I a.s.sured them that I was very glad to hear such good news.

_November_ 9.--I did not know any of the pa.s.sengers when we sailed, but soon made pleasant acquaintances. Near me at table are Mr. and Mrs.

Sykes from New York and in course of conversation I found that she as well as myself, was born in Penn Yan, Yates County, New York, and that her parents were members of my Father's church, which goes to prove that the world is not so very wide after all. Abbie is a great pet among the pa.s.sengers and is being pa.s.sed around from one to another from morning till night. They love to hear her sing and coax her to say ”Grace” at table. She closes her eyes and folds her hands devoutly and says, ”For what we are about to receive, may the Lord make us truly thankful.” They all say ”Amen” to this, for they are fearful that they will not perhaps be ”thankful” when they finis.h.!.+

_November_ 15.--I have been on deck every day but one, and not missed a single meal. There was a terrible storm one night and the next morning I told one of the numerous clergymen, that I took great comfort in the night, thinking that nothing could happen with so many of the Lord's anointed, on board. He said that he wished he had thought of that, for he was frightened almost to death! We have sighted eleven steamers and on Wednesday we were in sight of the banks of Newfoundland all the afternoon, our course being unusually northerly and we encountered no fogs, contrary to the expectation of all. Every one p.r.o.nounces the voyage pleasant and speedy for this time of year.

_Naples, N. Y., November_ 20.--We arrived safely in New York on Sunday.

Abbie spied her father very quickly upon the dock as we slowly came up and with glad and happy hearts we returned his ”Welcome home.” We spent two days in New York and arrived home safe and sound this evening.

_November_ 21.--My thirtieth birthday, which we, a reunited family, are spending happily together around our own fireside, pleasant memories of the past months adding to the joy of the hour.

From the _New York Evangelist_ of August 15, 1872, by Rev. Samuel Pratt, D.D.

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