THE WRITER OF "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN" AT HOME.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9142, 25 August 1888, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE WRITER OF "UNCLE TOM'S CABIN" AT HOME.

HOW MRS. BEECIIER STOWE LIVES. The abolition of slavery in Brazil at once calls to mind the venerable authoress of " Uncle Tom's Cabin," of whom a pleasant picture is given in the Philadelphie Press which will interest our readers. A CHARMING VINE-CLAD COTTAGE. A correspondent recently visited thegreat authoress at her pretty but unpretentious little cottage in Hartford, which during the summer months is almost completely covered with clinging vines and fragrant roses. In front of this charming vine-clad cottage, which is very suggestive of the authoress, there is a miniature porch extending part of the way across the front. On this porch Mrs. Stowe delights to sit surrounded by her family circle and whatever friends may call, for some are almost constantly paying their respects to her during calling hours. The interior of the cottage is very homelike. Plenty of fresh air and sunshine are allowed to enter and sweeten the apartments, and nothing but wood fires are burned to heat them on chilly days. The parlour which Mrs. Stowe's visitor had been ushered into was filled with choice articles of bric-a-brac, beautiful old masterpieces, as well as many modern paintings, valuable testimonials and large bookcases filled with many choice volumes, the contents of which were all familiar to Mrs. Stowe. The articles of furniture were tastily arranged and were noticeable for their simplicity. Many of the modern paintings on the walls of the rooms of the cottage are the handiwork of Mrs. Stowe, and were painted at leisure hours. After Mrs. Sfcowe's return to the parlour she seated herself in a rocker, and leaning placidly back remarked with a merry twinkle that she scarcely considered herself a subject of lamentation, as she was enjoying fairly good health, and only at odd moments was she reminded that she had almost reached the four score milestone and that final dissolution was bound to come soon. She is now seventy-six years of age. NOT LARGER THAN A TWELVE-YEAR-OLD GIRL. She said she had done but little literary work since her retirement from the field, as she had retired because she always considered it better policy for authors to stop writing before readers stopped reading. She said she hoped she had done her part in this world and had always striven to her uttermost to be a benefit to mankind in general. When the old " Uncle Tom's Cabin" story was mentioned she became animated at once and exclaimed with great emphasis, '' Oh, how I thank the good God that I was the person chosen to write that story, which did so much good for so many poor Uncle Toms in the South." There was a time when Mrs. Stowe would not have felt at ease in the south, where of late years she has made her home during the severe winter months. Her southern home is in Florida. Mrs. Stowe now scarcely weighs more than 100 pounds, and is not much larger than a good-sized twelve-year-old girl. Her face is most expressive, and always bears a gentle and kindly look. Her thin grey hair is neatly arranged over a broad and thoughtful brow, beneath which are eyes that always twinkle merrily when she speaks of a subject of interest. Her mouth is more expressive than any other feature. It constantly speaks, though no word is spoken. She enjoys a good joke at all times, and laughs loud and long when one is fastened on herself by her children or intimate friends. She says that since the war she has spent eighteen winters in her southern home, and had met all classes and conditions of southern people, but they had all treated her with the utmost cordiality and courteousness, . with but very few exceptions. i