HIS DOMESTIC TRAITS. 305 



daughters. It was a maxim with him, that any objection 

 that suggested itself to one mind might occur to another, 

 and the modest remark of his youngest auditor received 

 attention. We were often called to help him ' read proof," 

 and were thus allowed to feel ourselves of use, a privi- 

 lege children keenly enjoy. His habits of neatness and 

 order made it pleasant to him to find his study -table 

 brushed, and all things nicely arranged. By great care in 

 the use of my prerogative, I was gradually allowed free 

 scope. Often cards of memoranda might be found among 

 his papers, headed " Stevens." To the inquiry what this 

 meant, he laughingly acknowledged he could not tell! lie 

 had seen such on the table of his tutor at Fairfield, the 

 Rev. Mr. Eliot, when a mere lad, and had almost uncon- 

 sciously followed the example. It was one of the few 

 habits of his life for which he could not " render a reason." 



His readiness and eloquence in the lecture-room became 

 a proud pleasure to us, and I can well remember the amuse- 

 ment our dear mother caused us by saying, late in her life, 

 that she had never heard him speak without a fear that he 

 might " break down." This was merely an indication of her 

 habitual timidity and caution. The word fail never could 

 have any connection with him. I went with him once to 

 a Lyceum lecture in this place, where, after the audience 

 were assembled, it was learned that the speaker could not 

 appear. Those in charge, in their perplexity, appealed to 

 our father, and on the spur of the moment he rose and 

 spoke, I think, nearly two hours, on the atmosphere. I 

 was sure we had fared better than if the original programme 

 had been carried out, and well remember the glee with 

 which we came home to tell the tale, and surprise " mother." 



He was ever the life of home, loving and bright, ready 

 with a playful remark to encourage any brightness in his 

 children, but with never any sympathy for satire, or for wit 

 that bore a sting. He was never too tired to greet us with 

 a kind word, and always took a tender pleasure in having 



