The Story of a Summer - Or, Journal Leaves from Chappaqua

Cecilia Pauline Cleveland

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• Publié par: sion
• Publié le: 08 décembre 2010
• Nombre de lectures: 23
• Langue: English

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Story of a Summer, by Cecilia Cleveland This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org Title: The Story of a Summer Or, Journal Leaves from Chappaqua Author: Cecilia Cleveland Release Date: May 1, 2006 [EBook #18297] Language: English Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 *** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE STORY OF A SUMMER *** Produced by Al Haines THE STORY OF A SUMMER; OR, JOURNAL LEAVES FROM CHAPPAQUA BY CECILIA CLEVELAND. NEW YORK: Carleton & Co., Publishers. LONDON: S. LOW, SON & CO. M.DCCC.LXXIV. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by G. W. CARLETON & CO., In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. To MY DEAR COUSINS, IDA AND GABRIELLE, THIS STORY OF A SUMMER IS AFFECTIONATELY Dedicated. This little volume is in no sense a work of the imagination, but a simple record of a pleasant summer's residence at Chappaqua, embracing many facts and incidents heretofore unpublished, relating to one who once occupied a large portion of the public mind. Believing that it may interest many who care to know more of that portion of his busy life which was not seen by the public, but which pertained to his home circle, the author has been persuaded to print what was written merely for the amusement of herself and friends. CONTENTS. CHAPTER I. Return to Chappaqua—A Walk over the Grounds—The Side-hill House—Our First Sunday at Chappaqua—Drive to Mount Kisco—A Country Church—A Dame Châtelaine—Our Domestic Surroundings CHAPTER II. Arrival of the Piano—Routine of a Day—Morning Toilettes—The Dining-room—Pictures—Ida and Gabrielle—How occupied—The Evening Mail—Musical Evening CHAPTER III. An Unexpected Visit—Morning Drives—Gabrielle's Ponies—A Repulsive Object—A Visitor—The King of Sweden's Soup—Advantages of a Royal Kitchen—Startling Experience—Ida's Letters —Strange Contents—A Lucky Stone—Request for a Melodeon—Offers of Marriage—Arrival of a Suitor—Reasons why he should marry Ida Greeley—He proves a Lunatic—He is taken before a Magistrate—He is lodged in the County Jail CHAPTER IV. A Visit from Papa—A Musical Squirrel—Letters—Croquet—Extracts from Letters—Visitors—The Loss of the Missouri—The True Story of Ida's Engagement CHAPTER V. Sunday in the Country—Proximity of a Meeting-house—How we pass our Sundays—The House in the Woods—Ida's Glen—Mrs. Greeley's Favorite Spring—The Children's Play-house—Gabrielle's Pets —Travelling in 1836—New York Society—Mr. Greeley's Friday Evenings—Mrs. Greeley as a Bride —Her Accomplishments—A Letter concerning Mr. Greeley's Wedding CHAPTER VI. Visitors—Our Neighbors—The Chappaqua Croquet Club—Gabrielle's Letter—A Riding Party —Summer Heat—The Music-room—Friends from the City CHAPTER VII. Midsummer Day—An Artist's Visit—Ida's Letter—Moonlight on Croton Lake—Morning Readings —Plato and Kohlrausch CHAPTER VIII. Story-telling—Mr. Greeley's Father—His Personal Appearance—His Education—A Fine Voice—Mr. Greeley's Mother—A Handsome Woman—How she is remembered in Vermont—Field Labor —Bankruptcy—A Journey to Vermont—School Days—The Boy Horace—How he entertained his Playmates—His First Ball—Separation from his Family CHAPTER IX. A Picnic at Croton Dam—The Waterworks—A Game of Twenty Questions—Gabrielle as a Logician —Evangeline's Betrothal—Marguerite's Letter—Description of Chappaqua—Visitors—Edmonia Lewis CHAPTER X. Cataloguing the Library—A Thousand Volumes—Contrasting Books—Some Rare Volumes—Mr. Greeley's Collection of Paintings—Authenticity of the Cenci Questioned—A Portrait of Galileo —Portrait of Martin Luther—Portrait of Mr. Greeley at Thirty—Powers' Proserpine—Hart's Bust of Mr. Greeley—Mosaics and Medallions CHAPTER XI. The Fourth of July—A Quaker Celebration—The House in the Woods—Mrs. Greeley's Life there —Pickie—Mary Inez—Raffie—Childhood of Ida and Gabrielle—Heroism of Mrs. Greeley—The Riots of 1863—Mrs. Greeley defends her House against the Mob CHAPTER XII. Pen Portraits—Lela—Majoli—Guerrabella and Celina—Their Characteristics CHAPTER XIII. Biography of Mr. Greeley—Gabrielle's Questions—Mrs. Cleveland's Corrections—The Boy Horace not Gawky, Clownish, or a Tow-head—His Parents not in Abject Want—Mr. Greeley's Letter about his Former Playmates—Young Horace and his Girl Friends—He Corrects their Grammar and Lectures them upon Hygiene—He disapproves of Corsets CHAPTER XIV. The Morning Mail—A Letter to Mrs. Cleveland—Strange Contents—Ida's Letter Bag—Appeals for Money, for Clothing, and for her Hand—An Original Letter from a Trapper CHAPTER XV. Life in the Woods of Pennsylvania—Journey from Vermont to Pennsylvania in 1826—Travelling on Canal-boats—Incidents by the Way—Home in the Wilderness—Aggressions of Bears and Wolves CHAPTER XVI. A Birthday—A Surprise—The Day celebrated by a Dinner—An Awkward Mistake—A Queen of Fashion—A Drive to Tarrytown—A Poem to Ida CHAPTER XVII. Gabrielle and her Embroidery—Life in Pennsylvania continued—Sugar-making—Horrible Incident —A Woman devoured by Wolves—A Domestic Picture—Evening Readings—The Library of Mr. Greeley's Father—Mr. Greeley's Mother intellectually considered—Her Education—Mr. Greeley's Eldest Sister—She teaches School at the Age of Twelve CHAPTER XVIII. Visitors—A Sunday Drive—Croton Lake by Daylight—A Sail—A Sudden Squall—Anxiety about our Fate—Miraculous Escape from Drowning—Arrival of a Pretty Cousin—A Child Poetess CHAPTER XIX. Mr. Greeley visits his Family in Pennsylvania—He expounds Mathematics and Philosophy to his Brother and Sisters—Fishing and Bee Hunting—Forest Fires—A Subsequent Visit—He returns as Editor of the New Yorker—He writes the 'Faded Stars'—Characteristics of Mr. Greeley's Brother—His Children—Mr. Greeley's Younger Sisters—Their Education CHAPTER XX. A Quiet Household—Absence of Marguerite and Gabrielle—Amusing Letters from them—A Gypsy Fortune-teller—Marguerite returns with a Visitor—The Harvest Moon—Preparing for Company —Arranging the Blue Room—Intense Anticipation—"'He Cometh Not,' She Said" CHAPTER XXI. The Story of Mr. Greeley's Parents continued—He accompanies his Mother to New Hampshire—Her Sisters—Three Thanksgivings in One Year—Pickie as a Baby—His Childhood—Mrs. Greeley's Careful Training—His Playthings—His Death—A Letter from Margaret Fuller CHAPTER XXII. The Friends' Seminary—The Principal Chappaqua Residences—Reminiscences of Paris during the War —An Accomplished Lady—Her Voice—Festivities—A Drive to Rye Lake—Making Tea on the Beach —A Sail at Sunset—Fortune-telling by Firelight—The Drive Home—Sunday Morning—A Row on the Pond—Dramatic Representations in the Barn—A Drive to Lake Wampus—Starlight Row CHAPTER XXIII. Marriage of a Cousin—A Pretty Bride—Letters—Home Circle Complete—A Letter of Adventures —Wedding Cards—A Musical Marriage—Housekeeping under Difficulties—Telegraphic Blunders —A Bust of Mr. Greeley—More Visitors CHAPTER XXIV. "All that's Bright must Fade"—Departures—Preparing the House for the Winter—Page's Portrait of Pickie—Packing up—Studious Habits of the Domestics—The Cook and her Admirers—Adieu to Chappaqua ILLUSTRATIONS The Side-Hill House The Spring The Rail-Road Station The House in the Woods The Children's Play House The Stone Barn THE STORY OF A SUMMER; OR, JOURNAL LEAVES FROM CHAPPAQUA. CHAPTER I. Return to Chappaqua—A Walk over the Grounds—The Sidehill House—Our First Sunday at Chappaqua—Drive to Mount Kisco—A Country Church—A Dame Châtelaine—Our Domestic Surroundings. CHAPPAQUA, WESTCHESTER Co., New York, May 28, 1873 Again at dear Chappaqua, after an absence of seven months. I have not the heart to journalize tonight, everything seems so sad and strange. What a year this has been —what bright anticipations, what overwhelming sorrow! May 30. I have just returned from a long ramble over the dear old place; first up to the new house so picturesquely placed upon a hill, and down through the woods to the cool pine grove and the flower-garden. Here I found a wilderness of purple and white lilacs, longing, I thought, for a friendly hand to gather them before they faded; dear little brighteyed pansies, and scarlet and crimson flowering shrubs, a souvenir of travel in England, with sweet-scented violets striped blue and white, transplanted from Pickie's little garden at Turtle Bay long years ago. [Illustration: The Side-Hill House.] Returning, I again climbed the hill, and unlocked the doors of the new house; that house built expressly for Aunt Mary's comfort, but which has never yet been occupied. Every convenience of the architect's art is to be found in this house, from the immense, airy bedroom, with its seven windows, intended for Aunt Mary, to a porte cochère to protect her against the inclemency of the weather upon returning from a drive. But this house, in the building of which she took so keen an interest, she was not destined to inhabit, although with that buoyancy of mind and tenacity to life that characterized her during her long years of weary illness, she contemplated being carried into it during the early days of last October, and even ordered fires to be lighted to carry off the dampness before she tried her new room. By much persuasion, however, she was induced to postpone her removal from day to day; and finally, as she grew weaker and weaker, she decided to abandon that plan, and journey to New York while she could. In two weeks more she had left us forever. June 1. Our first Sunday at Chappaqua. We have a little church for a next-door neighbor, in which services of different sects are held on alternate Sundays, the pulpit being hospitably open to all denominations excepting Papists. Three members of our little household, however—mamma, Marguerite, and I—belong to the grand old Church of Rome; so the carriage was ordered, and with our brother in religion,