Laura E. Richards, Maud Howe, Florence Howe Hall, Julia Ward Howe, 1819-1910, in two volumes, with portraits and other illustrations: volume 1

“ [212] their indifference began to affect me, and my thought was that I might as well have appealed to a set of wooden tenpins as to those who were present on that occasion.”

“In this, I afterwards learned that I was mistaken. After the conclusion of the evening's exercise, a young man, well known in the community, was heard to inquire urgently where he could find the lecturer. Friends asked, what did he want of her? He replied: ‘Well, I did put my brother in the poorhouse, and now that I have heard Mrs. Howe, I suppose that I must take him out.’ ”

Another personal reminiscence goes back to her childhood days:--

“I had a nursery governess when I was a small child. She came from some country town, and probably regarded her position in my father's family as a promotion. One evening, while we little folks gathered about her in our nursery, she wept bitterly. ‘What is the matter?’ we asked; and she took me up in her lap, and said: ‘My poor old father came here to see me to-day, and I would not see him. I bade them tell him that he had mistaken the house, and he went away, and as he went I saw him looking up at the windows so wistfully!’ Poor woman! We wept with her, feeling that this was indeed a tragical event, and not knowing what she could do to make it better.”

“But could I see that woman now, I would say to her: ‘If you were serving the king at his table, and held his wine-cup in your hand, and your father stood without, asking for you, you should set down the cup, ’”