Chapter I: Front Matter

THE STORY OF A SUMMER;

OR,

JOURNAL LEAVES FROM CHAPPAQUA

BY

CECILIA CLEVELAND.

NEW YORK:

G. W. 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but a simple record of a pleasant summer's residence at Chappaqua, embracing many facts and incidents heretofore unpublished, relating to one who once occupied a large portion of the public mind.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.