The World As I Have Found It | Page 9

to him,
than did my father's wife; she, her two bachelor brothers and a maiden
sister attending him, in the lingering, languishing hours of suffering,
and gently smoothing his "pathway to the grave."
I must not fail to mention among Chicago friends the name of Mrs.
Dean, which has been written in letters of light upon a hallowed life
page, standing out in bold relief upon the background of years. Her
house was my home, and she was ever a fond mother to me.
Her lovely little daughter, Ada, has since matured to womanhood,
assumed the relations and duties of a wife, and is now presiding over an
elegant home in one of the flourishing towns of Iowa.

CHAPTER IX.
"And when the stream Which overflowed the soul was passed away, A
consciousness remained that it had left. Deposited upon the silent shore
Of memory, images and previous thoughts, That shall not die and
cannot be destroyed."
For three years longer lowered the lurking war-cloud, and I, among so
many others, felt its baneful shadow. During this time I made Chicago
my headquarters, taking occasional trips upon the various railroad
routes converging there.
Finally I ventured upon a trip to Louisville, Ky., and, while it was my
first introduction to that place, so cordially was I received by its
citizens, so much was done to place me at ease, that I could but feel that
I was revisiting a familiar spot and receiving the greetings of old-time
friends; and, in spite of the heavy war pressure, it was financially the
most successful visit I ever made, having sold five hundred volumes in
the short space of two weeks, a fact in itself sufficient to exemplify the
pervading spirit of its society, not one of whose members gave
grudgingly, but with unhesitating and cheerful alacrity.
Thence I repaired to the "Blue Grass Country," the garden spot of
Kentucky, and to the city of Lexington, the reputation of whose
beautiful women has reached from sea to sea and from pole to pole, and
the name of whose hero, Henry Clay, has made the heart of our nation
throb with exultant pride. I was also a stranger there, yet I resolutely
repaired to the Broadway, its principal hotel, trusting to the hospitality
of its citizens. Nor did I "count without a host," for Mr. Lindsey, the
proprietor, received me with courtly cordiality, installing us in an
elegant suite of rooms upon the parlor floor, assigning us a servant in
constant attendance, and urging us to feel at home. At breakfast the
succeeding morning he greeted us with the pleasant tidings that he had
already sold sixteen volumes of my book, after which he came to our
apartment with a huge market basket, which he insisted upon filling
with books, adding that I was too delicate to go out with them myself.

This was a second time filled and emptied, and before dinner there was
placed in my hands the proceeds of the sale of one hundred books.
My companion, amazed at his success, begged of him to let her know
the secret, whereupon he said, laughingly: "Well, you see, I am a
Democrat and a Free Mason. I talked politics to one, gave the society
sign to another, and mixed a little religion with all. So I could not fail
to succeed."
I could but feel, however, in spite of his jest, that his innate goodness
was the Midas like touch, and that he bore in his own heart the
"philosopher's stone," transforming all into gold.
It did not become necessary for me to appear in the streets of Lexington,
yet I reaped a rich harvest of gain, and, above all, found a mine of
wealth in the warm, true, loving, chivalric souls. Nor did the kindness
cease at the fountain-head, for the little ones of Mr. Lindsey's family,
laden with bead work, walked the streets of the city, trafficking for my
benefit, returning with little hands empty of trinkets, but filled with
money.
To crown all this kindness I was only allowed, upon leaving, to pay
half the usual price for board, receiving letters of introduction to the
Capital House, of Frankfort, whose proprietor extended the same
liberality of terms, and whose citizens kindly and freely patronized me.
Going to Paris, I received so many favors that I never think of
Kentucky and its noble sons and daughters without a thrill of loving
gratitude.
Mr. Lindsey requested me to write to him upon my return, and, after
the lapse of a long time, I did so, receiving a reply bearing the painful
tidings that, by security debts, he had been bereft of all his earthly
possessions, but was hopeful of regaining all. Surely such noble souls
should not be left in the cloud while