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life and never noticed how beautiful its top leaves were until he picked up a bunch once and told me all about it。 Now I haven't the heart to cut the leaves off when a customer asks me。〃
His idea of his own vegetable…gardening at Boscobel； his Peekskill home； was very amusing。 One day Edward was having a hurried dinner； preparatory to catching the New York train。 Mr。 Beecher sat beside the boy； telling him of some things he wished done in Brooklyn。
〃No； I thank you；〃 said Edward； as the maid offered him some potatoes。
〃Look here； young man；〃 said Mr。 Beecher； 〃don't pass those potatoes so lightly。 They're of my own raisingand I reckon they cost me about a dollar a piece；〃 he added with a twinkle in his eye。
He was an education in so many ways！ One instance taught Edward the great danger of passionate speech that might unconsciously wound； and the manliness of instant recognition of the error。 Swayed by an occasion； or by the responsiveness of an audience； Mr。 Beecher would sometimes say something which was not meant as it sounded。 One evening； at a great political meeting at Cooper Union； Mr。 Beecher was at his brightest and wittiest。 In the course of his remarks he had occasion to refer to ex…President Hayes； some one in the audience called out： 〃He was a softy！〃
〃No；〃 was Mr。 Beecher's quick response。 〃The country needed a poultice at that time； and got it。〃
〃He's dead now； anyhow；〃 responded the voice。
〃Not dead； my friend： he only sleepeth。〃
It convulsed the audience； of course； and the reporters took it down in their books。
After the meeting Edward drove home with Mr。 Beecher。 After a while he asked： 〃Well； how do you think it went？〃
Edward replied he thought it went very well； except that he did not like the reference to ex…President Hayes。
〃What reference？ What did I say？〃
Edward repeated it。
〃Did I say that？〃 he asked。 Edward looked at him。 Mr。 Beecher's face was tense。 After a few moments he said： 〃That's generally the way with extemporaneous remarks： they are always dangerous。 The best impromptu speeches and remarks are the carefully prepared kind；〃 he added。
Edward told him he regretted the reference because he knew that General Hayes would read it in the New York papers； and he would be nonplussed to understand it； considering the cordial relations which existed between the two men。 Mr。 Beecher knew of Edward's relations with the ex…President； and they had often talked of him together。
Nothing more was said of the incident。 When the Beecher home was reached Mr。 Beecher said： 〃Just come in a minute。〃 He went straight to his desk； and wrote and wrote。 It seemed as if he would never stop。 At last he handed Edward an eight…page letter； closely written； addressed to General Hayes。
〃Read that； and mail it； please； on your way home。 Then it'll get there just as quickly as the New York papers will。〃
It was a superbly fine letter；one of those letters which only Henry Ward Beecher could write in his tenderest moods。 And the reply which came from Fremont； Ohio； was no less fine！
IX。 Association with Henry Ward Beecher
As a letter…writer； Henry Ward Beecher was a constant wonder。 He never wrote a commonplace letter。 There was always himself in itin whatever mood it found him。
It was not customary for him to see all his mail。 As a rule Mrs。 Beecher opened it； and attended to most of it。 One evening Edward was helping Mrs。 Beecher handle an unusually large number of letters。 He was reading one when Mr。 Beecher happened to come in and read what otherwise he would not have seen：
〃Reverend Henry Ward Beecher。
〃Dear Sir：
〃I journeyed over from my New York hotel yesterday morning to hear you preach； expecting； of course； to hear an exposition of the gospel of Jesus Christ。 Instead； I heard a political harangue； with no reason or cohesion in it。 You made an ass of yourself。
〃Very truly yours； __ __。
〃That's to the point；〃 commented Mr。 Beecher with a smile； and then seating himself at his desk； he turned the sheet over and wrote：
My Dear Sir：
〃I am sorry you should have taken so long a journey to hear Christ preached； and then heard what you are polite enough to call a 'political harangue。' I am sorry； too； that you think I made an ass of myself。 In this connection I have but one consolation： that you didn't make an ass of yourself。 The Lord did that。〃
〃Henry Ward Beecher。
When the Reverend T。 De Witt Talmage began to come into public notice in Brooklyn； some of Mr。 Beecher's overzealous followers unwisely gave the impression that the Plymouth preacher resented sharing with another the pulpit fame which he alone had so long unquestioningly held。 Nothing； of course； was further from Mr。 Beecher's mind。 As a matter of fact； the two men were exceedingly good friends。 Mr。 Beecher once met Doctor Talmage in a crowded business thoroughfare； where they got so deeply interested in each other's talk that they sat down in some chairs standing in front of a furniture store。 A gathering throng of intensely amused people soon brought the two men to the realization that they had better move。 Then Mr。 Beecher happened to see that back of their heads had been； respectively； two signs： one reading； 〃This style 3。45；〃 the other； 〃This style 4。25。〃
〃Well；〃 said Mr。 Beecher； as he and Doctor Talmage walked away laughing； 〃I was ticketed higher than you； Talmage； anyhow。〃
〃You're worth more；〃 rejoined Doctor Talmage。
On another occasion； as the two men met they began to bandy each other。
〃Now； Talmage；〃 said Mr。 Beecher； his eyes twinkling； 〃let's have it out。 My people say that Plymouth holds more people than the Tabernacle； and your folks stand up for the Tabernacle。 Now which is it？ What is your estimate？〃
〃Well； I should say that the Tabernacle holds about fifteen thousand people；〃 said Doctor Talmage with a smile。
〃Good；〃 said Mr。 Beecher； at once catching the spirit。 〃And I say that Plymouth accommodates； comfortably； twenty thousand people。 Now； let's tell our respective trustees that it's settled； once for all。〃
Mr。 Beecher could never be induced to take note of what others said of him。 His friends； with more heart than head； often tried to persuade him to answer some attack； but he invariably waved them off。 He always saw the ridiculous side of those attacks； never their serious import。
At one time a fellow Brooklyn minister； a staunch Prohibitionist； publicly reproved Mr。 Beecher for being inconsistent in his temperance views； to the extent that he preached temperance but drank beer at his own dinner…table。 This attack angered the friends of Mr。 Beecher； who tried to persuade him to answer the charge。 But the Plymouth pastor refused。 〃Friend is a good fellow；〃 was the only comment they could elicit。
〃But he ought to be broadened；〃 persisted the friends。
〃Well now；〃 said Mr。 Beecher； 〃that isn't always possible。 For instance；〃 he continued； as that inimitable merry twinkle came into his eyes； 〃sometime ago Friend criticised me for something I had said。 I thought he ought not to have done so； and the next time we met I told him so。 He persisted； and I felt the only way to treat him was as I would an unruly child。 So I just took