Miss Emily Chubbuck
There is a
volume of attractive little sketches which some people used to read before any
of you
younger readers were born, which bears the name of
"Fannie Forester" as the writer. Her real name was Emily Chubbuck.
But when she wrote “Alderbrook," and another book of lighter sketches called
" Trippings," she used a nom de plume. This young lady was born in
Eaton, N. Y., but taught school in Utica in that state, besides writing sketches,
poems, and Sundav-school books, so that she was a busy person, as you can see.
And a lovely young person she was, too, by all accounts.
When Dr. Judson
was at home the last time in America, after his long absence upon the mission
field, he travelled about a good deal, and on one of his
journeys he read the book called “Trippings,"
which some one had given him to beguile the way. He
thought it a very bright book, and asked his
friend about the writer. He said that one who could write
as well as that could write better, and
he would like to see some of her work on greater themes.
His friend told him that he would have
the pleasure of meeting " Fannie Forester "
before long, as she was a guest in his home at present.
When Dr. Judson first saw the attractive and gifted
writer, she was undergoing the interesting operation of vaccination. After this
was over, he led her to a sofa, saying that he wished to talk with her.
Miss Chubbuck
said that she would be delighted to have him do so, and then he spoke about
using her talents upon the most worthy subjects. She told him
that she had been obliged to write because she was poor and must make a living,
and the light and trifling subjects seemed to be most popular.
Dr. Judson was full of sympathy for her. He had it in his
mind to find someone to write the story of Mrs. Sarah Boardman Judson's life,
and offered the opportunity to Miss Chubbuck. After some time the intercourse
thus brought about resulted in marriage, and the cultured and dauntless spirit,
schooled in poverty, went back with the missionary, to prove a great help to him
in finishing his wonderful work. She soon acquired a good knowledge of the
language and prepared Scripture questions for use in the schools.
When her little
Emily Frances came, the poet mother wrote the sweet verses so many have read,
called "My Bird." After Dr. Judson's death and burial at sea, on his
way home to regain his health, Mrs. Judson came home, much broken herself, to
care for his parents and her children. She died at Hamilton K Y., in 1854.
