Chapter V

The Children had now learned to look upon the chair with an interest, which was almost the same as if it were a conscious being, and could remember the many famous people whom it had held within its arms.

Even Charley, lawless as he was, seemed to feel that this venerable chair must not be clambered upon nor overturned, although he had no scruple in taking such liberties with every other chair in the house.  Clara treated it with still greater reverence, often taking occasion to smooth its cushion, and to brush the dust from the carved flowers and grotesque figures of its oaken back and arms.  Laurence would sometimes sit a whole hour, especially at twilight, gazing at the chair, and, by the spell of his imaginations, summoning up its ancient occupants to appear in it again.

Little Alice evidently employed herself in a similar way; for once, when Grandfather had gone abroad, the child was heard talking with the gentle Lady Arbella, as if she were still sitting in the chair.  So sweet a child as little Alice may fitly talk with angels, such as the Lady Arbella had long since become.

Grandfather was soon importuned for more stories about the chair.  He had no difficulty in relating them; for it really seemed as if every person, noted in our early history, had, on some occasion or other, found repose within its comfortable arms.  If Grandfather took pride in any thing, it was in being the possessor of such an honorable and historic elbow chair.

“I know not precisely who next got possession of the chair, after Governor Vane went back to England,” said Grandfather.  “But there is reason to believe that President Dunster sat in it, when he held the first commencement at Harvard College.  You have often heard, children, how careful our forefathers were, to give their young people a good education.  They had scarcely cut down trees enough to make room for their own dwellings, before they began to think of establishing a college.  Their principal object was, to rear up pious and learned ministers; and hence old writers call Harvard College a school of the prophets.”

“Is the college a school of the prophets now?” asked Charley.

“It is a long while since I took my degree, Charley.  You must ask some of the recent graduates,” answered Grandfather.  “As I was telling you, President Dunster sat in Grandfather’s chair in 1642, when he conferred the degree of bachelor of arts on nine young men.  They were the first in America, who had received that honor.  And now, my dear auditors, I must confess that there are contradictory statements and some uncertainty about the adventures of the chair, for a period of almost ten years.  Some say that it was occupied by your own ancestor, William Hawthorne, first Speaker of the House of Representatives.  I have nearly satisfied myself, however, that, during most of this questionable period, it was literally the Chair of State.  It gives me much pleasure to imagine, that several successive governors of Massachusetts sat in it at the council board.”