the story, but which cannot be described. One of her associates at
Vassar, in recalling some of her anecdotes, writes: "Professor Mitchell
was quite likely to stand and deliver herself of a bright little speech
before taking her seat at breakfast. It was as though the short walk
from the observatory had been an inspiration to thought."

She was quick at repartee. On one occasion Charlotte Cushman and her
friend Miss Stebbins were visiting Miss Mitchell at Vassar. Miss
Mitchell took them out for a drive, and pointed out the different
objects of interest as they drove along the banks of the Hudson. "What
is that fine building on the hill?" asked Miss Cushman.--"That," said
Miss Mitchell, "was a boys' school, originally, but it is now used as a
hotel, where they charge five dollars a day!"--"Five dollars a day?"
exclaimed Miss Cushman; "Jupiter Ammon!"--"No," said Miss Stebbins,
"Jupiter Mammon!"--"Not at all," said Miss Mitchell, "Jupiter _gammon!_"

"Farewell, Maria," said an old Friend, "I hope the Lord will be with
thee."

"Good-by," she replied, "I _know_ he will be with you."

A characteristic trait in Miss Mitchell was her aversion to receiving
unsolicited advice in regard to her private affairs. "A suggestion is an
impertinence," she would often say. The following anecdote shows how she
received such counsel:

A literary man of more than national reputation said to one of her
admirers, "I, for one, cannot endure your Maria Mitchell." At her
solicitation he explained why; and his reason was, as she had
anticipated, founded on personal pique. It seems he had gone up from New
York to Poughkeepsie especially to call upon Professor Mitchell. During
the course of conversation, with that patronizing condescension which
some self-important men extend to all women indiscriminately, he
proceeded to inform her that her manner of living was not in accordance
with his ideas of expediency. "Now," he said, "instead of going for each
one of your meals all the way from your living-rooms in the observatory
over to the dining-hall in the college building, I should think it would
be far more convenient and sensible for you to get your breakfast, at
least, right in your own apartments. In the morning you could make a cup
of coffee and boil an egg with almost no trouble." At which Professor
Mitchell drew herself up with the air of a tragic queen, saying, "And is
my time worth no more than to boil eggs?"

CHAPTER XIII

MISS