, 1874-12-13

noun, that ssw, for the first and only time,
face to face. the Quaker poet, In his own homo
and that Of his sistez,-th place where he still
lives THIS is not, as come think, the home
stead which appears in the frontispiece Of Snow
Bound, and is 90 familiar to us in cbronos.
That is farther up tho river, On the banks Of the
Mefrmac. "stream of my fathers, sweetly
still, i" in the limits Of the Town Of Haverhil,
Mass. The present house is in Amasburg; an
unpretentious rooden house, nothing in its
external ASPECT to mark it OF from the other
houses OF she village. My Impression, youthful
and sentimental. VAS one OF disappointment at
finding nothing characteristic and quaint, sug-
geBtlve OF noetical associations, and appropriate
to the abode Of genius. Yet, once ac1oss the
threshold, one felt at every step the different
atmosphere Of this from the neishbor-houses
with their village smartness and fnery. The
furniture WAS plain and old-fashloned,-partlv.
suppose, because the poet'a verses had not then
brought much money to bis purse, and partly
because the hornsly styles suited better tho
simple habits Of the inmates Of the
nc n9use: . MEy;..;e A1y companion. prosaie cousin
cal OF tie practical value OF verse-makiug,
whispered her prediction that John always would
ne poor. Everywhere, however, were evidences
OF exquisite and DELEGATE taste and OF scrupulous
eAo@sA@a9 oA A4o0sthcCp4uS. O0 IQo uT6-lfalQa,
whose brass kuobs aud andirons shono bright
with careful polishing, stood a Parian yase OF
harebells. which, Elizabeth told mo, were the
fsvorite flower Of her mother, whose portrait
hung above them That beautiful placid face OF
the gentle Quaker woman!-I see it still looking |
down. as If from heavenly heights. upon ali the
commotlona and jarrlnGs OF earth. calm, serene,
and holy. in tho sweetness Of ineffable peace.
And tho daughter,-hcr patient, suffering, ear
nest fearful eyes gazing up with such an mex
1Nr1tv nf
snch proud, fond. yearnng sisterly affection. |
after the brother whose welfare sho told |
me. as be left the room, was all the ]
1aea naesoss hor she ,,o.h had remaining in earth
for ny brother wish to stay" she eaid. :" He |
would be so lonely without me-. And yet" she |
added. glancing at tho harehels, ~ love this !
beautiful world Of God. although long some
times to be ut rest. ~ Then. quickly. as it cor
rectinE or apolog'zing for her last exclamation
(it seemed to me- strange correction for
euaker): I" I do not believe Heaven is place Of
est, or tha. we shall ever cease to struggle"
lne word struggle was spoken with 30 much en-
phasls that felt curious to learn just what sig
1ihcancc it might have to tho mind Of the gentle
2uakoress, aa an element OF the futule life; but !
he entrance Of her brother, to invite Us into his
'iudy, interrupted the conversation. Elizabeth
ook leave OF us then, and never saw her again,
2r know anything of her iife till read in Snow
Sound, tue bereayed brothers la1neut
The chill weight Of the wintsr-snow
For months upon her grave has lain:
4nd nov, when Summer soutla-wtnds blow,
trend the pleasant paths We trod,-
see the v1o1et-sr1inkled sod,
Whereon ahe leaned. too fraj| :.d weak
The hillside flowers ete loved to SEEK
Yet following me whcre'er went,
With dark eyes full Of loye'a content
And while, in nfe's late afternoon,
Where cool and long the shadows grow,
walk to meet the nght that soon
Shall ehape and shadow overflow,
cannot feel that thou art far,
Sin:o near ut hand the angels are:
And when the sunses gates uubar
Shall not see thea waiting atand,
And, white against the eveninR-Btar
The welcome Of Thy beckoning hxnd7
One cannot resist the thought aod the hope
aat the brothers graceful tribute Of love, IN
ylnin9 with his own his s.gtor'e song-doYers in |
Hazel Blossoms." may, with its tender yearn-
g Of remembrance, "reach her where she I
ves,' and bling q be1ediclte to bis spirits
looking from some heavenly hill.
Or from the shade of sainty palmt
Or silver reach OF river calu1s |
Do those large eyes behold me still Z
Prominent on the walls OF 1It. Whittiers
3rary, and pointed out BY him as one OF his
1zed treasures, was crayon portrait Of AIRS.
arF1et Eeecher 9toUe. The poets fxce kiudled
abin." and What her book had done for the
ave. In answer to suggestion that the
'rtralt was - 2attered," hardly like the every
y woman whose face was familiar, he said
. yes: it is Mrs: Stove giorlned, or as sns
Il be when she ID glorihed."
Our conversation Was here cut short bv the
onlpt. brisk, bustIing cousin of my escort call
2 - Jchn to help unite her horse. At tho =
mmons. the poet relapsing into his usual
tho cousin called it. "duu"-
'od, mechanically, though politely. performed |
. duty specified, and We soon had ended our d
all at tba Whittiera' ~ u n u