, 1876-01-16
A Chestnut Street Party---An
Evening with the Poets.
Whittier Running Away--The New
FeVer---Emerson Clubs just
Started.
TWo Distinguished Men Gone from Us.--
Royal Rumors Of Royal
Arrivals.
4 Weak Woman-French Comedie.


Poets ~ WAS the given programme of Mrs. Ssr-
gents last entertainment There wes pleasant
gathering, as usual, and pleasant time. Poems
were read by James Freemau Clarke, Mrs. Moul-
ton. and transarions from the German BY DR..
Hedge. Whittier, who WAS the ouly notable
poet present. pleaded IN engagement just bo-
behind him, which WAS read BIZ Mrs. Moulton.
Oae Of the mos. interesting features in
TIE EMERSON FEVER,
which has lust broken out anew. is the getting
up OF Emerson's clubs. which promises we'll for
the development OF rea! liberal culture OF
thought amongst tho younger generation. OF
course, these cllbs arc started BY women, aud
young wumen, for 1t is q noticeable fact that
Emerson has more real enthusiastic followers
and admirers amongst women than amongst
men. great as his reputation is amonget tno
latter. I heard young woman declare the other
dag that Emersou's ESSAYS we're her Bible; and
that she had leaned moe OF her duty III life.
and, in her own words. how to behave herse1f,
from Emerson than from any other teachings
from any other book. The plan OF
THE NEW oLuBs,-
I speak in tho plural because AN acquainted
With two which are alz. adv orSanizinc,-is
to have q weekly mee.inG at the houses or
members, and, after reading q portion desig-
mated. to have familiar conversation. discus
siou or whatever comparing OF notes in various
opinion suggests itself. II the clubs live long
enough, OF course, Emerson's writings won't
last for constant perusa1. And II ia not meant
that they should be the constant food. Tho
name Of Emerson Club is given as significant Of
culture; as Emerson stands for the height OF
philosophical culture, as Raphael OF art. 1tis q
little singular that each Of these clubs was pro-
jected by two ladies who were entirely unac-
quainted With the design Of tho other, until in
meeting aud in the course Of conversation they
found they were on the same track. Tnis :act
broken out. It's MI in the ait. And
the fact OF tho new fever Is doubt
less owlug to tho neT impetus which has
been given to Emers onian reading By his no"
hzs I'LL tho bes. of Emerson in his prime. to-
gether With the aaded wisdom Of experience.
And with this tue cunning, beautiful typed vest
pocket stries OF his single essays, which are 80
fascinating to everybody that people WAC neEer
read h,n befo,e arc besuilea into his wesls OF
wisdom ty picking up these little gzean and gold
lures Emerson WAS greatly pleased with the
Young Girls Club few years ago. They showed
their appreciation by not o0ly inviting him to
read before them, but by app!audug hlm heart-
liz It the close,-a warmth Of acseptasion which
would be very grateful to hear as tho close ct
eotus fac efforts in older clubs, whore the cold
fashion OF dead siionce that 70 lows must be
LIKE 4 WIT nLAShET
upon tho spoakcr. 1t tho recent delightful
residing By alr. Whinp!o this was specially no.
ticeable, and specially awkward. Al in the even
iug reaiugs, there arc, contrary to the Radical
Club WAYS, no discussions nobody seems TO
know what to do atthe close Tor fe'E moments.
4 little hearty ciappiug Of hands would oa mncl
n7eforablo to tho dreadful dumb decorum which
1eieus Spesking Of Air. Whipple here. suggests
his new book, winch IL to be brought out by llaE-
per's sud to be sold at philadeEpnla IT. tue Con-
teun,al Of course this tact pHnts TO Its SUP,
ie:t natter But it il wholly ual l,ac tho general
itea OF Centennial affair. It is or and con,
cernipc the w.ltete Of maturity in America, mud
the reading euleavoted to give hint OF IN my
last iB = keynote to this forthcoming boo6-
Tha, is, it IS in the same vein one OF tha es8aY-
lists characteristic Efforts in apprcciatiya analysis
and critical acunen.
One Of tho present topics Of conversation, not
only in literary and phllauthropic circles. il the
DEATH OF pn. SAMUEL G. HOWE.
He is really groat loas to the community 80
cietv. 81 called that ia, the world OF visiting and
conventional life, knew little OF him except bv
name but all the lame, the bait. anu tue puma
IN life knew lm as the benefactor OF their klnd-
Il vas curioas to see him endeavo- to come out
1T lila unyorldly absract.ons and interests when
socially met by what our Quaker Whittier Calls
.t The worlds people," HIS kind emile and dep
recating, waiting manner, which seened to Ask
yo,1r fosbearauce for his laoz Of knoSledgo III
your interests, won sll tue world'inss ~ once
| lis death appeared sudden one to those uuac-
ousinted with his last few years bu: It Was not
an. Far several yeals he has been breaking up,
sud his final sickness was she elimination OF
| this ion. atrai,l. Another death OF ouco prom
| iuact man Who bore ms o'a na"o u@a Juo'
taken place. That Of
| COMMODORE STEPHEN DECATUR, {. f. n,
who in 1929 sailed Oh his first service IN tho
| fricate Cousteatlou. He was Tor years res'uens
in Boston after his loss OF eyesisht made fur
| ther service im7ossbe and nave hoard many
! story Of his grace aud ek11l IN bearing himself
I uuder his deprivation which woull soem lncroo-
! lila II be wero not 20 we'll known IN soc1a! life
here. AMI if everybody didn't know Of bis pecu-
liar baots. Que Of these stories can soacr "ler
therein q lady whose family rented the Commo-
| do,e'5 house n. Que ti1ne. Calling on
business pertaining to the, house one "a dav'
this lady WAS eutnmonsd to sac nlm.
| In her dressiug-gown, from ind'spos't'on,
nho was about to seud word TINT Hhe was GU
gagged, when it occurred to her that her dstla-
b,a would be entirely nnimportant az tue
visitor was stone blind. In the interview that
! passed. however. she said that ahe cou'a nos
realize for moment that her vi:itor could not
| SOS her, and that 6ne was never more thoroushi7
uncomfortable iu her l1fo in consequence,
| though facts and reaB5u both told her Ut heI
7 foity. Bu, such was the unombarrassGd aspect
| OF the LomHQQ0Ee% GutlEc4f oNfttu ~ %oo -"
ne,rance of blindness iu every look and gestH, Q.
that fact and reasun were for the moment at
| discount.
1t another time this blind hero accompanied
sop,e Young people to concert. 1t "a' Gus
tomarT Tor bis friends and acqualntenceB to ac-
company him to his street or to viclnlr1e5 where
h, was familiar, on any excursions With MN.
| On this evening, however everybody entirely
forgot that the Commodore couldn't SEQ hs "ay
an we'll as the rest OF them, aud 1aunslly took
leave OF him in the ordinary manner Us their
paths diverged. Either the gallant Commodore
trusted to his wonderful instincts to guide h!m
to the familiar places. o. he himself forgot hlt
nesds ne ads until be found himself alone. Then ~
vas obliged to cali in the aid ct one OF - tn. ts
aua,dians r OF the night TO convoy him safely 70 to
Tis straet. These are only the simpler incldents
Of most remarkable case OF tne
nn mn for r the loss Of Que. No one in society ers
rected The intirmities in the gallant, gracatu
rentlemap they met, unlsss they were previous
f. sc1uaiuted With tho fact. HIS wife, whom ~
neyer saw, probably could as little rea'1e 20 ~. M
csre Of bis household are more marvellous thAt
! anv have told .,.