, 1877-05-12
The Poet 1'rowbridge.

" ~ l. '''S 'S''' " ''tS 'N'eN''' >N''"N',
on the poet j. T. Trowhridge, from the
Bunker Hill Timcs. We have been to
Arlington, his place of residence, seen
his dwelling with its beautiful surround.
ings, though we are aquained vita the
poet only through the medium OF his
writings. What the writer of this arti-
Gle says of him is more than confirmed
by his intimate friends and reighbor:
Now for brief sket III OF our poets
life. He came from Connecticut family.
His father, Windsor Stone Trowbridge,
emigrated in early manhood to the wilds
OF western New York. He settled about
eight miles beyond where the town OF
Rochester now stands, building II log.
house in the woods. Here John Town
send Trowbridge was born. There seems
to be a certain connection between ge-
Mus and log.hOnsrs--so many of our po-
cts and statesmen have first opened their
eyes in them. Few of them Nre left to
serve MS birth-places for the next gen
Grafton. Heaven send that there he not
corresponding paucity of great men.
Our poet was born in the autumn OF 1897.
The month was September. The day
the seventeenth or eighteenth, which, II
could never lie decided, as his first cry
and the midnight chimes of the clock
struck the air together SO young Trow-
bridge may have had two birthdays,
and-envinble hoy two birthday cakes
every year Of his ille. He was the eighth
child of his parents. His father was Il
man sensitive, refined and highly organ
lied. He had an enthusiasm for music,
and was easily affected by it. He was II
fine story.teller, and would amuse his
children evening after evening with
wild woodland adventures when these
failed him be would weave tales in rhyme
that must have fallen hike music upon
the poetic ear of at least one OF his child
rem His mother combined deep re-
ligious scnsibility with great energy OF
character. The son seems to have inncrit.
ed the best gifts OF both parents, His ia
ther died when he was sixteen years old;
his mother is yet living. Ypppg TOW.
bridge lived the life Of most boys on .
farm. He went to school half the year
and worked on the farm the other half;
but this was uncOngenial work. His
heart was IN his books. He studied in
school and out. He learned French he
fore he was fifteen without teacher, and
tried Latin and German the same way.
He got books from the public library in
the nearest town, and pored over them
continually. Scott and Byron were his
tavorites, and he dreamed over them in
The fields and in the woods, where he
often betouk himself. Its glooms an,
swamps, the wild aud distinct cries OF
the owls and raccoOns. the rushing and
sighing through the trees, all exercising
strong influence on his imagination.
When he WAS seventeen years old he
went to Illinois whtre married sister
was living, and taught school for while.
Then he essayed farming, raised a crop
of wheat, r, al Virgil and. hunted for one
summer. The rust struck the wheat, hut
the young mind grew vigorously. His
farming ended in an "eternal farewell" J."
and at the age Of nineteen he set off tor
New York, where he had neither friends
nor introductions, tn seek his fortune.
He did not enter the city eating roll,
and fear he had more than so cents in
his pocket; but in spite of these draw
backs succrss was coming TO him. Up
10 this time he had contributed articles
to different newspapers without receiy-
lug any pay. His first payment came in
this way; A prize had been offered by
Lockport paper tor the best carriers ad-
dress foi the yea lS45; his verses gained
this prize, which was book worth 80;
hut, on reflection, the publishers decided
il too much, and compromised with their
creditor by paying him one dollar aud
half
Trowbridge's first friend in New York
WAS Noah, OF the Sunday IImes. He
was advised 10y him to write prose in.
stead Of poetry ii he wanted to make III.
erature pay. lls first story was pub
lished in the Dollar Hagasins, 80 named
from its subscrip pton price Of one dollar
a year His story was widely copied,
his hopes were raised very high, and
when another article was accepted by
the magnificent KnickerhOckrr he tal,
himself on the road 10 fame. But he
was taxi back by receiving II note from
the editor of tue last named magazinc
saying that he never pAid new contrlbu
tore, He Struggled on, earning his hrcaa
IN precsrious SOFT of way. Hs became
expert IN engraving gold pencil casea,
and managed 20 1--we Cheeriiy, eating his
loaf in glre', never turning ~ the Ola