Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-06-28

terest of the Federal party. Mr. Bryant
grve to its political articles a more Re-
publican tinge, and when, a few years
later on, he obtained the exclusive con-
troll of its columns, he made il Demo-
cratic organ, and advocated in 1t the
freedom of trade and the aboli-
tion and prohibition of all spe-
cial or class legislation. In the
interim, however, he was associated
with Robert 9. Sands and Gulian G.
Verplanck in the editorship of The Tai
iSmdn, and wrote the tales of "Med-
fieldh and "The Skeletons Cave" A
complete edition of his works was pub
lished in 1882; an edition was reprinted
in England by the kindness of Wash
ington Irving, who was then there; it
was favorably reviewed in BlacbtUood,
and Mr.. Bryant thus acquired Euro
pean reputation. BY this time he had
become associated with William Leg
gett in the editorship of the EUening
Post, and in 1884 he made his first voy-
age to Europe and travelled with his
family through France, Germany and
Italy. He made second voyage in
1845, and third in 1849, when he went
to Egypt and Syria. He wrote letters
to his journal during these travels,
which have since been published in
book form. In 1857 and 1858 he made
another visit to Europe, going into
Spain. A new and complete edition of
his poems was published in 1855; and
in 1868 small volume of new poems
appeared under the title of "Thirty
Poms." His translation of the Had
appeared in 1870, and his Odyssey fol-
lowed the next year. b" A History of
the United States,' and a poem enti-
tied 1.-THE Flood of Years." form Mr..
Bryant's latest works. The pecuniary
rewards of Mr.. Bryant's literary and
poetical labors must have been on the
whole considerable, but his earlier pro-
ductions paid him but little. 1t is told
of him that few days since a gentle
man who had purchased at book sale
a copy of one of Mr.. Bryant's early
works, for which he paid five dollars,
took it to the author and requested him
to write his autograph in it, mention
ing the fact of the purchase. "Five
dollarsr' exclaimed Mr.. Bryant, "why,
that is more than l got for the copy
right" Up to the day of his fatal ac-
cident Mr.. Bryant retained the editorial
management of the EUentng Post in his
own hands, and daily visited the Office.
One of the editors of the Post gives a
remarkably pleasant picture of Mr..
Bryant's relations with his staff, and
en1arges on his exceeding kindliness of
heart toward other persons. Every
soon,n he says, Latter l began to do
the duties of literary editor, Mr.. Bryant,
who was reading review of a little book
of wretchedly -halting verse, said to me:
/" 4 wish you would deal very gently
with poets, especially with the weaker
ones.' Later / had very bad case
of poetic idiocy to deal with, and as
Mr.. Bryant happened to come into my
room while was debating the matter
in my mind, / said to him that was
embarrassed by his injunction to
deal gently with poets, and pointed
out to him the other impossibility of
finding anything to praise or even
lightly to condemn in the book before.
He answered: mo, you can't praise
it, of course; it won't do to lie about it,
but-turning the volume over and in
specting it-'you might say that the
binding is securely put on, and that
well, the binder has planed the edges
pretty smooth.
The poets naturally bothered Mr..
Bryant great deal by sending him
their verses for his opinion, which he
always conscientiously gave, and in his
own handwriting. The editor above
quoted says he cannot remember ever
hearing Mr.. Bryant say &c a harsh word
or even mildly condemnatory thing of
any human being" The World re-
marks upon his hatred of Greeley and
his dislikes of Thurlow Weed and Sew
ard, and tells the curious story that in
his youth he attacked James Watson
Webb on the street with a cowhide.
Mr.. Weed being interviewed oddly
enough says he never saw Mr.. Bryant.
A former associate, w. G. Boggs, says
a good deal about the exciting times of
Bryant's early political warfare, when
he was publishing the only free-trade
paper north of the Potomac, and was
unsparing in his assaults on opponents.
The person whom Mr.. Bryant cowhid-
ed on the street was w. L. Stone, edi-
tor of the Commercial Advertiser. With
Webb the difference did not, accord
ing to Mr.. Boggs, come to that.
Gen. Webb had threatened to publicly
chastise anyone who repeated story
to the effect that he had been bribed
with the sum, of $52, 200 to sustain the
United States Bank in its great fight
with President jackson. William Leg
gett, former associate editor of the
Post, inserted in that paper a card
signed by his name containing the Of
fensive charge. We are not told whether
anything further resulted. Bryant was
once challenged by an obscure editor
to fight duel, and answered thus;
Were you a gentleman and not
scoundrel should take some notice of
you. But you are scoundrel." Hol-
land quiesced, and the affair was not
heard of again.
The great blow of Mr.. Bryants life
was the death of his wife in 1866. She
was the subject of some of his most
deep and tender poems, especially
THE Future State" beginning;
How shall know thee in the sphere which
The disembodied spirits of the deadi
The poem reveals the inner character
of the poet. M .l.-
"The love that lived through all the stormy
And meekly with my harsher nature bore,
And deeper grew and tenderer TO the last,
Shan 1t expire with life and be no mores
A happier lot than mine and larger light
Await thee there; for thou hast bowed thy
will
In cheerful homage to the rule Of right,
And lowest all and renderest good for Ill.
For me, the sordid cares in which dwell
Shrink and consume the heart as heat the
scroll;
And wrath has left its scar-that fire Of hell
Has left its frightful scar upon my soul"
Now his body is at rest at her side,
and his questions are perhaps answered
for him in the life beyond.
A BEAUTIFUL young heiress in Mos
COW has married beggar eighty six
years old. 1t has queer look at first
but nothing could be more natural. The
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