Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-08-27

.
HOUSE.
At first the conversation took wide
range. The poet was inclined to ask
questions about men and current events,
and it was quite time before the drift OF
chat turned upon what he was doing. had
done. and expected to accomplish
Il am not doing much these days, said
he: "simply keeping from getting rusty"
and he cast his eye around the room a
much as to say, You can see Tor yourself
how much that is"
Expressing preference for his Evan
geline.' ventured to say: II see you
located the final scene Of that beautiful
story in Philadelphia.
"Yes, sir. The poem ia one Of nv ia
vorites also; a. much. perhaps. on ac-
count Of the manner in which got the
groundwork for it as anything else
What is the story, please -
Il will tell you. Hawthorne came 10
dine with me one day, and brought a
friend with him from Salem. While at the
dinner Mr.. Hawthorne friend said to me.
i have been trying 10 get Hawthorne to
write story about the Punishment of the
Acadians from Acadia. founded upon the
life Of a yonng Acadian girl who was then
separated from her lover, spent the bal
ance OF her life searching for him, and
when both were old. found him dying in a
hospital
".Yes.' said Hawthorne, but there il
nothing in that for a story
..Iczught the thought at once that it
would make striking picture if put in
verse, and said. Hawthorne, gave it TO me
tor poem. and promise me that you will
not write about il until | have written the
poem
Hawthorne readily assented to NV re-
quest. and il was agreed that ! should use
his friends story for verse whenever had
the time and inclination to write it. In
1926 started for Europe and, when in
New York. concluded would visit Phila-
delphia. and so went over.
1T was in the spring. about this time.
and the country was ~ beautiful as it is
to-day. | spent week in the Quaker
City. stopping at the Mansion House, on
Third street. near Walnut. II was one Of
the best hotels ever stopped at and at
that time perhaps the best in the country.
IL had been the private residence of the
Binghams. and was kept by a man named
Head. The table was excellent and the
bed-chambers were splendidly furnished
and were great. large. airy rooms-as
large as this. =" turning round and survey
ing the ample library room in which we
were seated. 1T has given way now to
the demands of business. believe. tor
when was last there | could hardly rec
ognize the place where it stood. During
this visit spent much time looking about,
and Philadelphia Is one of the places
which made a lasting impression upon me
and left its mark upon my later work.
Even the streets of Philadelphia make
rhyme:
Market. Arch. Race, and Vine.
Chestnut. Walnut, Spruce and Pine.
| got the climax of 'Evangeline' from
Philadelphia. you know. and il was singu-
lar how ] happened to do so.
IL was passing down Spruce street one
day towards my hotel, after walk, when
NV attention was attracted to large
building with beautiful trees about it, in
side of n high enclosure. | walked along
until | came to the great gate, and then
stepped inside and looked carefully over
the place The charming picture of lawn.
flower beds and shades which it presented
made an impression which has never left
me. and twcnty-tour years after, when
CaIne 10 Wflte 'FsNanpeiine. locateu tne
final scene, the meeting between Evange-
line and Gabriel and the death ut this
poorhouse. and the burial in an old Cath
Ollie graveyard not far away. which found
by chance in another OF my walks.
+" IL Is purely n fancy sketch. and the
name 'Evangeline' coined to complete the
story. The incident Mr.. Hathorns friend
gave me, and my visit to the poorhouse
In Philadelphia gave me the groundwork
OF the poem"
The claim is that the Quaker Aims
house on Walnut street. near Third is
the one referred to in Evangeline.
No; that is not so. remember that
place distinctly 1t is the old poorhouse
referred to. which stood on the square be
tween Spruce and Pine and Tenth and
Eleventh streets"
Mr.. Longtellow then took from an adj
joining room picture of the old Quaker
Almshouse. and explained that the spot
which attracted his attention and marked
Philadelphia tor the final act OF "Evange-
line' was not this old institution, rs has
been so often claimed Boston Heraid