The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1881-08-31
"Evaneeline."
HOW LoNeFELLow HAPPENED TO WRITE
THE POEM.

At first the conversation took wide range.
The poet was inclined to ask questions about
men and current events, and it was quite a
time before the drift of chat turned upon what
he was doing, had done and expected to
accomplish.
81 am not doing much these days." said
he; "simply keeping from getting rusty, y
and he cast his eve around the room at the
many evidences of work lying about, as much
as to say, "You can see for yourself how
much that is"
Expressing preference for his " Evange-
line" ventnred to say L see you located
the final scene of that beautiful story in Phila-
delphia.'
"Yes, sir. The poem is one of my favor
ties also; as much perhaps, on account of the
manner in which got the groundwork for it
as anything else"
What is the story, please?"
az will tell you. Hawthorne came to dine
with me one day and brought friend with
him from Salem. While at the dinner Mr..
Hawthorne's friend said to me- 4 have been
trying to get Hawthorne to write story about
the Punishment of the Acadians from Acadia,
founded upon the life of young Acadian girl
who was then separated from her lover, spent
lUS UdldHCC u illt e6dACiiiLS ulLu, anu
when both were old, found him dying in a
hospital.
Yes said Hawthorne, but there is
nothing in that for a story
al caught the thought at once that would
make striking picture if put in verse, and
laid, Hawthorne, give it to me for a poem,
and promise me that you will not write about
it until l have written the poem
Hawthorne readily assented TO my request,
and it was agreed that should use his friend s
story for verse whenever | had time and incli-
nation to write it. In 1925 / started for
Europe, and when in New York concluded 1
would visit Philadelphia, and so went over.
SIT was in the spring, about this time, and
the country was as beautiful as it is to-day.
spent week in the Quaker City, stopping at
the old Mansion House, on Third street, near
Walnut. 1t was one of the best hotels ever
stopped at and at that time perhaps the best in
the country. 1t had been the private residence
of the wealthy Binghams and was kept by u
man named Head. The table was excellent
and the bed chambers were splendidly fur
nished and were great, large, airy rooms-as
large as this, turning round and surveying the
ample library room in which we were seated.
at has given way now to the demands of bus
mess believe, for when l was last there l
stood. During this visit spent much time
looking about, and Philadelphia is one of the
places which made lasting impression upon
me and left its mark upon my latter work.
Even the streets of Pliladelph ia make rhyme:
Market Arch. Race and Vine.
Chestnut. Walnut, Spruce and Pine.
/ got the climax of 'Evangeline from Phila-
delphia, you know, and it was singular how 1
happened to do so. 1 was passing down Spruce
street one day toward my hotel, after walk,
when my attention was attracted to q largo
building with beautiful trees about it, inside of
high Enclosure. 1 walked along until came
to the great gate, and then stepped inside and
looked carefully over the place The charm
ing picture of lawn, flower beds and shade
which it presented made an impression which
has never left me, and twenly-four years after,
whan came to write Evangeline, located the
final scene, the meeting between Evangeline
and Gabriel and the death at this poor-house,
and the burial in an old Catholic graveyard not
far away, which found by chance in another of
my walks.
at is purely a fancy sketch, and the Evan
geline' coined to complete the story. The in
cident Mr.. Hawthorne friend gave me, and my
visit to the poor house in Philadelphia gave me
the groundwork of the poem"
1.-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. l remember that place !
distinctly. 1t is the old poor house l referred |
to, which stood on the square between Spruce |
and Pine and Tenth and Eleventh streets"
Mr.. Longfelow then took from an adjoining |
room picture of the old Quaker aims house, |
and explained that the spot which attracted !
his attention and marked Philadelphia for the |
final act of " Evangeline - was not this old in- /
stitution, as had been so often claimed-Bos-
ION Herald.