Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-06-07
"EYANGELINE.o
How Longfellow Happened to
Write the Poem-The Phila-
delphfa Almshouse.

Write the POem-The Phila-
delphia Almshouse.
Interview from the Boston Herald
At first the conversation took q wide
range. The poet was inclined to ask
questions about men and current events,
and it was quite q time before the DRIFT
Of chat turned upon what he was doing,
had done and expected TO accomplish.
III am not doing much these days"
said he; simply keeping from getting
rusty" and he cast his eyes 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
"Evsngeline, ventured to say: 81 see
you located the final scene OF that beauti'
iul story in Philadelphia"
"Yes, sir. The poem is one oil my
favorites also, as much, perhaps, on ac-
count OF the manner in which i got the
groundwork for il as anything else"
"What is the story, pie aSet
"I will tell you. Hawthorne came to
dine with me one day and brought a
friend With him from Salem. While at
the dinner Mr. Hawthorne's friend said
TO me: Il have been trying to get Hsw-
thorne TO write story about the Danish
ment Of the Acadisns frOm Acadis,
founded on the life OF young Acailau
girl who was then separated from her
lover, spent the bllauce Ct her lie
searching for him and, when both were
old, found him dying in hospital
eyes said Hawthorne, but there is
nothing in that for story
"I caught the thought at once that 1t
would make striking picture II put in
verse, and said, Hawthorne give 1t to
me for a peom, and promise me that
YOU will not write about il until / have
written the poem
"Hawthorne readily assented to my
request, and il was agreed that L should
use his friends story for verse when.
ever | had the time and inclination to
write il. In 1925 started for Europe
and, when in New YORK, concluded
would visit Philadelphia, and so went
over.
ut was in the spring, about this time,
and the country was as beautiful as it is
10 day. | spent a week in the Quaker
City, stopping at the old Madison House,
on Third street, near Walnut. IL was
one OF the best hotels ever stopped at,
and at that time perhaps the best in the
country. IL had been the private resi-
denee of the wealthy Binghams, and
was kept BY q man named Head. The
table was excellent and the bed chambers
we've splendidly furnished 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 business, | beliye, for when | was
last there | could hardly recognize the
place where il 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 later work. Even
the streets OF Philadelphia make rhyme:
Market, Arch, Race and vine
Chestnut. Walnut, Spruce aud Pine.
| got the climax Of 'Evangeline' from
Philadelphia, you know, and it was
singular how | happened to do so. |
was passing down Spruce street one day
toward my hotel, after walk, when my
attention was attracted to large build
ing with beautiful trees about 1t, inside
of a high inclosure. | walked along
until came to the great gate, aud ten
stepped inside and looked carefully over
the place. The charming picture OF
lawn, flower beds and shade which 1t
presented made an Impression which
has never left me, and twenty-sour years
after, when came to write 'Evangeline,
/ located the final scene, the meeting OF
Eyangeline aud Gabriel and the death at
this poorhouse, and the burial in an old
Catholic graveyard not far away, which
| found by chance in another OF my
walks.
at is purely fancy sketch, and the
name of 'Evsngeline' coined to complete
the story. The incident Mr.. Hawthorne's
friend gave me, and my visit to the
ro)rhouse in Philadelphia gave me the
groundwork OF the poem"
"The claim is that the Quaker aims
house on Walnutstree near Third, Is the
ore referred to in 'Evangeline."
mo; that is not so. ! remember that
place distinctly. Tits the old poorhouse
/ referred to, which stood on the square
between Spruce and Pine and Tenth
and Eleventh streets.
Mr. LOngielow then took fro 4 an AT
10 ming room a picture OF the old Quaker
almshouse, and explained that the spot
which attracted his attention and mark
Philadelphia for the final act OF "Evange-
line" was not this old institution. as had
been so often claimed.