Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1882-06-21
A Visit to Whittier.
From the Syracuse journal.

The house IS a fair, well-built
brick residence, with a wide piazza
on three sides of it, close t, the
roadway but overlo' king an extern
sive and very charming lawn. The
reception-room is essentially all
authors home-bright. cheerful and
full of pretty things, that have doubt
less been made by pretty hands. A
piano stands in one corner by the
open fireplace, and / could imagine
Mr.. Whittier pensively listening to
the good music which somebody
plays for him, as there is a quantity
of it lying at hand near the fine IN
strument, by the best composers
Mr.. Whittier is tail, erect, and some
what diffident, as bachelors of his
age are apt to be. His greeting is
cordial, and his foe brown eyes say
"Welcome" before his lips utter the
gracious words. Our conversation
drifted into topic common at the
tlme-the deaths of Mr. Longfellow
and Mr.. Emerson, both close friends
of the Quaker poet, and both of
whom he eulogized in his
peculiar way. Naturally our talk
passed on to the mention
of the other world, and the nearness
many persons experience of their
dear ones who have entered it's rest.
L nave never felt the influence you
describe, SAID Mr.. Whittier; mo
one who has passed away seems near
to me now. Life is such a mystery,
that l do not ask to penetrate the
secrets of eternity-but I can i'm
agine that you and others are con
sclous of the unseen presence of
those whom you have loved and
lost"
"And who are eternally happy. -
l added.
Well, [ am not certain about
that, he continued with an express
sion of abstractiOn-"I believe that
we may have troubles there, as well
as here-if not the contrast would
not be so sweet. The d ference Will
be that we shall be better enabled to
bear them. Heaven is a place of
harmony-everything will be har
monlzed there.
Then you do not admire state of
complete bliss?'
NO; why should [, any more than
[ Ike CLAIMS at high tldt?' and after
Joining lie in a moment of merri =
mept, he said:
I'VE all have times of exquisite
enjoyment; the more beautiful be-
cause so fleeing, and it is for the
contrasts IN lie, Of pain and pleas
are, that SUCH experiences are
prized." Turning suddenly he asked:
When are you the happies, e
You will laugh, Mr. Whittier, hut
it is when I hear the first note of ii
robin in the early springtime.'
No, shall not laugh, for I un
ierstand that pleasure too
Then | described the meadows of
Central Pan k-wmch he said was all
new to him-and he had not sup
posed any one woul go there to
near robins song. A merry twinkle
came into his ey es as he ADDED:
Il like Boston Common because
they hung some Quakers there once
upon time.
He remarked that he is seventy
five years of sge, and poetical
illusions could not be expected from
such an old man" But ne seems in
very tolerabie health, ano his poetic
temperament is still enkindled some>
times.
In vivid contrast to this gentle,
weet tempered, genial old man, is
the viVaclous, handsome and gifted
author, MIR. j. L. Trowbridge whose
Vagabonds has been the deIigl t
of So many public and private reel
cations. MIR. Trowbridge resides at
Arlington, also about twenty miles
from Boston, IN a pretty, cheerful
cottage, surrounded by lawn that
slopes down to little lake. He Ii
a brilliant cOnversationailst, keen at
repartee, and full of anecdote. His
story OF Mr. Horace Greeley absent
mlndedness at a tea party is too good
to be lost. A cake basket
being passed to that gentleman
On sucn a convivial occasion, he
hooked it ON one of his forefngers
and consumed it's entire contents
Colonel Higginson, one of Boston S
brightest nights" resided at Cam
bridge. 1t was he who wrote-as
you will remember-"The Procession
ii Flowers and "Maibone House.
He is wealthy, but great worker
He Is also very handsome, having
remarkably fine curling hair which
surrounds and softens his ford face
He went to New York at the time @
DIR. Hollands funeral, and sat clos,
the coffin of his dear friend ant
brother author, paying this mos
commendable respect to his memor.
and genius.
LIVE LONG AND BE HAPPY,
For all diseases affecting the pulmonary