The Arkansaw traveler., 1882-09-03
LoNGFELLOw.
Talks with the Poet of the Multitude.
 Exchange

course Nitn MT. l-nNSIc4bN Hiil1h Ststtid out so brightly in my memory that can not make mp my mind ,o let them pcfIah unrecorded Ii was the poet $ interest lH the literary movements m tine SeaHdint- vian countries winch had led to brief corrcspondencc between Us. prctloas iu my departure for Europe n 1875. There were some editions of Danish 5ailads which he was vcH anNIuus a} procure. besides the complete wogk> ot the Danish poet liertz. the author oi king Rene Daughter. and 1 wa, of course only loo happy to be able tu set.e him. have kept no record uf our talks previous ,o this date. nor were they perhaps worth FeeeFdti,e.-D Daly--i ic.I- I.l-lIn 41icas=- ions nal be pardored Tor dwelling up- Sn.
 No literary movement. even ii the mos, oui-oi-the-wav corners et the globe. escaped Nr. longfcilow', not.ee. and his e4lhoif spirit Was .,iw.ty, ready to recognize what MAS good, even in move mcnts winch were opposed to his o~H taste and tempel Imcntll hIas- As f1f his app -cc iatlan Gf .adit duai authors. | was almost t1o aniycr~.,! io be .ta valuable IS his great name would otherwise hase made II. and the lenlcuey ot hi, luds- ment has become proverblal He had .t constitutional aversion for lnIoiins | pam and where he knew that 4 word from him would cheer he silenecd h. e.4ll- science fol Il nomen; and gave l. As d fellow poet. who loved him more an d. count of ihis tmilblc wclkness. at45e said of him: ''l.ongicllow is t Iao-t an- scrupuou, praiser. He is responsible for the existence of ai least Il dozen poets who ough, io have been eirtHscd at birth. iIar,!i, has Il volume oi yef.e been published in the United Ntatc, du- ring the last iiity years a copy of winch was not sent to NIT. l.ongicllow. saeeom- panied by Il note from the author. de manding ill very re,pe, ,ful language hls honest opinion. On hi, study table there were always number ot these fresh poetic volumes. smelling vel ot the damp paper. and thclr ily-lcasc, usually bore some more or less eNtraNagant In- seripiion expressive ot tine authors regard. Several tunes have been admitted lnto Mir tongtcilow study while he w.tS sitting |, hiS wr,lng-t,bIe replying to the eplstle ot some rural poet. and he showed =tln =sueh= =aec.isInIas-- --iconAldcI.ihlc- e2zel== ness to he interrupted.
 Il iS Il 4efy hard task ht. once sald. with th eNPfgesttsH al humorous de>f',stf. as he pushed aside his writing materials. ito invent Il enurtcou, phrase for an un- favorable opinion: but here ls a poor nis- guided woman whn sends me uat ktse of Ms. ycrscs asking me ,o tell her hon. estly what think oi them. and then to help her ind a publisher. lwish could think more highly oi the verse, than ! de. but there k absolutely nothing ln them which can be dISniiied by the name af poetry. have sad. however. that they are full ei poetic intentions. and l thnk can say tha, truhiulb Bu, ism, II pa thetie to thlnk. he continued. with a pcnsivc smile. gs fl he were trying tn re- alize the picture in his mind. "oi l, poor half-cducated woman out on the Ncs- tern pfaIries. who mllks her CONS and scrubs her own floors, sitting al nIght after she has put the children to bed. and writing what she believes to he poetry: There k something n the pc lure which appeals very much to me and 1t would be crucl under such eiroum- stances to >.,> anything harsh.
 W hSii eits iSttCi. iNAt'flltLiliS Hti Ietitt intentions. req, he'd the woman on the prairie. she probably dii not suspect the labor il had eosi-Mf. Ionsi,iit,w ifi this case io unite honesty with kindness. | have no doubt she ohcrishes that letter fondly, and that she has shown Il a hun dred times ,o her children and to her con genial !en.aic friend Her husband. sus- pcct. irowns upon her poetic efforts.
 My later visits to Mr. longfellow have taken no pans Ia chronicle, but few in- teresting incidents suil remain vivid m III, memory. During the Centennial year We were sitting together, one beautiful after noon. on his piazza smoking and talking While VIC were Tn the midst ot our con, CT satIon observed two men and two women coming toward lis across the lawn. They were obviously New England country folks returning from the Centennial E<hi- bltion. The men had the slow deliberate rustic walk and were dressed in ili-iit,ins black broadcloth. the very lock of whit h m de one persplrc. The women. who were leading the way. had m appearance of pluck and enterprise. as If they were determined to.Eunqucr the modest diiti- dcnce ot thcir companions. Mi. t.ong- fellow Was Situng with his back to the street. and did mot observe them uatil thc1 were within yard ot the piazza. He looked | little surprised. but arose and saluted the ntruders with his wontcd courtesy.
 '' Re you the poet l.ongfellow :'' asked one of the women, Iii d voice that was in4 credibly unmelodious.
 Yes. l am Mir. Longfcllow." he an swered.
 There was an awkward pause. during which the visitors stared at the poet with unabashed glances as if he had been l Centennial relic on exhibition.
 Now. how old man nigh, YOU be 7 querled the other female abruptly.
 :" am siNty-nInc years old. madam
 Pears To me you look consldcrabl, older, said one nt the men. lookin. LII sideways to MT. Longtellow' tace with . critical ar.
 =- My looks may belle me. am n, older
 could not but wonder at the extreme