Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-06-21
A Visit % Whittier.
From the Syracuse Journal.

from the syracuse journal.
The house is fair, well-built brick residence.
with wide piazza on three sides Of it, close to
the roadway, but overlooking an extensive and
very charming lawn. The reception room is es-
sentially an authors home-bright, cheerful
and full of pretty things that have, doubtless,
been made by pretty hands. 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 quantity Of it lying at hand near the
fine instrument, by the best composers. Mr.
Whittier Is tall, erect, and somewhat diffident,
as bachelors OF his age are apt to be. His greet
ing is cordial. and his fine brown eyes say "We-
come" before his lips utter the gracious words
at the time-the deaths Of Mr.. Longfellow and
Mr.. Emerson; both close friends of the Quaker
poet, and both of whom he eulogized in his Pc
culiar way. Naturally, our talk passed on to
the mention OF the other world and the near
ness many persons experience Of their dear ones
who have entered its rest. 81 have never felt
the influence you describe" said Mr.. Whittier;
mo one who has passed away seems near to me
now. Life is such mystery that do not ask
to penetrate the secrets Of eternity-but 1 can
imagine that you and others are conscious Of the
unseen presence Of those whom you have loved
and lost"
And who are eternally happy" added.
"Well, am not certain about that" he con-
tinued with an expression of abstraction-'T
believe that we may have troubles there as well
as here-it not the contrast would not be So
sweet. The difference will be that we shall
be better enabled to bear them. Heaven is q
place Of harmony-everything will be harmon
lied there
''Then you do not admire state of complete
bliss?"
s'No, why should I, any more than like clans
at high tide"-and after joining me in moment
Of merriment, he said:
1--WE all have times of exquisite enjoyment;
the more beautiful because so feeting, and it is
for the contrasts in life. of pain and pleasure,
that such experiences are priced Turning sud-
denly he asked:
.'When are you the happiest?"
you will laugh, Mr.. Whittier, but it is
when hear the first note Of robin In the early
springtime."
''No, shall not laugh, for understand that
pleasure tOO.'
Then I described the meadows of Central
Park-which he said was all new to him-and he
had not supposed anyone would go there to
hear robins song. merry twinkle came in
his eyes as he added:
81 like Boston Common because they hung
some Quakers there once upon a time"
He remarked that he is seyenty-five years Of
age, and ''pOetical effusiOns could not be eX-
pected from such an old man." But he seems
in very tOlerable health. and his poetic tempera-
ment is still enkindled sometimes.
In vivid contrast to this gentle, sweet-tem-
pered, genial old man is the vivacious, hand
some and gifted author. Mr. J. L. TrOwbridge
whose ':Vagabonds' has been the delight of so
many public and private rectations. Mr.. Trow-
bridge resides at Arlington. also about twenty
miles from Boston, in pretty. cheerful cottage,
surrounded by lawn that slopes down to a
little lake. He is a brilliant conversationalist,
keen at repartee, and full of anecdote. His
story of Mr. Horace Greeleys absent-minded-
ness at a tea party is too good to be lost.
cake basket being passed to that gentleman on
such a convivial occasion, he hooked it on one
OF his forefngers and consumed its entire con-
tents Col. Higginson. one of BOstons bright
est flights" resides at Cambridge. 1t was he
who wrote-as you will remember" The Pro-
cessiOn of Flowers" and - MalbOne House." He
is wealthy, but great worker. He is also very
handsome having remarkably fine curling gray
hair, which surrounds and softens his fiorid face
He went to New York at the time Of DIR. Hol-
lands funeral and sat close to the coffin of his
dear friend and brother author, paving this
most cOmmendable respect to his memory and