The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-02-22
boston Advertiser.l
Whittier's Heroiues

Miss Rebecca l. Davis of Havehill has COL
lected and printed in modest little book her
sketches and poems written at various times in
the last few years, with the title, "Gleanings
from Merrimac Valley The two leading
sketches of Harriet Liyermore, enthusiast and
preacher, and Mary Vipart. "The Countess
both immortalized by Whittier-are alone
sufficient excuse for the creation Of new
book. Harriet Livermore, it will be remem-
bered by those who are familiar with her
strange story, died in Philadelphia in 1858,
after restless life of so years. She was the
daughter of Judge Edward st L. Livermore
of the supreme court of New Hampshire, who
closed life of usefulness and distinction at
Lowell in 1882, and was buried in the old
Granary burying- ground in this city. Harriet
was endowed with many graces of person, un-
common intellectual gifts, and firery temper.
Whittier say that her large eyes
under low brows, black with night,
Rayed out at times dangerous light.
She taught school in her youth, had genuine
Disappointment in love, and, after long sea-
son of mental and spiritual commotion, became
a religious devotee and preacher. She made
three journeys to the Holy land, the last time
at the age OF II years, meeting with remarkable
adventures. Miss Davis quotes this account Of
one of them
Once she climbed the sides Of Mt Libanus and
visited Lady Stanhops that eccentric sister OF the
younger Pitt" who married a sheik of the mount
aims and thus had fine opportunity of securing tho
choicest seeds of the orient Going to the stable one
day. Lady Hester pointed out to Harries Ltvermore
two very fine horses with peculiar marks but differ
ing in color. 'Ihat one," said Lady Hester, 1.-THE
at Uh ia will ride and the other
will ride In company with him. Thereupon Miss
Livermore gave most emphatic mol" declaring
with forekno Wedge and piomb, that "the great
king will ride this horse, and it is ], a. his BRIDE
who will ride upon the other at his second coming
overpowering her with her fuency and assertion.
No wonder Whittier speaks OF her? as
ssstarting from her desert throne
The crazy queen of Lebanon,
With claims fantastic as her own."
1t is said that no stone marks the place where
she is buried Let us hope, says her biographer.
her restless feet have at last entered the Holy
Land, throwing over her frailties the mantle OF
charity, as in the closing lines OF Winters
very interesting sketch in the inimitable and
beautiful "Snowbound":-
SIT is not ours to separate
The tangled skein Of will and fate,
To show what metes and bounds should stand
Upon the souls debatable land,
And between choice and providence
Divide the circle of events;
"But He who knows our frame il just
Merciful and compassionate,
And hope for all the language is,
That He remembereth we are dustr'
The romontic story of Mory Vipart is a strik-
ing contrast to that just related. The scene is
in Rock Village, East Haverhill, and the time
early in the present century. Count Francis
de Vipart and 16 others fled from Guadaloupe
in 1892, during French rebellion, and landed
at Newburyport, where the larger number
spent the rest of their lives. Count Vipart and
his cousin, Joseph Rochemont went inland to
Havehill settled, and some years later married
two of the fairest village maids. The count Is
described as very pleasant man, fine-looking
and stately
"Yet still in gay and careless ease
To harvest, field or dance,
He brought the gentle courtesies,
The nameless grace OF France"
He and his village countess lived very happily
for year. when she died. Peacefully and
happily" says Miss Davis, "she passed out of
the shadow with the sun" and upon the border
of the beautiful Merrimac, about mile from
the village, she sleeps
"Her rest is quiet on the hill,
Beneath the locusts' bloom.
Far off her lover sleeps as still
Within his escutcheoned tomb.
"Tbe Gascon loro, the village maid,
In death still clasp their hands,,
The love that levels rank and grade
Unites their severed lands
The loss of the countess was deeply mourned
by all who knew her, but to the devoted hus-
band it was bitter, bitter grief, and soon after
he returned to his native island. Years passed
before his Sol row for the sweet bride OF the
Merrimac was so far subdued as to WOO and
wed another, when, living until several years
since, he passed away, and was inferred in the
family burial-blace of the De Viparts at Bor-
deaux, who still rank high among the nobility.
Several children survive him there: Wheth.
er or not the sweet poem of the Countess
has ever fallen under their eye wedo not know;
but we doabtn that often in his island home
the memory of the count reverted to the sweet
bride of the Merrimac," whose bridal song
and burial hymn followed in such quick sue
cession."
To any who may wish to visit her grave, as
you pass up from Rocks village and enter
Greenwood cemetery, the eighth headstone up
on the left, in the row which fronts the street.,
Is that of the countess. 1t Is low, gray stone,
considerably covered with moss, bearing the
following inscription: MARY, wife Of Francis