St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1882-04-07
Incidents of LOmgfeIIOw.

Incidents of LomgfeIIOw.
Jas. T. Fields says: "As | happen
to know of the birth of many of Long
fellows poems, let me divulge to you
few of their secrets. The Psalm of
Life came into existence on bright
summer morning III July, 1888, in Cam
bridge, as the poet sat between two
windows at small table, in the corner
of his chamber. 1t was voice from
his inmOst heart, and he kept it unpub-
lished long time it expressed his
own feelings at that time, when re-
covering from deep atfiictiOn, and he
hid it in his own heart for many
months. The poem of The Reaper
Death came without effort, crystallized
into his mind. The Light of the Stars
was composed on il serene and beauti-
ful summer evening, exactly suggestive
of the poem. The Wreck of the Hes
perus was written the night after viO-
lent storm had occurred, and as the
poet sat smoking his pipe the Hesperus
came sailing into his mind he went
to bed, but could Lot sleep, and rose
and wrote the celebrated verses. 1t
hardly caused him an effort, but flowed
on without let or hindrance. On a
summer afternoon in lS49, as he was
riding on the beach, The Skeleton in
Armor rose, as out of the deep, before
him, and would not be laid. One of
the best known of all LongfellOw's
shorter poems is Excelsior That one
word happened to catch his eye, one
autumn evening in 1871, on torn
his imagination took fire at it. TAX
ing up piece of paper, which hap
pened to be the back of IL letter receiv-
ed that day from Charles Sumner, he
crowded it with verses. AS first writ
ten down, Excelsior differs from the
perfected and published version, but it
shows a rush and glow worthy of its
author. The Story of Evangeline' was
first suggested to Hawthorne by a
friend who wished him to found IA 70
nance on it. Hawthorne did not quite
coincide with idea, and he handed it
over to Longfellow, who saw in it all
the elements of Il deep and tender
idyll."
Many pleasing anecdotes are told
illustrating Mr.. LongfellOw's kindly
manner toward strangers, and especial
ly his gentleness toward children, for
whom there was always "A warm place
III his heart. The following story told
by Prof. Luigi Monti last year is fair
example of many that have been or
that might be told. For many years
this gentleman has been in the habit
of dining with the poet every Saturday.
On Christmas day, as he was walking
briskly toward the old historic house,
he was accOsted by ii girl about twelve
years old, who inquired the way to
LOngfellOw's home. He told her it
was some distance down the street, but
if she would walk along with him he
would show her. When they reached
the gate, she said, ''DO you think can
go in the yard ~ "Oh, yes" said
SignOr Monti. "Do you see the rooms
on the left That's where Martha
Washington held her receptions hun
dred years ago. If you look at the
windows on the right you will proba-
bly, see il white haired gentleman read
ing paper. Well, that will be Mr..
LOngfellOw." She looked gratified and
happy ut the unexpected pleasure of
really seeing the man whose poems
she said she loved. AS Signor MOnti
drew near the house he saw Mr.. Long
fellow standing with his back against
the window, his head, of course, out of
sight. When he went in the kind
hearted Italian said, "Do look out of
the window and bow to that little girl,
who wants to see you very much" ga
little girl wants to see Inc very much
where is she ?n He hastened to the
door, and, beck0ning with his hand,
called out, "COme here, little girl, come
here, if you want to see me.n She
needed no second invitation, and after
shaking her hand and asking her name,
he kindly took her into the house,
showed her the cold clock on the
stairs" the chair made from the village
smithy's chestnut tree, presented to
him by the Cambridge children, and
the beautiful pictures and souvenirs
gathered in many years of foreign resi-
dence. That child will carry all her
life delightful memories of her Christ
mas call at Mr.. LOngfellOw's. This
little incident shows how deep and
genuine was the love for children,
which found such frequent expression
in Mr.. LOngfellOw's verse. 1t was IA
love which was cordially reciprocated,
for no other poet of our day has had
more friends and lovers among the
little people of God" than Mr.. Long
fellow.
Probably the last time that Mr..
LOngfellOw wrote his autograph he did
it for two lads who visited the poet by
his permission on Saturday, the 18th ult
They were received in the kindly spirit
which Mr.. Longfellow always showed
toward young people, and shown over
the lower part of the house, after which
he wrote his name in the album which
they took with them, in a clear, firm
hand. In the afternoon of that day his
fatal illness set in.