The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-03-25

never heard him make but one allusion to the
great grief of his life, said an intimate friend.
1--WE were speaking of Schiller's fine poem,
The Ring of Polycrates, and he said, 1T was
just SO with me; was too happy; might fan
cy the gods envied me-if l could fancy
heather GODS
Many pleasingaanecdotes are told illustrating
Mr.. Longfellow's kindly manner toward straDg-
ers, and especially his gentleness toward chill
dren, for whom there was always warm place
in his heart. The following story told by Prof.
Luigi Monti, last year, is a 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
towardsthe old historic house, he was accosted
by 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 L can go in the yard?' "Oh,
yes,' said Signor Month. do you see the
room on the left! That's where Martha WASH
ington held her receptions hundred years
ago. If you look at the windows on the right
you will probably see white-haired gentleman
reading paper. Well, that will be Mr.. Long
fellow" She looked gratified and happy at
the unexpected pleasure of really seeing the
man whose poems she said she loved. As
Signor Monti drew near the house he saw Mr..
LoDgfellow standing with his back against the
window, hiss head, of course, out OF sight.
When he went in the kindhearted Italian
said, ''Do look out of the window and bow to
that little girl, who wants to see you very
much" "a little girl wants to see me very
much-where is she?" He fastened to the
door, and, reckoning with his hand, called out,
Come here, little girl come here il you want
to see me-" She needed no second invitation,
and after shaking her hand and asking her
name he kindly took her into the house,
showed her the ''old clock on the STAIRS" the
chair make from the village smithy's chestnut
tree, presented to him by the Cambridge chill
dren, and the beautiful pictures and souvenirs
gathered in many years of foreign residence.
That child will carry all her life delightful
memories of her Christmas call at Mr.. Long
fellows. This little incident shows how deep
and genuine was the love for children, which
found such frequent expression in Mr.. Long
fellows verse. 1t was a love which was
cordially reciprocated, for no other poet of our
day has had more friends and lovers among
the "little peopleof God" than Mr.. Longfellow.
This love OF the children for him was SYM
bolized in the pretty gift which the children Of
Cambridge made to him in 1879 an armchair
made from the old horse chestnut tree on
Brattle street, Cambridge, which Mr.. Long
fellow had celebrated in his poem, "The Viii
lage Blacksmith
While Mr. Longfellow has always been
averse to public testimonials and celebrations,
his birthday, especially of late years, has been
the occasion of many pleasant demonstrations
of the affection in which he has been held.
Particularly was this true of his last birthday,
on the 9th of last month, when to very
large extent the schools all over the country
gave the whole or part of the day to a study
of his writings, and to essays and addresses up
on his character and life. His native city OF
Portland desired to honor him with public
reception upon the same occasion, but failing
health and his aversion to public displays COM
PEELED him to decline the honor. The mem
bers of the Maine Historical Society, however,
kept the day with eulogies, critical and per-
sonal essays and poems At the Blind Asy-
lum in South Boston, there was pleasant cell
ebration, in which the pupils participated, and
in preparation for which volume in raised
letters had been printed, containing tributes to
Mr. Longfellow and some passages from his
poems.
Mr.. Longfellow has been twice married. In
1881 he was welded to Mary s. Potter, daugh-
ter of Judge Barrett Potter of Portland, who
died as has been above stated, while they were
iourneying in Europe. His second wife,
Frances Elizabeth Appleton, daughter of Hon.
Nathan Appleton of Boston, to whom he was
married in 1913, and whose tragic death has
been alluded to,was woman OF rare loneliness
of face and character. She was the mother of
| the five children who survive Mr.. Longfellow,
Ernest, Charles, Alice, Edith and Annie.
Ernest is well-known artist; Edith is the
wife of Richard Ell. Dana.
The sickness which has, proved fatal was of
the nature OF an acute Inflammation of the
bowels. Though it had no direct connection
with the nervous troubles which have grown
upon him during the past two years, his pow
ers of recuperation were reduced by them as
well as by his advanced years, and he fell,
therefore, the more easily a victim to the
disease.