The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-03-30


A Washington correspondent draws . strik-
ing contrast Of the crimes and treatment of
Guiteau and Sergeant Mason. He says: The
hardness OF Sergeant Mason's punishment
seems to daily excite comment. There is
much discussion Of the fact that tho punish
ment meted out to him is in two features moro
severe than could have been inflicted upon
Guiteau had General Garfield finally recovered,
and even if his recovery had left hum hope
lessly crippled for life. In case of recovery
Guiteau could have only been tried for assault
with intent to kill, which is the same charge
upon which Mason was tried, and the extent
Of Guiteau's sentence would have been
imprisonment for eight years. Mason, in
addition to this, was fined to the extent
of the forfeiture of all pay due, and
WAS dismissed from his position in the army.
The point made by Mrs. Mason, in . late letter,
in comparing Mason's imprisonment in most
uncomfortable cell for several months, where
he was entirely excluded from VISITORS and the
treatment received by Guiteau, who had ono
cell for bedroom and another for reception
room, where he has been allowed to receive
many hundred visitors, has attracted much at
tention and excited very general sympathy"
Death OF Henry Wadsworfh LOngfellow.
0Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, probably the
most distinguished of all American poets, died
at his home, in Cambridge, Mass, March "a, at
Sis p. M, at the advanced age of seventy-6ve
years. He had been ailing for several days, but
the immediate cause of his death was peritoni-
ties. Mr.. Longfeliow was born in Portland,
Maine, February ~, 1907, and when only
nrrxH ,1I I'D 1oin
College. While yet q student he wrote some
poems which betrayed the genius of the future
great man. Among them are "Hymn of the
Moravian Nuns" "Woods in Winter and
Sunrise on the Hills /" They were fngitivepoems
then, but they soon attracted attention to their
author, so that only year afterwsrd gradua-
ton, and while yet beardless boy, he accepted
Professorship Of Modern Languages and
Literature IN the College from which he had
graduated. He availed himself of the privilege
granted by the College of foreign study, how
ever, and from 1896 to 1929 studied successively
in France, Spain, Italy and Germany. In 1886
he succeeded George Tcknor as Professor of
Modern Languages and Belles-Lettles in
Harvard University, which position he held
for seventeen years. 1t was during the
period that ''The Spanish Stndent" and
"Evange11ne' = were Wrllton. MS song OF
Hiawatha" and "Courtship Of Miles Stand
ish" appeared re spectiyely in 1855 and 1858.
The New England Tragedies" appeared in
1858, and the "Divine Tragedy" in 1872. His
TRANSLATION of Dante's Diuina Comn,edid ranks
a. almost classic. His mental strength never
seemed to wane, his last efforts being
equal to those made ut IN age when most
men are believed to have reached their
prime. That Whatever he wrote was
sought after and greedily devoured is At
tested by the fact that, Of all American
writer's, Mr.. Longfellow commanded the
highest price for his compositions. Interest
in his poetry never tagged. As man, none
were ever more genial. At his antique home in
Cambridge, doubly dear TO Americans in that ii
ceiyed everybody with cordial welcome
Guests never left the stately old mansion with
| out breathing blessing upon the white haired
| old man who had ceased from his labor long
| enough to entertain them. The footprints on
the sands Of time" left by Longfellow will moi
soon be washed away.