National Republican., 1883-03-23

And yet amid it all ho was ever the same
good hearted gentleman, sharing his last
penny with any human being IN distress and
attacking injustice wherever he saw 1t, by
whomsover committed.
In 1888 he resided in this city, and was a
contributor to the old Democratic Rericw at a
time when that notable journal numbered
Whittier Emerson. Hawthorne, Bryant Miss
Sedgwicll, and Miss Du Ponte among It's con-
tributors. On the twenty-third Of August
1912, he was appointed consul nt Tunis, at
which place he arrived May 13, 1913.
long letter, written by him to his brother
Thatcher's wife, dated Feb IL, 1s4i, is
one of the plcasantest, breezicst most
picturesque bits of description to be found in
all the wide range of letter writing. His first
official act at Tunis was TO make the hey fur
nish the United States consulate with suit
able building. His next, during the interim
Of official business. was to engage upon his
tory of Tunis. His third was To obey the
letter of recall, which officially reached
him November 90, 1Si5. He reached
America again in July, 1917. In April 1851,
he was reappointed consul and sailed again.
| He reached Tuns July 21, 1851. His health
was broken. The wine of life so sparkling in
carly days was fastapproachng the lees. The
buoyant spirit had been too heavily over
weighted. On the ninth of April, 1852, his
gentle and loving spirit went home.
Sure when thy gentle spirit fed
I
| with arms Outstrctchcd, Gods angels said, ~
WELCOME to heavens Home, Sweet llomcl'"
Two sisters oGcharity aud his Moorish do
mestiCs stood by his bedside and saw the
soul depart A priest of the Greek church
said prayers over his remains at the grave.
| In the old graveyard oyerlooking.the bay and
/ the ruins OF Carthage, they covered him with
| the mold that lay for thirty-Ono years un-
| disturbed. And then the kindly heart of
great and good man restored him TO the land
where his eyes first saw the lght-the land
which his genius has crowned with imperish'
able glory.
! His l"aonal appearance was remarkably
! handso In stature he was below the
| ordinar e.. lie was quite bald. His COM
/ plCXiOr , flOrid, eyes blue, large and full
/ of cNI, lon. There was something cx-
/ trcmct inning about him-an air of refine
mcnt N 'h easily recognized than described.
| He always possessed an ease of manner
rcposc, proprety of bearing which marked
the gentleman. His voice was rich and full,
| he was II capital talker, and the very prince
of good fellows
lie never married. He had his lifelong
romance. lie loved a young lady Of Boston
and the passion was returned. Parental in
reference prevented marriage and the sensi-
tive heart of the poet never recovered from
the blow. The shadows lay upon his hearth
stone to the last of life. But through sin and
sorrow and suffering he preserved his fresh
ness Of heart, his childish trust in God and
man, his reverence for innocence, and his
tenderness for suffering whether in men or
bird or beast.
Home Sweet Homo" as originally written
was as follows:
Mid pleasures and palaces though we may roam,
BE 1t ever so humble there's no place like home.
A charm from the skies seems 10 hallow us there
(Like the love of n mother
Supprcssing all other,
Which seek through the world is ne'er met with
elsewhere.
There's spell in tho shade
Where our infancy played
Even stronger than time and more deep than
despair.
An exile from home, splcndor dazzlcs in vnini
q, give me my lowly thutChed cottage Rgain!
The birds aud the lambkins that came NJ my CALL
Those who nnned mG with pride,
Those who played by my side
Give me thcm with the innocence dearer than oil
The joys OF the palaces through which roam
only swell my hearts anguish! There's no place
like home!