The Portland daily press., 1885-03-04
Bowdoin's Tribute.
"Reminiscences Of the Poet LongfeIIsw by
His Classmates.

Inc February number of the Bowdoln
Orient, called the Longfellow Memorial num-
ber, is of special interest. Wishing to ex-
press in some degree the love and honor In
which Bowdoin holds the memory o. her
most distinguished son, the editors of the
Orient have given up the entire number to
contributions from distinguished men, who
have desired to pay fitting tribute to the
memory of the beloved poet. Many men,
bers of the class of '25-Longfellow's class
have contributed articles, and besides these
such distinguished men as Oliver Wen
dell Holmes, the poet Whittier, Elijah
Kellogg, Edward Everett Hale, Julian
Hawthorne, George William Curtis and
others have sent letters paying high respect
and honor to the memory of Bowdoin's fa-
nous graduate. These articles are we'll ar
raaged-a few poems being interspersed,
and altogether this number of the Orient is
one of great interest, rejecting credit upon
the judgment and enterprise of its editors.
Below we give some extracts from letters OF
the alnmni and others:
Ex-senator Bradbury, Glass of'25J
hbSW well. lie WAS an aQ-
mirable specimen of what a college student
should be-a model student, always prepared
for the recitation room, always respectful to
authority, always gentleman in bis deport-
ment, civil, courteous and agreeable.
Cullen Sawtelle, Glass of '25)
was engaged in the practices of law, and,
located in the town of NorridgewO county
OF Somerset, Me-, and my business often
called me to visit Boston, Mass, aud the
most convenient mode Of transit was by
steamboats,, then plying between Hallowell,
Me-, and Boston, touching at Portland on
each return trip t0 the latter city, to land
passengers and freight
bad taken passage on the steamer, leav-
Ing Boston for Maine. 1t was delightful
summer evening, and the sea air was most
refreshing, and l had taken a seat upon the
promenade deck, to enjoy the scene, and re-
gale myself with my Havana. ] was sitting
solitary and alone. Presently it became
quite dark, when gentleman Ia strangely
came and took vacant chair very near to
me, and seating himself, he made some
pleasant remarks, which at once impressed
me that he was of genial, social turn of
mlnd, Alter few moments of converse
tioD, in which each participated, he said to
me, Pardon me, my dear sir, thiDk that
must have met you before now and have
known you, as your speech and voice seem
to be familiar to me, but / am not able, at
this moment, to place you or name YOU"
gave him my name, when he grasped my
hand and with great warmth exclaimed:
"How happy l am, my dear Sawtelle, to
meet you once more," and adding, 81 am
Henry Longfellow."
president Harris, Glass of '33)
When entered Bowdoin College in 1929,
boy fifteen years old, HenryW Longfellow
PrOfaasOr Of NTodar1 n
comes before me now as / then saw him.
wearing jannty cloth cap and very dark
snuff colored frock coat, and his ruddy cheeks
and sprightly movements, were too like a
boy Tor my preconceived idea of college
professor. He had recently returned from
Europe, where he had been studying in prep
aration for this professorship, to which he
had been elected soon after bis graduation
IN 1925. He had entered on his professor
ship with great enthusiasm, and he awak-
ened great enthusiasm in the students. He
had secured large place for his department
iu the curriculum.
elijah Kellogg, Glass of '4O.)
But 10 one ever thought of taking any
such liberties rude treatment as school
6oysl with Lonfelow, nor did a0y such sus-
plclons ever attach to him. Not even John
Bartels or John Goddard ever meddle with
him. l think John Goddard expressed tho
common sentiment of the school Iattended
by Longfellow at Portland who, when some
boy remarked upon Lopgfellow's retiring
hahits, exclaimed: "Oh, let him alone. He
DON'T belong to our breed of cats" lie had
no relish for rude sports, but loved to batbe
In little creek on the border of Dserinp's
oaks, and tramp through the woods at times
with gun; but this was mostly throush the
influence OF others. he loved much better
TO lie under tree aud read. Small bows
think 1t great affair to tag after larger ones
especially II The larger ones carry a gun
abd have often picked up and carried the
dead squirrels that he aud others used to
shoot IN the oaks. While be and John Kins-
man or Edward Preble would boost me into
a tree to shake of acorns for them.
CHE Novelist, Julian Hawthorne, Son of Hawthorne
the Elder.)
Hawthorne and Longfellow were friends
IN college aud ever afterwards. Each did all
he could Tor the other, Ia the profession thew
mad chosen. LOngtellow called attention to
Hawthorne's stories in the North American
and Hawthorne gave Longfellow the subisct
for one OF his most famous poeme-"EVan.
gelne." The little poem Longfellow wrote
after HawthOTne's death is not only ona of
tue most beautiful of his minor produe,ions
but one of the tenderest tributes ever mads
to Hawthorne's genius aud personalitv Ths
literary history VI no other country can offar
more engaging instance of sincere and
nearly aneeuon OF two great writer's for
eoch other: and happy is Bowdoin among
anna Matters in having nursed the beginning
OF such friendship.
A professor at Vassar college doesn't seem
to appreciate the advertising the newspaper
photographers give the inst,tution Tbass