Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-06-21

man" In the Flesh.
Especial Correspondence.l
BOSTON, June 1a--Armed with let
ter Of introduction to the "Autocrat Of
the Breakfast Table," | went one sunny
afternoon to his home on Beacon street.
The letter was given 10 him as he sat at
lunch, aud soon maid came into tho
reception room, where two men were do
ing some decorating and arranging, to
request them to leave the room for few
minutes, "bccause the doctors coming
In here" she said, and her tone implied
that he could not on any account be
looked at by them. The men withdrew,
and in q moment little white haired,
pleasant faced man entered, and bow
ing said with smile. "Will you come
up to my STUDY"
Pleased at the prospect Of seeing this
famous workshop of brains l followed
DR.. Holmes up one flight Of stairs and
through folding doors into spacious
room, whose entire side opposite the
door seemed filled by large bay win
dow. 1t was charming study.
DIR. Homes was in an after luncheon
mood, ami ne talked pleasantly to me-
not much, but humorously and epigram-
matically. In reply to questions about
his poems he said but little. When
asked il the incident recorded in "The
Opening of the Piano" were true he
laughed and said: "We all lie some
times, but that was 80. The piano was
. Clement selected by DR.. G. X. Jack
son, q famous musician Of the day. The
incident Of the little girl, Catherine, was
true" And he added: 81 remember tho
smell of the mastic varnish to this day.
The memory Of smells. you know, never
dies" He had alluded to it in the poem
speaking Of:
When the wondrous boz was opened that had
come from over seas
With its smell OF mastic varnish and It's fash Of
ivory keys.
The story is pretty one. The "Clem-
enti" piano had just arrived and been un-
boxed, and
Joy
when their mother asked her daughter
to play, and soon
Floating from lip and finger arose the "vesper
hymn"
A neighbor's child heard the music
and crept up to the open door.
Just as the "Jubilate" In threaded whisper dies
''Opep I'll open II, ady" the little maiden cries
Cor she thought twas singing creature Gagged
In q box she heard)
"Open Ill open 1t, ladyi and let me see the birdl"
DR.. Holmes thinks that "Grandmoth-
er's Story of the Battle of Bunker Hill"
Is one Of the best Of his descriptive
pieces. "The Aviary," too, he regards as
pretty good thing in the way of de-
scription. Then, lest he should be
thought praising his own works, he
added, Nobody understands poem as
its author, and nobody cares for it half
as much. So when father says he likes
hi1 baby he doesn't mean that it is the
l.Rest baby that ever was"
DR.. Holmes ia an honorary member Of
the class Of 'S7, Wellesley college, and
visited the college several times. He
spoke warmly of the institution, saying
that 1t was "a delightful occasion to see
80 many young women grow up to the
full stature Of womanhood." He was
especially struck with the botanical and
chemical departments and their COM
pleteness of apparatus, as we'll as with
the library prospects. But the sight
which most interested him was what he
termed the "village Of trunks" upstairs.
The hundreds of trunks belonging to fac
ulty and students in the main college
building are stored during term time in
long lofts on its fifth floor. The boards
of the roof slope down on either side and
the trunks are placed in rows according
to the numbers of the owners rooms,
leaving pathways between.
OF his present work DIR. Holmes said:
II Am particularly lazy just now, but l
hope to do little more. like to write
after breakfast for about two or three
hours before noon" His days are spent
in reading, writing and taking exercise,
both walking and driving. He does not
drive except in summer, but patronizes
street cars in winter.
That DR.. Holmes has great dislike Of
autograph hunters is evident in his con-
versation. He spoke wrathfully Of a
man who had just sent request, inclos-
ing stamped envelope and two cards
for autographs. 81 wrote on one," said
he, "because the man had made every
thing ready and convenient, but would
not write on the other, and hope it will
be lesson to him."
DR.. Holmes says that in his poem called
"Contentment" there is curious resem-
blance to piece entitled my Wants,
by John Quincy Adams, who also quoted
the lines at the beginning Of the piece.
ITO the best of my knowledge" said he,
II did not think of that poem while was
writing mine. Its mood is entirely diff
ferent." 1t begins:
| Little ask; my wants are few;
| only wish hut Of stone,
very plain browpstone will do.
| That may call my own
| And close at hand is such one,
In yoIder street that fronts the sun.
The Holmes residence is a brownstont