Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1891-11-30
WHITTIER TO DO 1T.
A Columbus Hymn May be Ex-
pected From the Poet.
SOME GREAT EXPECTATIONS.
He Has Already Written Part of Poem
for the Fair at ChicaCo-An Interest
ing Account OF the Great
Authors Closing Days.
Special 20 the Gazette.

| SpcNAai ~ t'.c SdLSttc.
! AMBsBURY, Mass, Nov. cit is true
! news, and it should be deemed good news,
/ that John G. Whittier is almost sure 10
write hymn for the opening OF the CO..
| umbian fair at Chicago. Already he has
| composed the verses, tentatively, but he
| declares they are as likely 10 go into his
waste basket Us 10 reach the public.
/ But that is his expression of modest dis
trust IN his own abilities, for he is wont TO
say that there should be law against
authorship past three-Score years and ten.
The fact Is, however, that his intellect is
as bright as ever His inErnlitieS are
altogether physical. In spite OF
his advanced Gge-he will be eighty
five December 1O-he still comes and
the house or TO the postofice and book store
and back. Until his mothers death the two
kept house in the village on the Merrimac,
their horne being large double house on
Friend street, hut after that time he rented
tbs place to his friend, Judge George W.
Cate and nov7 lives with him. occupying Il
room On the first floor as his study. The
poets every wish and want are most care
fully attended to by the judge and his wife.
Entering the poets wOrkrOom, one is
struck at once by the true Quaker neatness
anG simplicity of the place. Those
fortunate enough to get a peep into the
handsome mahogany desk, at which he
packages and nicely FOLDED papers. None
of the confusion and disorder sup
posed 10 be so typical and charater-
istic of genius meets the eye. He
is ar orderly poet, rising early, eating spar
ingly. ard, until the last few years, taking
his outdoor exercise with the regularity of
the town clock itself. In fact, his neighbOrS
time themselves by his movements. such is
their confidence iii his regularity. You may
imagine that this home of so iiluStriOuS q
bard would be besieged by touriSt=
autograph fiends and curiosity seekers but
the poets modest nature reVOltS at being
considered as the OBJECT of such peoples
attention. The plan usually pursued is for
the stranger 20 call a one Of the newspaper
Offices ana get, a line of introduction.
Learning that applications had been made
TO his barber for locks of his hair. he
never fails TO direct that person
to burn every hair severed from his head.
On ore occasion, however, he softened and
aided: But should thee wish a lock Cf my
hair 10 remember me by, thee is welcome
to it, but | charge thee, do not allow n sin
gle hair TO be taken as a relic of me- So,
too, does the autograph fend meet with lit
tie announcement al the poets hands.
Strangers or mere acquaintance no
LONGER receive my consideration, but L.
quest to ''christen an album for child IS
always acceGed 10. For many years the
poet has suffered from neuralgia pains il
the head, ana now as his life is drawing to
= close, the senses of sight and hearing
threaten 70 fail utterly and 70 shut him out
OF IN s world before the glory of The other
has dawEed upon him.
Whittier will permit no demonstratire
celebration Of his next birthday, which
viii fall on a week from next Thursday. 1t
IS possible that he will read to Judge Gates
family and several friends what he has
written of the Columbus poem but it wi
he in the stliCtest privacy, and there
Is not the ghost of q chance
who remember how shy and
reticent ne WAS about his hymn for the Cen
tenrial fair at Philadelphia, and that il was
not until within a month of the opening
did he promise to have the poem ready. are
sure that his present work will eliminate
in HYMN for Chicago, unless death stay
his hand. Indeed, they hope that he viii
finish it this winter, so that, even enough
he should pass away, the poem will not be
lost.
IN intimate friend of Whittier was asked
if the sturdy old Abolitionist could be de-
pended on to produce an altogether nom
sectional poem.
"He is too considerate and Use man to
revive an old issue in that way WAS the
reply "A hymn of peace and joy is what
he will writen
The old poet takes a genuine pleasure in
exercising his prerogative as an American
citizen and never fails to cast his vote on
election days, no matter whether the ques-
ton involved merely relates to municipal
and county matters or to state and national
affairs The town authorities take delight
in giving recognition to Lis views.
For a number of years he he'd a
position On the Amesbury school board, and
the excellent school system of the town is
largely due to his wise supervision. Liter
airy labors never mOnOpolize his time 10 the
exclusion of the practical Affairs of his !
township. At all times a warm friend of |
the local press upon whose subscription
books he has always refused to figure rs a |
dead head. he finds time to discuss every |
local improvement, be it the improvement |
Of a street or the building of new factory |
In many an instance his sole Endorsement !
of an applicant for some local Office has !
moved the Washington authorities to make |
the appointment
Speakin; of Whittier another old resi- |
dent of Amesbury EXPIRE ;ses himself in the |
terms:
1--WE love him because he is one of US and |
our scenery, which he has !
often eulogized. We ala the people of the |
MerTimac, and he is the poet of the -derTi- |
mac. His poems breathe the spirit of the |
the forest and the fell He is
the poet of the outdoor world as
distinguished from the boudoir song
ster, the maker of vers de
societe The hills. TIE valleys, the
rivers, the coasts of the Old colony all speak
in his verses, and when they are silent we
hear the sayings and read of the doings of
The people who inhabit them. l have reason
to know that his Columbus hymn viii
breathe the same spirit 1t Will be an ex-
preston OF his personality in the guise of
an observer of Americas progress in 400
years"
BRITISH GREED.