St. Paul daily globe., 1891-08-13

letter of sympathy to Mrs. Burnett, who
thus received. a few days ago, her first
intimation of the serious aspect OF her
fathers case. Since that time she has
been constantly at ElmwOod. Few out
side the members of his own family
knew how severe were his physical suf-
feringS in the past year. These sadly
privileged few during all that time, TOO,
had daily occasion to observe with what
heroic patience and fOrtitude he bore
them. ITO suffer and be strong
seemed to be his guiding principle. For
the last twelve months his health
had been a source of ever present
anxiety. At first. is understood, his
Illness was from stOmachic affection.
He had suffered more or less previously
from kidney complaint, and the original
trouble with this organ renewed itself
as his general health declined; from the
very first he was unable to take much
outdoor exercise. What little he did
take was in the fOIm of carriage drives
and few turns in his garden when the
state of the weather permitted. He
passed good deal of his time IN his
library. But he did no writing. 1t was
found necessary as his sufferingS in
creased to administer Opiates to assuage
the pOignancy of his pains. But not
even when his anguish of body was
most intense did he give way to queTul-
BUSINESS or complaining. His greatest
care and concern seemed to be TO
Conceal His Sufferings
from his attendants, whom he wished to
shield as much as he could from sorrow
on his account. To them, and espe
cially to his daughter, with whom he
frequently demonstrated for her cease
less and wearing attendance upon him,
he said net infreQuently: ''Why should
give you so much trouble? Why can
you not let an old man die?" Mr..
Lowell had greatly regretted that the
state of his health would not permit of
his passing this summer at his usual
summer resort in SOuthbOro. The one
regret of his publishers was that he
would not write more. Speaking of the
great ode winch he read at the dedlca-
tion of Harvard university memorial
hall. they remarked that he had in this
production achieved the greatest work
of the age in this direction. and they
said that he had in its composition,
in addition to incentive of pa
triOtism, the sense of personal loss,
three of his nephews having partici-
pated IN the conflict. and one of them,
the lamented Shaw. a young man Of the
brightest promise for the future, having
been slain in battle. Mr. Lowell had
period of literary inactivity after the
death of his first wife. but the outbreak
of hOStiliueS between the states broke
up his IethaTgic sorrow. The same
thing happened after the death of MS
second wife. The bereayed husband
was for a long time utterly inconsOla-
bic. Mr.. Lowell would declare to the
younger men of his acquaintance that
the glorious destiny of this country and
the permanency of her institutions were
not for moment to be doubted nor de-
SPARED of. MIR. Lowell was a man of
the kindlieSt nature, but he had no COM
Function in ruffiing the plumage of such
American young men as he met with
whom residence abroad had engendered
a sighting tendency of mind toward
their native land and her people.
His Generous Character.
The fact of the great friendship which
Mr. Lowell had for Mr.. Gladstone and
the Earl of Derby is inStanced as an
illustration of the American minister's
mental fairness. The English peer and
the great commOner were as wide as the
poles from each other in political ideas,
but MIR. Lowell saw in each of them
purity of motive and integrity of pur-
pose. So, too, and for the same reason.
ship for eX-Secretary of State Bayard.
The incident has been already related
in print of Mr.. LOWell'S famous call
upon PresidentCleveland. when he intro
duced himself as a man who had come
with his head under his arm," to save
the service of the eXecutiOner. There
is another story connected with his
visit which has not hitherto been pub
liShed. After his Interview with the
president Mr.. Lowell called upon the
secretary of state, al conversation
like this ensued between them: "BaY-
ard, your party has put pretty wise,
clear-headed man into the White
house." "Oh, you have made that dis
covery, have you ?" remarked the secre-
tary. "Yes, l did make that discovery;
but it was the only one l did make, for
after we had talked together about a
couple Of hours l found he had pumped
me dry, and still kept me in utter ignOr-
ance of what was in his own mind"
Mr.. Lowell, from subsequent inter-
course with MIR. Cleveland. conceived
high opinion of his abilities and political
morality.
LONDON, August 12.-Bret Harte
writes relative to the death OF Hon.
James Russell Lowell: ITO my pride
as an American in the frank admiration
and living appreciation shown for Mr.
Lowell's intellect and character person.
aIly. here, have to add my own sorrow
for the loss of one of the most fastidiOus
and cultivated professors of my calling,
and one of its gentlest yet manifest
critics. BRET HARTE.