Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-30

# NSamons the W.it e
mountains and down the valley of the Connect
lieut. found myself longing for breath of the
sait-sea breezes by way of terminating my
summers recreation, upon the prin-
ciple that the occasional diner out quaffs last
glass of cool claret at the end of his ample re-
past. Humorng the desire. took the Sound
Shore road down along the New England coast,
ana, attracted by the rocky rugssdness
of the scenery, alighted at a small sta
ton called stony Greek, some twelve
mics north Of New Haven. A brisk ten nm
utes walk brought ms to the inn Of the scanty
village, a white cottage with a comfortable
porch, vins-clad and neat green shutters.
Few wlde-armed elms stood before the open
door, and grassy slope stretched away to the
euge OF the water, out beyond the deep blue sur
lace OF Long Island sound, extended in MIRROR
like calm, bounded in the far distance by the
iow-iylng lands of wild MOntauk. looking
IKE dividing line between the sea and
SKY. The old tavern. learned. was kept by
an aged settler from Rhode Island, since de-
ceased whose years then numbered five score,
This hoary man, who could scarcely be termed
venerable, 80 spry aud CHEEKY was he, perfectly
remembered seeing Washington. Adams aud
Hamilton. and had himself shouider.d IA flint
lock under Gen. Sullivan in the attack upon
Newport during the revolution.
HOW THE POET LOOKED.
A few days after my arrival, the moments
having lightly passed in piscatorial pleasures,
upon sultry sitting evening, 1 strollsd
after supper, to the railway station
ior change OF scene. The night
several travellers we're waiting ON the platform,
valnly endeavoring to keep cool. 1 observed,
pacing hlther and thither, red-faced, good
na'ured looking individual, apparently of
about tive feet seven or eight, and
~ ~ II
not too plen;ifuily adorned with buttons, and
quite weIl-worn at knee and elbow, and who
bore the impress OF gentlemanly
fisherman after warm days sport
wide-brimmed hat of the variety
known as shilling straw rested lightly and a
forehead, and big, old-fashioned. basgy,
gree cotton umbrella OF size and shape
long extinct served him as walk
ing stick. The twinkling eye, clean-cut
features. Aaronic beard and withal stately
mien of this old gentleman at once raveted my
notice and set me wondering. The shabby
garb and grand lord-like air III many, nav. in
most men, would have seemed GU; OF place and
absurd, but III him impressed one only with
the sense of eccentric but eminent respecta-
bility.. Curiosity was whetted to the utmost.
A telegram was received at the station say
ing that the train had been delayed at New
Haven by the necessities of the war (for at
that ume thousands OF troops were being car
rIed to and fro by the railroads) and would not
run on for some hours The impatient travel
ers all expressed disappointment and annoy
ance except the elderly gentleman. whose I'M
ruthed good nature was not to be dis
turbed by any such tribe He cracked
joke with the ticket agent. and, quietly
seating himself upon . box Of freight at one
end OF the piatferm, composedly famed him.
sell with his straw hat. The rest soon gathered
In circle about him, as if locking to HIM for
consolation. " twa haoa tn ford
them at least some measure of entertainment.
10 say that be talked would not be enough,
Words dropped from his lips like the jewels in
the fairy tale, or the sparkling, foamy rippIes
OF a mountain cascade. A wealth of rich, fluent,
racy language fell pleasantly upon the ear
The war was then at Its height, und its chang
ing fortunes absorbed all minds. Among other
anecdotes the Old gentleman told this one:
STORY OF WEST POINT.
~ was, visitor at West Point some thirty
years ago. At the evening parade rode side
by side with General Winfield Scott As We
pranced gaily along the line of cadets with
their gray jackets and white trousers. Scott
suddenly hauled up abreast of youth of
twenty and said to me. 'Halleck. thers's a
am greatly honored: hope he will do me
credit Replied Scott, If he pops off powder
and shot as well as you pop off poetry he'll be
major general by and by That gentleman
is now Gen. Henry Wager Halieck, just arrived
in Washington from California 10 assume COM
mand of the army of the Potomac"
applied to the ticket agent for information.
Tho Is that gentleman addressing the pas
sengers?" asked. Why" answered the man
laconically, ''where was you riz that you never
seen Filz-Greene Halleck afore2" was in the
presence of the author of Marco Bozzaris,"
sure enough. Finally, Mr.. HaIleck concluded
to stop a; the inn for the night He was often
in the habit OF running down from his bachelor
home in Guilford, few miles above Stony
Creek, In order to fish and boat. afterward
learned. As my route lay in the same direction
took the liberty Of speaking to him without
an introduction.
He responded cordially and affably at once.
Said he, Il have been out fishing all day, as
you may perceive, by the color Of MY face.
Old Sol Is no respecter of compilations"
CHAT OVER cLkREr.
When we reached the inn Mr.. HalIcck DO
litely agreed to my proposition to order bot
tie of iced claret. and, when the wine was
brought, we sat upon the porch and slipped
it in the bright beams of the
moon. The poet conversed freely aud
unaffectedly. The boyishness of the man was
irreprcssibie. said he, What is there like
blue sky and blue water to drive off the blues?
Tom Hood saw too little Of the country for his
own gOol poor fellow. In London they grow
as dingy AS their own smoke and fog. No won
pressed by the sin and shame aud want OF the
great city. His country humor became city pa
thos." who" shyly asked, ''h your favorite
among the poets?" Campbell, /" he answered,
lis my pet OF poets"
By strange coincidence Harper's Magazine
of that month contained sketch Of q literary
club OF by-gone days to which Halleck had be-
longed. This article. I believe, was from the
facile pen of Lewis Gaylord Clark. Mr.. Halleck
had not yet seen the article and brought the
magazine from my room to show it TO him. We
adjourned to the parlor, and the summer
guests of the house with whom the poet was
acquainted came up to him and requested him
to read the paper aloud and to tell them some
thing about the club in question. He assented
readily, saying that if he had been called upon
for a song he should have pleaded bad cold
in the usual manner, but that he would read
anything readable with pleasure.
ENTERTAINED DIcxExA
Irecall his telling that Charles Dickens upon
his first visit to this country had been enter
tanned by this association Of writer's. Mr.. Hal
leck mentioned the incident in this wise:
II well remember the night when We gave .
dinner to Dickena Our accommodations for
members and guests was more than full Il
was ut first designed to invoke the countenanoe
Of the fair sex upon our proceedings, but sud-
denly recollscrng that Bos was an En-
glishman and festive Englishman at that,
and might like to glide under the table in the