The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1891-1893, 1892-04-10
DEAR HILL:
THEo. IL. HILL.

DEAR HILL:
l am glad that it has fallen TO you
to write something commemorative of
our dear friend, Governor Holden; for,
while l know that you were for sew
eral years somewhat alienated from
him socially on account of the anti po-
dal political attitudes taken by him
and yourself, you and he were always
friends at heart. During the years
when you and Gov. Holden never met
except on the street, where the innate
courtesy Of each of you was graced by
hidden good feeling as you saluted
each other Il often marked IT'D, l knew
with what genuine pride he always
heard of anything good concerning
your literary prospects. / re-
member one stormy autumnal niaht =
| think it was in 1866 he
and | sat alone by smoul-
dering log fire in the rear room of the
Old Standard office. We fell to talk
ing about poetry, as was generally the
case when we were alone, and /
chanced to have in my pocket copy
of your first book. read to hi your
"Fireside Fancies" This drew him
out, and in return he recited for he
several of his own. pieces which, SO far
as L know, have never appeared in
print. l can only recall now a por.
tion Of the refrain of one of them. |,
was this:
-"who can ell
Where the lone snirit went when
the frdll body fell ~
Gov. Holden had fine poetic taste
be was good critic, though inclined
to favor religious verse. Milton wa
his ideal poet. He was familiar witt
the English Classics.
How old l am growing! More thai
thirty years have passed sine
l first became acquainted wit
Governor Holden. | was then bu
o in my sixteenth year, and l grateful
: remember the kind and gracious man
ner and tone with which he greete
! me. From that day to the end of hi
!, life we were warm friends. We e.
h changed letters quite frequently up I
s the time of his paralytic disablemen
a In 'S3, when my book of poems Wa
e published, he managed to write a fe
/ tremulous lines expressive of his loyalt
4 of friendship-only ten lines, in whic
he said: eff l had the physic;
strength, John, it would give me pee,
3. liar pleasure to review your poems
,e some North Carolina paper"
IT Daring the stormy days of 'reco
/; struction." when l held State off
2, which necessitated frequent busine
y interviews with him, have seen hi
4 calmly endure enough mental and ne
/; vous strain to wreck a man of stet
as AS 10. and | had come to be chum
y the Governor regarded me with re
Ks fatherly affection. Often VIII,
y was about to retire fro
y; the Executive chamber becau
J. of the presence of important perso
r, ages with secret affairs, he would b
zy me remain. know much of his u
n published history, and | make bold
n, say that l believe he always intend
T. to do right. After many a critic
k, scene, when the last visitor had wit
D. drawn, and the door been locked
er- the day, he has unbosomed himself
J. me and avowed his purpose to do rig
at And he at least had the coura
f. of his convictions. He was
". brave man. First of all, he was
H. gentleman. Personal assaults up
u him were not infrequent, but he "
T. never harmed He never carried
G. weapon. l was once near him,
er, Fayetteville street, when a maligna
IN, man leveled pistol at his bres
ter The Governor was always ale
ch, Quick as flash, he struck the pis
c.. from the assailant's hand with his ca
ne, Instead Of following up his advants
w. with blow, the Governor, apparen
without loss of temper or composu