Evening journal., 1892-09-08

J. G. WHITTIER. to his home in
Amesbuiy, and the funeral win be held at
2:3O on Saturday afternoon from his
late residence on Friend street, the house in
which many Of his best poems were writ
ten and the shrine of every visitor to Ames-
bury.
The body will rest in the Friends Gene
terry, connected with Union cemetery, in
the family plot where rest his parents, IN.
,cle, aunt, sister and brother, and thus will
the family again be united here as well as
in the land Of rest All business will be
suspended in Amesbury on Saturday dur.
ing the funeral.
whittler's Career.
John Greenleaf Whittier, the gentle
Quaker poet, was born Dec IL. 1897. on the
ancestral farm at Haverhin. He was
brought up on the farm and had only
common school educs<ion, learning, while
still a boy, the trade of a shoemaker When
only eighteen years old he began to con-
tribute verses to the Haverhill Gazette. In
1899 he became the editor Of The American
Manufacturers and year later he took ed
itorial charge Of The New England Weekly
Review. After a few months he returned
TO the Haverhill farm, where he remained
Tor several years. William Lloyd Garrison,
who was editor of the Newburyport Free
Press, has related the beginning Of Whit
tiers work as a poet as follows;
"Going up stairs TO my office I observed a
letter lying near the door. 1 opened it and
found it contained an original piece OF
poetry for The Free Press. The ink was
very pale, the handwriting very small and
having at that time horror of original
newspnper poetry, my nrst Impulse was &C
tear it without reading it, since the chance
Of rejection was as ninety-nine to one
Summoning up my resolution, however, I
perused it, and was so gratified with it
{ that l gave IL a place in my journal
"As l was anxious TO find out the writer,
my post rider one day divulged the secret,
saying that he had brought the letter and
that it was written by Quaker lad named
Whittier, who was daily at work with
hammer and larstone on the shoemaker's
bench at East Haverhill. ] lost no time in
driving to see the youthful bard, who came
into the room with shrinking difidence,
blushing like a maiden and almost unable
to speak. gave him some words OF en-
enlargement, but addressed myself par
ticularly 20 his parents urging them to
| grant him every facility for the develop
ment of his wonderful genius. This was
the beginning Of a lifelong friendship,
founded on familiarity OF purpose and prin-
| ciplesn
A Popular Poet
In 1885 and 1896 he represented his neigh.
/ hors in the lower branch Of the legislature.
/ During the latter part of 1886 he became
! secretary Of the American Antislavery so
ciety at Philadelphia and in 1888 and 1889
he was the editor of The Pennsylvania
/ Freeman and Antislavery Journal His Of
/ flee was sacked aud burned by a mob and
/ finally he came TO Amesbury and settled
/ here in 1910. He was the corresponding
! editor Of The National Era, Of Washington,
! for several years, and contributed to that
! publication many OF his best antslavory
/ lyrics
Mr.. Whittier never married, but always
lived in the manner of simple Quaker folk.
About fifty years ago he sold the family
residence and farm at Haverhill, and moved
with his mother to Amesbury. The
exterior of his house was as severely plain
as any Of his Quaker brethren could have
desired, hut his study is remembered by
scores Of his friends as one Of the sunniest,
contest retreats in New England
No American poet, with tho exception,
perhaps, OF Longfellow, has been more pop
ular than Whittier. This is ascribed to the
noble simplicity Of his character, which was
reflected in all his writings, whether in
verse or prose. His first volume in prose
and verse, Legends Of New England" was
published in 1881, and since that time col
lections of his writings have appeared
almost every year. The last edition Of his
poetical and prose works was published in
1850 ia seven volumes.
Among his best known works are 'Lays
of My Home and Other Poems" published
in 1913; sold Portraits and Modern
Sketches" 1850; Home Ballads and Poems II
1860; "Snow Bound, 1852; "In War Time
and Other Poems" 1868; "rhe Tent on the
Beach" 1867; "Amoug the Hills" 1sGS
"Hazel Blossoms 1874; "The Vision OF
Echard," "The Kings Missive," EBAY OF
Seven Islands" and "Pooms Of Nature" all
published within the past dozen years.