Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-09-08

GKsrIoN-BIs LETTER TX RErtKA VISIT TO
TIE PoEr AT HIS HoME AT ANE-Bchr.
John Greo.leaf Whittier. The Quaker poet"
had in Mrs.. f. n. r. y. Sor;hworih the we'll
known novelist a close friend and great I'd
m.ser. and to Mrs. Southworth IL due the credit
OF QUO Of the poets sweetest Gad most famous
poems. barbara Frcitchie." Tor 1, was Mrs
Sou;hWorih who sent Mr.. Whittier the story Of
the famous incident az Frederick town." ard
who thanked b. him in apleasan; letter.
last evening Mrs. Soathvorth. at her charm
ing home in GeorgetoEn. told TO a reporter q
Inn STAB the story Of her connections with the
famous poem.
TIE STORY OF RsRBARA rRFfrCurR.
IN September. 1855. said Mrs. Southwo-th.
a Mr.. {. \. Ramssurg. a neichsor II inine.
lated 70 my son Richmond and myself ibe story
OF Stonewall Jacksons raid through MARYLAND
ihe previous wear and his passage through
Frederick. telling Us how Old Barbara Ireitchie.
= connection 81 NJ. Ran-hurg. hang Hut from
her window the stars aud stripes and how thev
were shot down
IL l r~menber Rightly" continued Mn.
Southworih. Barbara at the time tscre than
ninety years old. The town vas about equally
alflaed between sympsthircrs with the south-
Z ern course aDd those Who upheld The Union.
barbara was a s;anch unioni-t. End when. upon
h"a'lng ~ the approach OF StoneWall Jackson
ana hi> army, the anIoniSts Of the town Ind
! their Tags. tho brave old lads nailed n small
} American Tag o. \ staff and plAccd 81 "a her
windoH. jackson came ridiaxnn at che head
4 OF his men and. Seeing the IA lered them ID
shoot Il down They did 80 ~ the tag fell.
! IL was then cha; Barbara caught the Tag up
I and leaning tar out q her window. waved Il
! high above jackson - head. CRYING out 10 him
'shooi me. il Won dare. but spare the rag
JACKSON hailed. looked up ~ the brave I'd lady
and. 10 me everlasting glory ~ the man aud
soldier. ordered ms men 10 march On.
That was about the way the incident was
related 10 me by Mr.. Hamburg" sad Mrs.
Soathworth. land uDon ay snn reniarAing.
| w hat grand subject for poem by hitter.
mother. l al once sat doWn and wrote % Mr.
Whittier telling him the story and acqlaintins
him with my sons suggestion. | recesyed an
carly reply, which va. a. fullogs:
wHIrrrERs RErLr
"'ANEsBrEr. ? No.. s. tsGs.
my Dear Mrs. South North:
al heartily thank thee for ;hy YER kind
letter and lie iucio-ed ''messare." Il o6eht 20
have fallen into better hands. bat I hate lust
written out alittie ballad Of barbara froiichie.
which will pear in the next Atlantic. N i.s
sood FOR ny;hii.g thee deserve all the credit
4 OF IL.
81 wish could accept this kind il vi,afion 10
/ thr pleasant cottage home. hut am too much
OF iasalid to undertake the iour1ssv.
] ihai-k ihrc none the le-S. however. for asking
mr. shall go there IN Imagination If I can
no: o;hervl-c
I "'Nish Dos; wishes Tor thy health and hAFpi-
ncss. J am most trsy thy "a.
"'IoHx G. WHITTIER
Unjust tell Won" explained Mrs. Soushuorth.
after she had shown he reporter the Original a
Nhittier's ic;ter. that had known Mr.. Whit
tier many wears previous TO the late Wal. He
was one Of my earliest literary friends. J made
his acquaintance at the home Of DIR. balley
/ here. the editor Of the National Era in 1877 At
tha; time NV first serial story. 'Retribuiion.'
( WAS running in that publication. Previous 10
our acquaintance IN. BAILEY handed tue a letter
written 20 him by Mr.. Whittier. speaking very
| kindly Of NV stori. Meeting Mr.. Whittier
shortly after that acquaintance began which
ended only at his death. We also corresIouAcd
| for many years. and when sent him The story
/ Of 'Bs -bara Freitchic. wrote him that ! con-
sIderod II a message from tho spirit world Bur-
bara died. If remember CORRECTLY. -hor. Is after
the incident related. and therefore never had
the pleasure of reading Mr. Mhi.:ier's b,autiful
| lines. which first appeared, think, in the Al
lantic OF October. 1863
VISIT TO HIS HOME.
81 visited Mr.. Whittier at his home in Aine--
bury. Mass. in 1873" said Mrs Southwark.
lin company with my son and Mr.. Bamshurg
/ well remember that We had no little diaiculty
! in discovering his residence. for oR the stfeets
of the town. in answer 10 inquiries. sere
told by several persons that sbsy knew Nlsre
shoemakeT by the name IF Whittier lived. but
1 did not know Just whore the poet rasacd.
Finally we found "a man who said. Yes: know
where he lives. He lives night here next door
| TO me" Mr. Whittier's residence found 80
/ lie small two-storv frame cottage. sitting
! back in a ward well rhRded by trees. La answer
to our rnp Mr.. Whittier himself Appeared NJ the
! door. and when I had introduced INV psrty
cordially welcomed us into "a yory plainly fur
nishea little par,or. the furniture being Of the
! old-fashioned horsehair style. We talked a
the laie war among other things and of the
emancipation OF the slaves, for which Mr. Whit
{ tier had labored so long. Ny son asked. Are
| you NOT rroud of the result Mr.. Whittisfr
and rhaii never forget his answer. ~ he bowed
his head and in a low voice. filed with elao-
! ton, replied. i am very thankful
ENTERTAINED AT LUScH
at was then about an hour after noon" con-
tinued Mrs. Southwor;h, land Mr. Whittier
suddenly asked Did thee lunch before leRying
Hostony We answered no. when he remarked:
I oh. then thee must and excused himself FOE q
few moments. Upon his return 20 the room
We resumed our conversation until. about half
an hour later. Young lady opened the door
between the little parlor and the dining room
and invited us to parsake Of light iunch Of tea,
homemade bread and butter. cakes aud pre-
serves. Mr.. Whittier introduced the youag
lady as his niece. who spending her vaoa-
ton with Lin. After luncheon the Young iady
kindly showed ME over the house. IL was plaiuly
| furnished. most neatly kept and in every nook
and corner even on the landings Of the stairs.
hooks were scattered about. Returning 20 the
! little rarlor we talked of Earbara Fretchie and
M Whittier showed us Barbara's cane which
a friend of his secured upon visit TO Freief-
lex TO verify the incident which formed tle
subject of the poem. Mr.. Whittier informed
us that this friend had found the story to be
substantially strue. about ! have related n,
and the cane. he said. the old lady used to ehake
at the little BOYS Of the town who would come
about her house and hurrah for JEFF Davis.
That visit, said Mrs. Southworth, in con
clusion. Il shall never forget. and II was with
sincere regret that we were compelled TO bid
MIR. Whittier an carly adieu in order 20 catch
our train. never saw him again"