Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-01-19

20 the End lie loved Nature and the
Stmpie@r pleasures 81 life.
Of the gentle Whittier, ana of his
fOnduesS for children and goodness 10
them, there are many "reminiscences in
Margaret Sidney's Wide-AWake paper,
remarks the New York Tribune This
writer records that Whittier's Ames-
bury life made especially delightful by
the little friends who fiocked about
him. The children Of the old town
called him the man who owns the par
rot The bird was the Charlie who
inspired the poem The Common Cues
ton 1t belonged to his sister, Mrs.
Mary Caldwell, and when she died the
poet took it home and cared for it ten
deGly. Charlie was d very discriminate
ing bird, as this anecdote will prove;
One day u member of that class of ltu-
man beings called 'bOreS' was seated
to stay with Mr.. Whittier. After
some time had elapsed Charlie got
down from his perch with great de-
csi0n, and sided along the floor till he
got well back Of the guest, when he
gave a good nip at the leg nearest to
him; then sided back again, his duty
well done. The man took the nip, the
hint, and his hat.
ITO the end of life Mr.. Whittier re-
tanned the keenest enjoyment of nature
and the simplest pleasures of life; and
hOmely joys and sorrows were the most
frequent themes Of his PEN writes one
hn1nn1O6 70
that pleasant circle Of young Ames-
bury girls. He liked cheerful people.
He once said to me: / wonder why
people always seem to contide to NE
all their sorrows and beWailmentS
rather than their joys? L could under
stand why it was so. Great, tender
soul! often Overburdened because Of his
power to give out sympathy and help.
! When quite young LIZZIE and | spent
a day at NewburypOrt, and visited the
Whitefield church; went down into the
| crypt under the pulpit, where repOSed
| the remains of Whiteheld and two
, other persons. We related our visit to
, Mr. Whittier and Aunt Lizzie on our
! return. l remember he said to her:
/ why do young people like to dismalize
/ themselves? Later in life we have no
need to do that And then this same
friend goes on to give me this rem
miscence, that in letters of light points
a revelation Of the marvellous purity Of
this child-soul, and his influence on
children:
lone day she says, when greatly
excited, 1 was relating to him some real
or fancied injury. | have entirely for
gotten the cause; I brought down M
foot smartly on the floor and exclaimed
Il hate him. Mr.. Whittier hastily
came to me- put his hand upon my
shoulders, and earnestly said, those
great lambent eyes full on my face
Child, thee must hate nothing but sin.
That rebuke made a profound impress
ion upon me. can never forget it.
He was as fond Of good fairy story
as any child writes this same friend
Often I have gone to see him at twi
light, and found him alone, lying dow
in the garden room, repeating passage:
from Scott, Burns, or other authors
Then his talks were charming, of pas
experiences and anecdotes he hat
a keen sense of the ludicrOuS and coulC
tell a story well-or the talk would b,
upon the great questions of life and i'm
: mortality. My spirit seems impresse,
with a solemn awe when 1 think of nj
great, loving soul, and yet so simple ant
, unapproachable.' "