The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-03-11

Some Elective Side-LightS Thrown on tn,
Character of the Poet


Character of the Poet
The memory of visit to Amesbu-v.
made once in September, wildly re-
mains with me. 1t was early in the
month, when the lingering heat of
summer seems sometimes TO gat ler
fresh intensity from the fact that we
are so soon to hear the winds Of aa-
tumn.
Amesbury had greatly altered OF late
years; Large enough to be a city," o2-
friend declared; but l am not fat
enough to be an alderman To us it
was still small village, though some
what dustier and less attractive than
when we first knew it
AS We approached the house we saw
him from a distance enthusiastically
gazing down the road for us, from his
front yard, and then at the first glimpse
suddenly disappearing. to come forth
again to meet us, quite fresh and quiet,
from his front door 1t had been a
very hot. dry summer, and everything
about that place, as about every other,
was parched and covered with dust
There had been no rain for weeks and
the village street was then quite inEo-
cent of watering carts The fruit hung
heavily from the nearly leafless trees,
and the soft thud of the pears and APP
pies as they fell to the ground could be
heard on every side in the quiet house
yards. The sun struggled feebly
through the mists during the noontide
hours, when still heat pervaded rath-
er than struck the earth; and then in
the early afternoon and late into the
next morning stirless cloud seemed to
cover the face of the world These
mists were much increased by the burn
ing of peat and brush, and, alasl Of the
very woods themselves, in every direc-
ton Altogether. as Whittier said.
quantity, 1T was very encouraging
weather for the Millerites"
His niece, who bears the name
of his beloved sister. was then
the mistress of his home, and
we were soon made heartily well
come inside the house, where every
thing was plain and neat, as became n
Friends households; bat as the village
had grown to be a stirring place, and
the house stood close upon the dusty
road, such charming neatness must
have been difficult achieve
ment The monday meal was soon
served and soon ended, and then we sat
down behind the half-closed blinds,
looking out upon the garden, the faded
vines and almost leafess trees 1t was
a coy room, with its Franklin stove,
at this season surmounted by a bou-
quet, and a Ia BILE between the windows,
where was larger bouquet, which
Whittier himself had gathered that
in anticipation of our arrival
He had seemed brighter and better than
we had dared to hope, and was in ex-
cellent mood for talking. Referring
again to the Millerites, who had been
so terminated by the mists. he said he
had been deeply impressed lately with
their deplorable doctrines ''Continu-
ally disappointed because we don't all
burn upon a sudden, they forget to be
thankful for their preservation from
the dire fate they predict with so much
He had just received a proof of his
poem, Miriam" with the introduction, !
and he could not he content until they
had been read aloud to him. After the
reading they were duly commented up
On and revised until he thought he /,
could do no more, yet twice before our 1
departure the proofs were taken out 81 |
he handbag, where they were safely |!
slowed away, and again more or Jess |,
altered.
Whittier's ever growing fame was not |
aiken by him as a matter Of course. 81 1
AN not think very well Of my own /
.hings." he used 70 say; and what il !
mere fame worth when thee is at home |
alone, and sick with headaches, unable |
either to read or to write?" Neverthe- !
ess he derived very great pleasure and
from the letters and trib-
ites which poured in upon him from
hearts he had touched or lives he had
,uickened THAT / like" he would I
ay; that is worth having" But he /
must often have known the dceps Of /
rou BILE in winter evenings when he |
vas too III to touch book or pen, ana
ong hours but sit and think over the
ire
We slept in Elizabeth chanbcr
The portrait of their mother, framed in
autumn leaves gathered IN the last ant
INN Of her life. hung upon the wall
Here, too as in our bed room at Dick
ms. the diary of Pepys lay on the