Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1894-10-25

! been tenfold Websters purse would
have remained empty. Had its capac-
| ity received like the sea. whatever en-
tered there would have run off like
water from the back OF a duck Web
sterian curios detained the examiner
so long that l asked if be were not
! disposed to defer looking at the photo
graphs till the next day. His answer
was: NO let me see them now" He
took them from me one by One.-read
ing the legend on each.-aSking eX-
plantations, and making remarks.
! Among the particulars which drew
his special attention were the sturdy
willow trunks by water-course,-
slave house, Tutor Flynts annex. and
within it his library and bed cham
berthe chamber next the brook where
Judge Sewall lodged March %, HIP
the huge door knocker,-the wine
coolers of Gen. Gage and Webster
Scriptural tiles round fire places,-the
open buffet arched at the top like a
fiuted SHE'LL a Franklin stove with
barn-dOOrS, ira ditionally the gift of
Franklin himself whose visits there
are historlcal,-Jo Adams work, IL.
p. S1,-and most of al Venus and
Cupid in the wallpaper of the parlor,
put Oh in 1175 for the marriage of
Mrs. John Hancock. Pointing TO a
warmipgpan hanging on Il wall he
said, For that warmer We now substi-
tute rubber bottle"
1 often proposed to break off his sur
vey and he as often said L will see
them all" Meantime a card was
brought in which he put aside. But
when the last picture had been
studied, he said, THAT card tells me
, my publisher is waiting below, and l
: have let him wait. Now. however,
, though I would Ike to talk more with
+ you, we must say good morning"
/ He did not after all let me depart
without thanks and sympathieS for my
cousin then PROSTATE with paralysis.
: in return for what l had shown him.
adding he had been assured that Web
| ster on his death-bed had desired
, nothing SO much as that my cousin
: could stand by him.
The poets last words as we parted
t at the study-door We're, Open and eX-
: anime the old Wendell clock, an heir
: loom from my mother"
These memories of Holmes-the last
fruit off my old tree-are now trans
] figured by his death following so soon
after we had greeted each other with
< hail and farewell.
The tongues of dying men,
Enforce attention like deep harmony
The setting sun, and music at the
close.
y AS the last taste of sweets, is sweet
4 est last"
] DR.. Updike yesterday ended his ser
S mon with the last stanza OF 1.-THE
Chambered Nautilus" The self-same
g words ended the article in Harper'S
:. the day before Doubtless they have
!. closed a hundred other tributes. They
s did the first draft Of what l wrote q
| week ago.
! But there. was a special reason fol
\ my choice which ought not to remain
T. unmentiOned.
n During our tete-a-teteS | could not
@ fail to notice a superb chambered nau
a titus lying alone on side-stand. TIC
O my fancy that solitaire shell must have
s been the gift of some one in whose
:. eyes, as in my own, and as is re
! ported in those of the author himself
Y '"The Chambered Nautilus is the pear
n Of greatest price anong his creations
p Certainly none of them can better
: sound forth his swan-song than IFS con
!. Guiding verses:
p Build thee more stately mansions
. o my soul.
: AS the swift seasons roll.
! Leave thy low-vaulted past
: Let each new temple, nobler than the
. last.
t more vast,
y Till thou at length art free,
= Leaving thine outgrown shell by life's
o unreSting sea-
e Mrs c. X. Adams read with keen ap
probation three poems of Holmes
s.! The Last Leaf, on Burns Birthday and
The Boys.
INFORMAL personal tributes TO Df.
I Holmes were next paid by Rev. DR..
5 e. G. Updike and DR.. Adams. The
=. former characterized Holmes as a wor-
: Shipful man. one who believed in q
providence. Throughout his writings,
| said the speaker, there is exhibited a
: wonderful grasp on things spiritual.
Dr.. Adams remarked on the notewor-
| thy fact that Holmes was late in life,
past 80, before the excellence of his
work attracted general attention. An
other circumstance alluded to was the
stress which DR.. Holmes placed on con-
verSatiOn and still another his great
kindness toward all who were fond
of his Holmes) works or had literary
aspirations themselves. Dr.. Adams
finally drew from his pocket a letter,
which he humorously said he was go
ing to read even against the protest of
the autocrat of his breakfast table, 1t
was an autograph document, written
wholly by DR.. Holmes, in a small,
fairly clear hand, and runs thus:
Boston, July II, 1894. My Dear
Mrs. Adams-I date my letter from
Boston, but l am at my country resi-
dence At Beverly Farms, Mass.
Your Commencement Ode has