The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1894-04-18
With DR.. Holmes.
little Girls Visit to the Genf-
\ al "Autocrat."
[BY HENRY BRUCE.l

al AutOCIdJ.
/ [BY HENRY BRUCE.
kyear or two ago there lived in the
'fcity of Boston a round-eyed little
eA who had decided appreciation OF
god poetry. She had heared the un-
foSetable story Of Elsey Werner, the
SERPENT girl. and she loved several OF
DsHolmes' poems more dearly than
anY.ethers In the language, except Mr..
Lougfellow's. She knew that, since the
defth of Mr.. Longfellow, DR.. Holmes
hal been the most loved, the most hon
ored, and almost the very oldest man
In America; and she had noticed that
| the faces all grew more kind and when
his.r s1ne was mentioned. But this au-
tuErfi her school chose DR. Holmes for
itss tool poet, and Leah had occasion
to g&sn several new facts about linn.
She cad all that she could easily lay
haDds upon in connection with his life.
and she found that he had been born
in the great year 1909, which saw the
birth Of Msndelssohn, Chopin, Tenny-
SOD, and 10 many other famous men,
adm years before her adored Dickens,
whc'had been dead for twenty years,
even saw the light. She read Of how
he had been q medical student In Paris
in the days OF the forgotten Bourbon
kings, before her own grandmother
was born; of how he had been the life
long friend and the last physician OF Ma
thanfal Hawthorne, who wrote the
| "Woader Book" and the "Tanglewood
Talesn and Of how he had outlived
most of the descendants and his friend
Of thfee generations, until bis own son
was 1bW q white-hsired old man and
judg&of the Supreme Court. Every
thing combined to impress her with g.
sense'of exceeding age and cleverness
and kindness. She even read, in ono
journal, that DR.. Holmes, being still In
good health and knowing well how to
take care OF himself, had deliberately
set about to search the utmost limit Of
human life-that he never entered his
warm bath In the morning until the
water was exactly the right tsmpera-
ture, that he kept the air Of his room 30
that the thermometer always indicat-
ed the same degree, and that, unless
for some casualty, he saw no reason
why be might not live to be 100. Oh,
how Leah hoped that he might! She
showed such an interest in tho subject
that her teacher appointed her to write
a composition about Dr.. Holmes, and
she did this 30 we'll that she had to
read her piece before the whole school.
She came to develop an absolute hero
worshia for the old poet. She figured
him toAerseh asseated at the center Of
the weid, snoyy.haired, diminutive,
and ds&ghtfut to receive the homage
Iot h1t Ssrs, Of whom tho most wei
se{1 Efs fhe children; and, although
sh9 baiy dared to dream of-such .
.poaf61 1ttEl leha ned, to thin ,that-she
ypS t - Eea&3
n : ear little Leah was by aol
means AnSof the precoctous and fault
less molsters Of juvenile story books
She IoYsd good things well, and quite
wen enough; and 1t happened, in the
the course OF the Christmas festivities
she over-ate herself and was laid up in
bed for several days. 1 was sorry for
the little soul, and while she was
Ill l wrote to brilliant young author
ers who had dedicated her first volume
to DR.. Holmes, telling the tale Of Leah's
hero worship, and asking for creden-
tials which would enable me- to take
her on an afternoon visit to him. Crisp
and clear, by return mail, In the young
authoress' own beautiful, print-like
manuscript, came dainty letter OF in
troduetion, bespeaking the venera-
BILE poets kindness for the youngest
and most ardent Of his admirers. When
Leah was we'll again, stepped down 10
DIR. e dimes house, and seeing him but
for a moment, secured an opportunity
for Leah on the next afternoon but one
at half-past 4 o'clock.
On the momentous afternoon, Leah
came back from school, by special per-
mission, half an hour earlier than uasul.
She spent much longer time than she
can usually be induced to do, In comb
ing out her rebellious brown curls, and
in neatly arraying herself in her pref
tiest winter gown. When the shiny
boots had been buttoned up, and the
new fur gloves fastened over the chub-
by hands, and the muff suspended In
Just the right way around her neck, IL
was already past o'clock. The after
noon was stingingly cold, curiously
clear and bright; and Leah was rsmin-
ded OF an expression OF old Francis
Higginson, which she loves to quote IN
such weather, and which she had found
| in Colonel Higginson's beautiful little
school history: lone sup Of New Eng
lands air is worth a whole draught OF
| Old Enpland's ale." At tho corner OF
tho street we met Leah's pleasant,
kind-faced teacher going home from
school. She wished Leah a very, very
happy time; and she looked after Us
with longing eyes, as II she would like
Iwen enough to accompany rs. We
walled up the hill. and then for nearly
a milo down Beacon street, until we
came to q large house on the right
nowise distinguished from its neighbors'
somewhere between No. 200 and No.
800. We were promptly admitted, ia
ken up a broad flight OF stairs, across
wide landing, and into study at the
back of the house. Here, in chamber
of noble proportions, warm, luxurious
bright with flowers and books, with
view of unparalleled splendor, across
the vivid waters Of the Bla,k Bay
which seemed to wash the walls OF th'
house, the autocrat, professor and poe
. of the breakfast table, the wizard o
: | l.o.,ot,, sho ono aurvivOr of the classic