New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-10-08
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES.

H.
OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES
DR. Holmes came from his summer nome TX
Beverly ten days ago. and, while not quite IN
his accustomed health at that time, did not re-
gard himself as ILL., nor was he so regarded py
his children and friends. For several years ne
had been a sufferer from asthma. and the day
after his return to Boston he had partiou-
larly severe attack Of this malady.
1t was the beginning of the end. Dr. Holmes
nover left his bed again. for while the asthma
was conquered. it left him in such weakened
condition that he never rallied. Gradually and
calmly he approached the dark river. Gradually
and peacefully he waited for the end, knowing
full well that it was near. for Dr. Charles r.
Putnam Of No So Mar,boro-st., told the SUI
ferer week ago that death was near.
DR. Holmes celebrated his eighty-fifth birtn-
day on August 29 this year. On that brthday
morning DR.. Holmes sat in his pleasant htte
library in his summer home at Beverly Farms
Mass which overlooks the sea In the 'front.'
and is fortified, to speak. in the rear oy d
rocky eminence. chatting with friends and re-
ceiving congratulations. To reporter ne SAID:
II am gradually regaining my health, after
the longest Illness | have ever had, auendeo
with much prostrat!on Of mind ana pody' IL
began in the latter part OF the winter with in
auenza or grip continuing through the spring.
the first attack having been followed by re-
lapse | have not attempted any literary work
in that time with the exception Of certain
amount or dictation
The burden Of years sits lightly upon me as
compared with the weight 1t seems to many less
advanced in age than myself But, after three
score years and twenty, the encroachments OK
time make themselves felt with increasing prog
ress The twelfth septennial period mas always
,a1 mo ID
Of life. one who has lived to complete MS eighty
fourth year has had his full share, even OF an
that is a prodigal indulgence on the part OF
nature
CAREER OF THE DEAD POET
Among the many noteworthy buildings oid
and new. which the NEST venerable of Amer
lean college towns can boast. there was TIL re-
Gently roomy mansion standing close by the
margin of the Cambridge village green.
garden Of sweet-smelling and old-fashioned
flowers surrounded it, and mighty elms lowered
high above It's gambrel roof From its quaint
dorrner windows you might see Harvard Uni
versity the winding Charles. Boston and Bunker
HILL and many a spot OF imperishab!e renown-
II you inquired its history, YOU would learn that
IL dated away back to Colonial days. prosper
Gus tailor built 1t, and, after making IL MS
home for many years. sold it to more prosper
Gus farmer jonathan Hastings. the Yankee
Jont." of Harvard history. Hastings's son In
herited and inhabited it, and when he was stew
ard of the college. in Revolutionary times, 1t was
well known to Harvard men as the Hastings
House In 1892 it passed into the hands OF ELL
phalet Pearson. Professor OF Hebrew at mar
ward. and in 1867 became the home Of Abel
Holmes for forty years the pastor of the FIRST
Conversational Church of Cambridge
our ancient church. whose lofty tower.
Beneath the ofter spire,
Is shadowed when the sunset hour
Clothes the tall shaft In fire
This Abiel Holmes was descendant OF ono
Thomas Holmes Of London, England whose
family came among the earliest settlers in the
Colony Of Massachusetts Bay. He was gradu-
ate of Yale. and had taken for his first wife
daughter of President Stiles, Of that institution.
After her death he married again, choosing this
time a daughter of Oliver Wendell. a leading law
yer of those days, who was descended from the
Wendells of East Friesland-
Our ancestors were dwellers beside the Zuyder Zee.
Both Cirotius and Erasmus were countrymeh Oh we,
And Vondel was our namesake though ne spe''
with "A V;
from the divers. fr,m the Bradstreets and from
the Ouincys through Dorothy Quincy.
-Damsel Dorothy Dorothy Q!
OF such ancestry, to such parents IN such
house were born two daughters Ana ai'er
them a few years came "a son, ana IN curious
little ..family almanac for the year 1909. in the
margin against the date August 30. Abiel Holmes
wrote the simple record, Son b. To this son
were given the family names Of Oliver ana
Wendell 1T was a great happiness. wrote this
son in after years ITO have been born In an old
house haunted by such recollections. with harm-
less ghosts walking its corridors with fields or
waving grass and trees and singing BIRDS ana
that vast territory of four or five acres around
IT. to give a child the sense that he was born
10 a noble principality." And yet, 1T was not SO
pleasant for little boy of impressionable nature
10 go up to bed in an old gambrel-roofed house,
with untenanted, locked upper chambers, ana
a most chastity garret No wonder that
nv imagina ton got excited. and was liable 10
superstitious fances | was afraid OF
ships | used To hide my eyes from the sioops
and schooners that were wont to lie at the emo
Of the bridge. NO Roman soothsayei ese'
had such a catalogue Of omens as l. found In the
sibyliine leaves OF childhood Thus Holmes
has revealed himself 10 the world as ne
was I'm his chlldhood's years; sensitive fancifui'
poetic romantic. withal bright, sunny-tempereu'
happy and giving happiness to al. about him'
THE scIIooLBoY.
The Cambridge Primary School was the next
scene OF his activities 1t was conducted oy
Mistress Prentiss. who welded no birch roo. put
a long wand Of willow. with which she could
without leaving her desk reach any child In
the room, "only to remind them. not to hurt
them" Thence he was promoted 70 Mastss