The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1895-04-03
WHITTlER'S SECRET.
THE TRUE STORY OF HIS COURT
SHIP OF coRNeLlA RUSS.


NAMED Single and Never Toid-A Love
Episode In the Poets Life That Made
Deep Impression Upon Him.
The residence of 10 months in Hart.
ford introduced him to a vigorous anti
slavery circle of higher culture and
more delicate refinement than any he
had known, and within that circle in
carnated in most lovely woman he was
to find his fate.
Among the friends the biographer has
mentioned Judge Russ, man well
known in that day for brilliant parts
and handsome person. The family
was distinguished for beauty and bright
ness. OF those members whom Whit
tier knew, Mary, the oldest, married ST.
las Z. Burrowes. Mrs. Burrowes died
of consumption in New York in 1871,
at the age of "a. There survived only
an unmarried daughter, Cornelia, and
one son, Charles James Russ, who 20
years later was prominent lawyer in
Hartford.
Cornelia, the youngest child, born in
1914, was but II years old when she
parted from Whittier in 1881. He was
"a. The strong antislavery zeal of the
family threw the two young people
much together, and the clear brain and
tender heart of the poet yielded to very
uncommon charms One who saw her
during the last year of her life describes
her in this way:
AT 2S Cornelia was most beautiful
woman. She had dark blue eyes, like
pansies, with long, dark lashes, black
hair and the most exquisite color. If
she was like the rest Of her family, she
was a very brilliant woman.
Judge Russ, who was member Of
congress in 1920, had died in 1882. OF
this Whittier probably heard through
his friend Law, but that he ever heard
of the death of Mary Burrowes or Cor
nelia there is no evidence. When he
was writing his letter OF sympathy to
the friends of Lucy Hooper, Cornela
was lying OH her deathbed. She had
nursed her sister through her fatal i'll.
ness, had imbibed the poison and fol-
lowed her in the April of 1912
The poem called Memories" to
which Whittier attributed special sig.
nifcance, was written during Corne.
las last illness. He thinks of her as
still bright and living, and when in
1888 he desired the poem to be placed
at the head of his Subjective" verse,
his heart was still true to her, but gave
no token that he knew hers had ceased
to beat.
After Cornelia's death her papers
passed into the hands of the only sur.
viving member of her family, Charles
James Russ, who died in 1861. AT that
time her private letters came into the
hands of his widow, who destroyed most
of them, but kept from pure love of the
poet the precious pages in which Whit,
tier had offered himself to her kinswo.
man. | have not myself read the letter,
which is still in existence, but one who
has read it, the present possessor, writes
me as follows: 1.-THE letter was short,
simple and manly, as you would know.
He evidently expected to call next day
and learn his fate. Another who has
seen the letter writes: at was somewhat
stiff-such letter as a shy Quaker lad
would be likely to write, for that he
was in spite Of his genius. He begged
her, if she felt unable to return his af
lection, to keep his secret, for he said,
My respect and affection for you are sc
great that | could not survive the NOR
LITIGATION, if your refusal were known. -
Cornelia Russ was sought in marriage
by several distinguished persons, but
she died unmarried, and she kept Whit
tiers secret. His poem suggests that the
stern creed of Calvin held them apart
a thing very likely to happen in Con
necticut half century ago, but if HI
had known that she had changed hel
early connections for the more liberia
associations of the Church of England
he would have seen yet more distinct,
that shadow of himself in her., O
which the poem speaks.
Those who are familiar with "Mem
cries" will recall the "hazel eyes
and eight brown hair" which it com
memorates, and fancy perhaps that Their
is some mistake. 1t is not likely tina
Whittier forgot the color of Cornelia'
eyes or hair. In some ELUSIVE momen
he had shown the poem to James T
Field and Edwin P. Whipple. In 1850
when Cornelia had been dead eigh
years, they wished to publish it, and h
was very reluctant. He had not ont
grown his early passion, and before i
was printed undoubtedly changed a few
descriptive words to screen the truth, i
may be from Cornelia herself. She new
er saw it, but l think he died believing
that she had.
Rumors of this story reached me lon
ago, but would not print mere sur
mise and by long and devious ways
leading through probate offices and tow
registers, through church records an
private papers, in a varied correspond
ence that has occupied two months
have followed the story as tell 1t. =
Springfield Republican.