Waterbury evening Democrat., 1895-05-31
WHITTlER'S SECRET.
THE TRUE STORY OF HIS COURT
 SHIP OF coRNELIA RUSS.

mained Single and Never Told-A Love
 Episode In the Poets Life That Made .
 Deep Impression Upon Him.
 The residence of IS months in Hart ford introduced him to vigorous anti slavery circle of higher culture and a more delicate refinement than any he had known, and within that circle in- carnated in a most lovely woman he was to find his fate
 Among the friends the biographer has mentioned Judge Russ, man we'll 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 Si- las E. Burrowes. Mrs Burrowes died of consumption in New York in 1S4l, at the age of 34. There survived only an unmarried daughter, Cornelia, and one son, Charles James Russ, who 20 years later was a prominent lawyer in Hartford.
 Cornelia, the youngest child, born in lSl4, was but IT years old when she parted from Whittier in 1881. He was 24. 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 tho last year of her life describes her ill this way:
 At 2S Cornelia was most beautiful woman. She had dark blue eyes. like pansies, with long, dark lashes, black hair and tine most exquisite color If she was like the rest of her family, she was very brilliant woman"
 Judge Russ, who was member of congress in 1920, had died in IS32 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, Cornelia was lying on her deathbed. She had nursed her sister through her fatal ill., ness, had imbibed the poison and fol- lowed her in tho April of 1S42
 The poem called Memories" to which Whittier attributed a special sig nificance. was written during Corne. lia's 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 wns 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 tho 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: "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: Ut was somewhat stiff-such a 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 so great that could not survive the mor. titication, 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 he I had known that she had changed her early connections for the more liberal associations of tho Church of England he would have seen yet moro distinctly that shadow of himself in her." of which the poem speaks.
 Those who are familiar with "Mem. ories" will recall the "hazel eyes" and light brown hair'' which it com memorates, and fancy perhaps that there Is some mistake. It is not likely that Whittier forgot the color of Cornelia's eyes or hair. In some efHusive moment he had shown the poem to James T. Field and Edwin F. Whipple In 1850, when Cornelia had been dead eight years, they wished to publish it, and he was very reluctant. He had not out grown his early passion, and before it was printed undoubtedly changed a few descriptive words to screen the truth, it may be from Cornelia herself. She nev- er saw 1t, but think he died believing that she had.
 Rumors of this story reached me long ago, but would not print n mere sur. mise and by long and devious ways leading through probate offices and town registers. through church records and private papers, in a varied correspond ence that has occupied two months, have l followed the story as tell it. Springfield Ronublican.
 Gallygascoynes, commonly cnrruntad