Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-12-07
"MY COUNTRY, IT'S OF THEE"
Mr.. Kings Recollection of the Author
of the National Hymn.

10 the Edlt0r OF The Evening Star:
1 first met DR.. Smith OH Mt Vesuvius in
January. 1876. On his return to the United
States we gave him reception at our
house, where he read a poem descriptive
OF his travels. In the spring of 1882, TAX
ing up our summer residence ct West New
ton, about two miles only from his own
home in Newton Centre. Maes., we re-
sumed our acquaintance, and nearly every
year since ! have been with him to Harvard
commencement. he taking me under his
wing" as Gokingly) of his class of 1929.
From 1882 to his death our intimacy with
him and his angelic life has been uninter-
rupted.
1t Is known everywhere that DIR. Smith
died suddenly at the New York and New
England depot in Boston, at 80 o'clock on
the afternoon of November IG He was &C
companied by Rev. Benjamin McKendry ION
h1S Way to fulfill an engagement to preach
that evening at ReadvilTe). They had taken
train, and "a minute or two before the
train was to leave, DR.. Smith sasped for
breath. raised his hands and fell back on
MS seat Naturally very much startled,
MI. mr.. Mekendry assisted to remove Kim to
tue Womens waiting room. When they
reached there DIR. Smith was dead.
There is touching incident connected
with the last of many letters 1 have re-
ceived from DR.. Smith, and 7 venture TO
give mere copy of it, to which 1 know he
Would rot object Were ne present. Soon
after our return from our summer home 1
wrote to him, inclosipg a newspaper ar
ticle. written by a lady in California in
~nlch she expressed great delight with
EaVlns received from Dr. Smith his ma
tlonai nymn. written IN form for framing
by his own hand. My CORRESPONDENT. Mrs,
Annie s. Page of Alameda, Cal, whom I
knew In Portland many years ago as n
M \ III, A
CT numerous excellent poems, and she ha 6
ever since continued to write as we'll be-
lore as since removing to California
thinking to surprise her I wrote to DR.
smith, asking him if he would be so kind
as 10 send me for her his autograph hymn
TO frame. Nothing could better show his
Kindness and lovable character every way
than his answer. follows:
NEWTON CENTRE, Mass, Oct. a. 1891
Hon. Horatio King:
My dear friend: How pleasant It was to
receive your letter so soon after your de-
parture. The good-byes had not had time
10 cryst2lilze thank You for your kind
opinion of my book. 1 doubt not l shall
echo back to you a similar encomium of
yours when have found time to complete
the reading of 1t. The table of contents is
SO rich, what must the feast itself be.
ROW snail miss you; for though we did
not orten meet. 1t was such a pleasure to
know that you were there, and that l
couia reach you at any moment. l thank
you Tor the Interesting slips from the news
papers. They will be preserved. am
happy to think Of you and the dear madam
as safely sheltered in the winter home We
shall often think Of you both, and hail the
fed-ietter days which will perhaps bring us
sometimes letter, allowing us to partici
pate In your pursuits. In the meantime
may your life and health be precious, your
labor light your joys many. The next
June commencement is not very far away
snail be honored by your presence, and
be your honored escort?
l send, as you request an autoeranh of
MY Country" with pleasure
with regards also of Mrs. s. to YOUR
regal selves, am, as ever, faithfully yours,
S. F. SMITH.
l Immediately sant the precious gift and
a copy of this letter to Mrs Page, REQUEST
ing her TO address to DR.. Smith one Of her
sweetest letters of acknowledg and
send to my care. l delayed replying to
him. hoping soon to rec.iv such letter
The following letter from her expresses her
Geep regret, as 1t also does my own. that
the intended Acknowledgement couId MOI
nave been received in time:
ALAMEDA, November II. 1895
My Dear Mr.. King:
l have had you in mind with much sym
pathy today after reading of the sudden
demise OF your longtime friend Rev S F.
Smith. And it grieves me on NV own mart
that l have not made the return due him
or you for the honor conferred by the dear
ard treasured hymn transmitted through
day or so was to have sent a package in
yotr care. which hoped would convey my
appreciation or his ineStimable favor and
mad meant to assure him that it com
pleted my trinity of treasures. viz, an au-
tograph letter from Henry w. Longfellow.
a poem written for me by Ralph Waldo
Emerson, and his own lofty hymni
Today after church l was to have tram
scribed the lines expressive of nv pratitud,,
and. accompanied 1t by a copy of nv illus-
trated Chr.stmas-tfde," to have dispatched
the package at once in your care.
Some important matters have enprossed
my attention during the past ten Gays-the
oecedSe OF friend also added. 1t seems n
Iatanty that my response, humble as it IS
and unneeded by one full of honors." could
not have reached its destination! 1 shall
forward 1t to you, and If no other use can
be made of 1t you can retain it as a me
mento of your friend, whose CORRESPOND
ence and association you will indeed miss
The hymn will be appropriately framed, as
are my other valuables, to be guarded and
handed down to those who in their turn
come after me. You remembered me SO
richly In your last favor that my seeming
rem1ssness quite Expresses me.
Yours ever sincerely
AMIE S. PAGE
Yesterday I received the following beauti-
full response written artisticaliy on six SEN
arate corrugated gold-edged cards and tied
with a red, white and blue ribbon:
To Rev. 8. F. Smith, on receiving an autograph
copy of America
Honorcd Sir:
give thee greeting
From the shores of the Pacific
From the borders OF the sunset
send thee thanks and grateful homage,
For the fair and priceless transcript
or that hymn whose lofty numbers
Lending strength and nspration,-
Stir the listening land to fealty
How the golden words have echoed
From the pines of northland forests =