The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-03-03

THE PARTICULAR HOBBY OF THE
NEXT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.

NEXT SECRETARY OF THE NAVY.
John ID. Long Is q Poet OF Some Ability.
He Comes of = Poetic stock-He Is Es-
pecially Fond Of Verses About Chill
dren-S0me of His Efforts.
Hon. John Davis Long, who is to be
secretary of the navy, is no exception to
the general rule that every eminent man
has hobby aside from and independent
Of his trade or profession.
Governor Longs hobby is versemak-
ing But he does not run his hobby into
the ground. And not only is he lover
OF the muse, but al practical devotee
he is poet Of no mean grade. AS this
fact, however, he has not striven to pro-
mulgate to the world at large, the writer
would herewith speak of him in this
role.
AS poet Governor Long is chip Of
the paternal block. His late father, Hon.
Zadoc Long of Buckfield, Me-, whilom
candidate for congress and q Whig elect
or in the famous Harrison campaign of
1910, was man of fine intellect and
practical business ability. He was a
ready and fluent writer, and his poems,
published in the papers of the day, were
marked by ease of versifcation, simple
truth and beauty and the tender human
ity which was notable feature of his
character. As may well be supposed,
Mr.. Long was lover of music, and it
is noteworthy fact that he introduced
into his rural home the first piano ever
seen or heard in town, and his daughter
was the first pianist in the place, whose
skillful playing mutually delighted her
parents and their townspeople.
And right here, as fitting prelude to
some specimens of his distinguished
sons poetical efforts, and, moreover, to
give the reader an idea of his style of
versemaking, quote the last four stan
zas of Zadoc Longs little sentimental
song entitled:
MY OLD VIOLIN.
"A sound like a serenade, plaintiye and sweet;
An almost inaudible strain
Now rises and swells into tones more complete,
Now sinks away softly again.
IT seems like the spirit Of many a lay
A voice from the past that hear.
IN lingering cadences dying away,
On memorys faltering tear.
Or the music of dreams in tho stiffness Of
night
BY some spirit guardian sung
'Tis the air through the cracks and the vibra-
tions slight
OF my old violin, all unstrung.
How many a cherished remembrance it brings
OF dear friends and pastimes of yore
"A sorrowful touch on the hearts shattered
strings
That soon Wal respond never more.
Governor Long was the youngest Of
the four children. OF his brilliant, schol-
arly professional and political career it
were supererogatory to speak. 1t has be-
come part of the history Of the noted
men of our time. AS writer both of
prose and poetry Governor Long excels.
In the latter field he is the author of a
volume of original poems entitled Bites
of a Cherry" which he dedicated to his
father, and which, like his translation of
Virgil's "Eneid," published in Boston
in 1870, the year of his first guberna-
torial term, was very favorably received.
In his domestic poems he is especially
felicitous, as witness the following Sc
lections The first is the concluding
stanza of ITO My Wife,
Thus your dear eyes long since have been
Not more the light by which trod
Than gateways where / entered in
To breathe the love and peace of God.
Next are two stanzas-the first and
the last-from Margaret"
lam a little three year-old.
My eyes are heaven, my hair is gold.
What heaven and gold are, don't know
But what mean is ma says SO.
In bed tucked safe from harm and cold
Shadows and slumber round me fold.
Sometimes dream that one by one
The brown mice DER my pillow run.
And now comes a sweetly simple
picture of a little 2-year-old fairy whose
name is Helen:
Helen is aged two.
Look at the tender blue
Her eyes have tempted from the heavenliest
patches In the skies
Look at her roso tint face,
The ineffable fine grace
That in its smiles and dimples everywhere
upon IL liesl
Had lady's hand eer such
An inborn grace of touch2
Could nesting hand more gently woo forgiv-
ing or forgiven2
Dlu ever Hloutn put up,
Or bud, so fresh "a cupg
Or little feet make doorway seem so like the
gate of heaven2
have room for only one more home
picture 1t is short and sweet, and is
quoted entire. Although in construction
wholly unlike Longfellow's "Weari-
ness" and more optimistic withal, it in
its spirit reminds me somewhat Of that:
At nightfall, by the frelight's cheer,
My little Margaret sits me near
And begs me tell of things that were
When was little just like her.
All, little life, you touch the spring
OF sweetest sad remembering,
And hearth and heart flash all aglow
With ruddy tints Of long ago!
T. at my fathers fresde sit,
Youngest of all who circle it,
And beg him tell me what did he
When he was little Just like me.
Governor Longs old home in Buck
6aId Nc IL NOW n public hOuSe Hotel