Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1900-05-10

OF her children she should value her
power to cast ballot for school com.
mlssioners OF her choice. She spoke of
INC Vaine OF nature study. III children
were Taught to observe and understand
the plants, insects and animals In their
immediate vicinity they would come to
love the country and be less likely to
leave u and to congest the cities. Mrs.
ioil'dny spoke for the newly for med
Audubon Society of Delaware and
hoped oil would join ii, or adopt its
views.
Miss Mather spoke of the duties Of n
club president and told Of the three
dragons that beset her before, at, and
after meeting and gave some excel
lent advice how to meet and STAY them,
The first is Worry, which is best dis
pos'il o. by systematic preparation for
meeting with q rested body and re.
iroshod mind by taxing drive, or
reading a good novel. OF the dragon
Hurry tho audience may help her to be
I'D, and Regret she must Danish at
once from her mind, and do better
next time. Mrs. W. II. Hill spoke of
the obligations and duties OF club
members and Mrs. Rowland of the
courtosies of club life.
In tho evening there was vory largo
audience present, probably over 500
people, including many mep. Mrs.
Florence Howe Hall gave most intal est
ing "reminiscences Of distinguished
people she knew in her youth, Her
tirsu memory of Longlelow was when
he was given tho chair of Modern
Languages ut Harvard, in place of Mr..
Iiciinor, who was so hurt at being
superseded that he left his fine col.
lection of books to the Boston Public
Library with a proyiso that Harvard
should never have them. Longfellow
was alert, slender, with u cheerful or
preston in his blue eyes, that "wore
like blue water lilies :" He loved
| children and many romp they had
on his lawn. A scrabble.hag" He'd
with candy would be hung from treo
and the children bindfolded might
each strike thrcs blows to knock down
its contents. They rarely camo near
it, or il thoy did it swung off into
space, hut when it was at last brought
down ali scramble for its contents.
| Longfellow was as gay u playfelow as
| his children, until saddened by tho
awful catastrophe of his wife's death,
a shock from which he never fully re-
covered. His blue eyes retained their
lustre even after his snow white hair
and beard made halo around his face.
The charm Of his presence was great
| Mrs. Hall read several playful letters
he had written to her uncle Samuel
| Ward. Dt
Another privilege she had enjoyed
was in attending the Agassiz School,
| where the great scientist stopped from
his lofty pinnacle OF thought 10 make
clear his great discoveries to school
girls, and with that simplicity Of a
great nature that did not make them
reaize the gulf between them. Day
by day with charmed eyes they saw
| the coral reef as he built II ur for
them for he was just fresh from his
own Investigations Of them. His wife
was the presiding genius of the school
where she exercised sweet, whole
some influence. Her husband con
tinually brought home specimens; one
morning she exclaimed "Agassiz,
there's snake In my boot !" ~
wonder where the others are y he
calmly replied. Prof. FELTON, Of Har.
ward was another delightful friend,
genial. jolly, hearty, sturdy, with
curling black hair and II he chose
dignity of mien and bearing, but
like best to think of him with hi:
laughing black eyes behind his speota
Giles. Mrs. Hall read some playful
letters from him to her father
satiriziug the part DR.. Howe had takeI
in the Greek revolution against TN
Turks. Charles Sumner was anothe
intimate friend of her father. IN
lowered physically and intelleotua.h!
above other men with his MASSIVE
brain and solid mental requirements
He was to us children a harmless
giant handsome man with grant
head that reminded me of a big New
foundland dog, always well dressed
scrupulously exact and neat, IN HI
drab cloth CATERS with white pear
buttons. When no smiled his rnr
sweet smile we caught glimpse OF tn
sweetness and beauty OF his inne
nature. He had beautiful white teetl
and he always resoluteiy refused to ca
huckleberIy pie for reasons that WI
be understood. He was magnetic Il
rerson, hut distant in manner an
with a voice ringing and meiodious
Edward p. Whipple, hopely but agree
! able, with prominent blue eyes,
face pitted with smallpox, but interest
ing to look at, was always full Q
humor and wit. James Y. Fields wa
another friend and Oliver Monde
Holmes. Once at dinner DIR. Holme
. talked to us Of the moods in which h
wrote; it almost awed me to come
, near to the sacred places OF genius
,, Emerson's table talk was fresh an
! delightful. Once he said OF some on
who was making conversation,
..HIs talk is like chalk eggs; what .
is. Stands over me and thunders go
cannot hear what he says.
The characteristic of ell Of thes
interesting people was their cheerful
; ness and brightness. They were
I. workers, but they could relax and ha'
nleasant. merry, social times togethel
they would work while they WORKED
and rlay while they played, and
serious at the proper moment.
. Mrs. Hall tod Of the circumstance
which lad her mother, Julia Wal
Howe. to write 1.-THE Battle Hymn
the Republic," when on a rI5it
Washington she saw, the soldie
bivouacked amid "the rows of bu
nished steel" and the entertalnme,l
was closed by the singing Of IT, q
9 whole audience rising and Joining
4 the chorus. A solo was sung By. M
Mary Cannon, ard by Mrs. Davidso
and an informal reception was ne
after the adjournment of the meetlr
y until Friday morning.
: FRIDAYS SESSION.
/ Tho morning session on Fridi
y was full of interest and was d
:" Mad 10 fine consideration of I'll