The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1901-04-14
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS.

! To the Editor OF The Republic.
I see in a recent issue Of your paper that
Brown University is the happy possessor OF
| Whittier's poem, "Moll Pitcher This
prompts me to ask for it's publication. l
have searched in vain through our Public
Library. wishing for it in connection with
our evolutionary studies; yet III a vague
way feel that "Moll Pitcher" of Whittier
fame and Captain Molly" of Revolution
airy fame are not one and the same.
MRS. FRANCIS F. WOODRUFF,
! Regent Dorothy Quincy Chapter. Daugn-
tiers American Revolution.
Quincy. Ill.
You are right. Whittier's Mol Pitcher
did not refer to the brave Captain Molly OF
the Revolution. The story of the poem Is
| of a maiden consulting the witch In regard
to her lover. who is at sea. The witch mas
| some cause OF grievance against the maid
| en-, and frightens her into u mild INSANITY
by predictions OF dire calamity. The lover
| returns safely. and. finding his betrotheo
In this demented condition.. gradually. by
loves ministrations. recalls her to her right
| mind, and at length 'the thousand fancies
| which were nursed In madness vanish one
by one" The concluding scene Is at tho
deathbed Of the witch. whose last hours are
soothed by the gentle care Of a daughter OK
the woman she so wronged, and to whom
in dying she gives her blessing.
This poem. or poetic story. was OF con-
siderable length. 1t was published in 1882,
anonymously. In 1910 a revised edition of
'Moll Pitcher was published by Joseph
Healy Of Philadelphia, this edition for the
first time connecting Whittier's name with
the poem. With 1t was printed "The MIN
strel Girl" which was originally published
in John Meals Yankee" in 1893. This last
named poem 10 said to be unworthy OF
merit, but containing some stanxas OF merit.
rr-rs<<~uS. ASo-ro-ha~ No1of toe hnw fhA mat
IN later life, spent much time trying to sup
press his earlier poems, Of which he did
not approve. He was more successful IN
suppressinR "Moll Pitcher than he was
with his later poem. "Mogg Megone." MOL
Pitcher has never been published in any
collection of his works. and as a whole
does not deserve to be perpetuated.
To the Editor Of The Republic.
Kindly give name Of the author and re-
naming lines Of the stanza beginning. The
mills OF God grind slowly"
MRS. JOSEPHINE MONROE
McMeekin, Fla.
The lines are foundi in Longfellow's trans
lation Of Friedrich Won Logau's poem. Ret
ribution." 1t may be found in Longfellow's
Poetic Aphorisms:
Though the mills Of God grind slowly.
Yet they grind exceeding small:
Though with patience he stands waiting.
With e~xactness grinds he all.
Republic Reader. Paris, Mo.-"The Gyp-
ey's Warning was published on this page
not long ago.
Is the expression. "in after lfe." correct7
CONSTANT READER.
To the Editor Of The Republic.
st. Louis.
There is nothing ungrammatical in the
phrase. and its form has been justified by
the usage OF many leading authors. This
usage Of words and phrases by scholarly
writer's forms one Of the best standards
known.
To the Editor Of The Republic.
Miss Margaret Stacker of Cumberland.
City, Tenn. asks about the Milford Bard:
The Milford Bard was born and grew up
in Milford, Del. He died very young in the
late forties. 1 read his poems as fast as
they were published In the county papers
n after in book form. l remember of his
going up and down the streets Of Milford
ringing a bell, calling the citizens to the
sale Of old maids and bachelors.
7. r. HAZZARD.
ROlla. Mo