The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-02-04

AAG pOCA-AAuSlJldils p3 AA1J 4+etAtNAf writes Mrs. Mary Theodore Lanier of Birmingham, apropos of the birthday of the poet, was born February 3, ls42, in Macon, Ga. As a child he developed ex- traordinary talent for music. Without any instruction except his notes taught him by his mother one of the loveliest of women, he played the violin, flute, plano, organ, guitar and banjo. He once said; I could play passably well on several in struments before I could write legibly and since then the very deepest of my life has been filled with music
 He graduated in his 18th year from Oglethorpe college at Midway, Ga.
 Tn 1861 he and his younger brother en- listed in the Second Georgia battalion as privates and in spite of repeated offers of promotion remained such until the close of the war. One who met Lanier at that time thus describes him:
 A slender, gray-eyed youth, full of enthusiasm. playful, with a tender hu- nor, most like the great musician-Men- delssohn.'
 "As an illustration of this same humor once when he was 12 years old the wife of the uncle for whom he was named loaned him her favorite saddle horse. He had not been long absent when he re- turned and presented himself to her, cap in hand, covered with dust
 What has happened? she calculated
 Nothing, dear aunt, except that Bar ney and l had an argument; he wanted to turn the corner and I wanted to keep on up the street The argument was el,o fha corner and l kept on up the street.
 The idea of permitting horse to beat you in al argument" quizically ob- served Us aunt.
 But my dear aunt Barney's logic was so convincing that my end of the argu- ment feel to the ground"
 The soul voice of song-the passionate violin, mastered so completely the highly wrought organization of Lanier that his family, fearing its powerful effect upon his health, persuaded him to cease play ing upon it, and he thereupon gave him self entirely to the flute. He imbedded within It's keys his own grand heart. and succeeding in implanting within It's garnut many notes of his beloved violin.
 It was conceded by all without ex- ception the finest hutest in the world. As the flute touched his lips you could well imagine that
 "A velvet flute note fell down pleasantly Upon the bosom of that harmony, As if a petal from as mild rose blown, Had iuttered down upon that pool of
 tone.
 Somewhat half song, half odor, forth did
 float, '~ As if a rose might somehow be
 throat"
 Asger Glameriche says: "I will never forget the impression be made on me when he played the flute concerto of Emil Hart man at a Peabody symphony concert in 1878; his tall, handsome manly presence, his flute breathing noble sorrows, noble joys, the orchestra softly responding. The audience was spell-bound. Such distinc- ton. such refinement. He stood the mas ter, the geniusn'
 The presence of Lanier was charm in itself; his courtly grace, his elegant de- meanor, his chivalric manners, spoke him the true knight-''sans, heur ct sans re- proche." sga
 The melody of his voice penetrated di- rectly to the soul; as heart in touch with heart he spoke to his hearers. He was a prototype of that fearless, spotless knight appointed to recover the Holy Grail.
 In 1864 Lanier was detailed as signal officer to blockade runner and was Rxrn months he languished in Point Lookout prison and walked out one day, his flute concealed in the sleeve of his coat with q batch of paroled prisoners, reaching home in March, 1865, completely broken down in health. He was married De- cember 18th at Christ church, Macon, Ga, to Miss Mary Day. He studied and afterwards practiced law with his fath- CT until 1872 but was forced by i'll health to give up the law. In 1873 he went to Baltimore and then and there began His literary career His wife was his con- stant inspiration. He says, in one of his sweetest songs:
 O Love- O wife, thine eyes are they My springs from out whose shining gray Issue the sweet celestial streams That feed my lifss bright Lake of
 Dreams.
 Oval and large and passion pure, And gray and wise and honor-sure; Soft as a dying violet breath
 Yet calmly unafraid of death
 
 Dear eyes, dear eyes and race complete Being heavenly and earthly-sweet; I marvel that God made you mine, For when He frowns, 'tis then you shine!
 At Bayard Taylor's suggestion Laner was chosen to write the contata for the opening of the Centennial exposition at Philadelphia. In l. he was appointed to a lectureshp on English literature in the Johns Hopkins university. His lec-