Evening star., 1907-08-19
AWH|TT|ER MEMORIAL
Proposed to Lay Corner Stone
in December.
Centennial OF HIS BIRTH
Interesting Mementoes of the Poets
Life.
LETTER FROM CHARLES SUMNER
Description Of the Old Homestead.
Everything In the Garden Room
Left as It Was.
BY WILLIAM f. CURTIS.

BY WILLIAM Il. CURTIS.
Special Correspondence OF The Star and the Chicago
Record Herald.
AMESBURY, Mass. August 18, 1907.
The Whittier Home Association is an Or
ganization Of about seventy-five ladies Of
Amesbury. the friends and admirers Of the
poet Whittier. and 300 associate members
who have raised fund Of 81. 800 with q
pledge Of 1000, making total Of $500.
with which they desire and intend to erect
a suitable and permanent memorial to the
poet, to be placed in Amesbury. where fifty
six years of his life was spent. He was
born December II. 1907. so that this Is his
centennial year. and they hope to increase
the fund of $4,000. so to have at least
the corner stone laid on the one hundredth
anniversary of his birth. Mrs. Emily B.
Smith Is president. Miss Emma c. Wolfen-
den Is treasurer and Mrs. Richard Briggs
is secretary. all of them residents Of Ames-
bury. Those who desire to contribute can
send the money to them. The sum of IS
makes the contributor member Of the as
sociation. There is an advisory board of
which Charles F. hutchinson and Franklin
H. Head of Chicago Edmund Clarence
Stedman and Rev. DR. Lyman Abbott of
New York. Rev. DIR. Theodore L. Cuyler Of
Brooklyn. Postmaster General George " l..
Meyer of Washington, Booker T. Washing
ton of Tuskegee. Ala, and other well-known
gentlemen in different parts Of the country
are members. The late Col. John Hay and
the late Senator Hoar were both much in
terested In the movement.
On December II. 1907, a memorial meeting
will be held at Whitter's birthplace under
the auspices of the Whittier Club Of Haver-
hill at which Prof Bliss Perry editor of
the Atlantic Monthly, will speak upon the
literary sic of Mr.. Whittiers life; Frank B.
Sanborn. who was associated with him in
anti-slavery movements. will speak of his
work for human liberty as an aboltionis'.
and Mrs. Julia Ward Howe will read a
poem This meeting. however, has nothing
to do with the movement to erect a monu-
ment and the members of the Whittier
Home Association appeal to the public for
contributions.
The association occupied the Whittier cot
tage for six years and during that period
kept 1t open to the public. until Mr.. Pick
ard. the husband Of Whittier's niece. de-
sired to occupy it as a residence, when
they moved to rented house In the neigh
borhood. The association has recently
bought the adjoining house with legacy
of $4,000 from the late Mrs. Pickard This
legacy was not to be due until after the
death Of Mr. Pickard. but he has advanced
the money in order that the association
may secure a permanent home upon ad-
vantageous terms.
Mr.. Whittier left about $4,000. all made
from the copyrights OF his poems and de
rived from judicious investment OF his saw
ings. He was dreadfuliy poor until Snow
bound" was published. His father left
nothing whatever when he died and the
son supported MS mOIher ana sister WIN
his pen. but they had very little. "Snow
Bound was his first success. and was re-
markably successful. The royalties
amounted to many thousands of dollars
after that he was easy all the rest of his
life
Interesting Mementoes.
The members Of the association have COL
lected many interesting relics of Mr.. Whit
tier. including several portraits Of himself.
his mother and sister. taken at different
ages. They have painting in water color
Of bunch of wild roses. which was pre-
sented to him by some artist. Underneath
the picture he wrote the couplet
The loveiest flower New England knows
The association also exhibits q large COL
lection Of autographs Of Mr.. Whittier and
of famous men with whom he was In cor
respondenca at different times OF his life.
One OF the most interesting is the follow
ing:
SENATE CHAMBER.
"Washington. 9th Of April 1865.
MY Dear Whittier: 1 never miss any
thing you write. I have just read your
Snow Bound 1t was sent me by fair
friend.
"A not unfear'd half-welcome guest, rebuk
ing with her cultured phrase our homei-
ness of words and ways 1 presume 1t is
after life and have more than curiosity to
You will enjoy our triumph in the pas
sage Of the civil rights BILL 1t Is a great
BILL But was there ever country so
troubled ours? Had the President ex-
ercised little discretion and put himself
In harmony with Congress. all our difficult
questions would have been settled easily and
the Declaration of Independence would
have become living words
20 great day! Could we have seen this
accomplished Then would not our coun-
try be bright and beautiful, fairest of the
fair.
FOR all that you have said accept my
hearts gratitude. and believe me. dear
Whittier. ever afrectionately thine.
CHARLES SUMNER"
Mrs Smith. custodian Of the associa-
tion's collection. and Mr.. Pickard, the hus-
band of Whittier's niece. and his biogra.
pher. both tell me that the fair friend
who gave the copy Of Snow Bound to
Mr. Sumner was the wife .: Abraham
Lincoln. although it seems incredible be-
(April 8. 1860, Mrs Lincoln was living in
Springfield ILL.,. and Mr.. Johnson was Presi-
dent.
The mot unfear'd. half welcome guest"
concerning whom Mr.. Sumter inquired. was
Miss Harriet Livermore. daughter of Judge
IIyermore, q prominent citizen OF Haverhil.
She was an accomplished but eccentric per
son, highly educated, but very critical ana
intolerant
Birthplace Of Whistler.
1t may be Interesting 10 1nterpolat6 right
here the news that an association recently
formed at the city Of Lowell has purchased
the house In which James A. Mcneil Whis-
tier. the artist was born. and will establish
there a collection of his works and other
relics OF the distinguished painter.
The little white meeting house where Mr..
Whistler and other Quakers Of Ameshury
used to attend service stands at the end OF
the street upon which he lived. only two or
three blocks distant. It is perfectly plain
and without the slightest ornament-accord-
ing to the Quaker notions-and is surround
ed by beautiful trees.
Mr.. Whittier Is buried In the Union ceme-
terry. which lies Just OF the main road to
Newburyport. His grave is marked by q
modest monument appropriate to the man.
and a simple epitaph which gives only his
name. his age and the date Of his death.
In the neighboring town OF Newburyport
Is the old South Meeting House in which
George Whitefeld preached That remark
able man died in q little white cottage ad-
joining. which used to be the parsonage,
and his bones are buried under the pulpit
The beautiful public library in Amesbury
was built from a legacy left for the purpose.
at the suggestion Of Mr.. Whittier, by two
Of his neighbors-an old bachelor and spin
ster brother and sister. who lived together
to a very old age and accumulated a large
sum Of money. When Mr. Whittier remon-