New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-02-24
Ole Centennial Of Lon6EeHosv.

What would most children think of a little boy
who asked his mothers maid to put cotton in
bis ears on the Fourth of July because he did
rot like the sound Of cannon? Would they think
he was timid cry baby not 10 enjoy the glorious
Fourth? He was not cry baby. He was as
brave lad as ever lived, and It was only because
he was so mild and gentle in ell his ways that
the noise Of cannon seemed harsh and unpleas-
ant 70 him. This little boy was Henry Wads-
worth Longfellow, who was born in Portland,
Me, February 81, 1907, Just one hundred years
ago.
All the little men and women who read The
Tribune know that a hundred years IS a century
end that a hundredth birthday IS called a cen
tennial Probably Longfellow's centennial viii
be celebrated in all the schools in the United
States. because ne was not only a famous poet
but poet who cared especially about girls and
boys. and wrote many beautiful poems for them
as well as about them
But It must not be thought that his dislike
for loud noises and roUgnness when a lad made
him any different from other little boys He
was just as full Of fun and play any of his
EchooInsates. When he was only five years old
there was a great war, the War Of 1912 it IS
called in the histories. aud people talked about
an army invading Canada, and when little Hen
~ heard this he became much excited. and
asked his nurse 10 dress his hair in club "a
sort Of braid. queue. very stiff, and tied with
p ribbon. and thickly powdered). Just like a
mans When It was done 10 please him he got
his tin gun and said that he was ready to go to
war At once.
Later he and his brothers and sisters used to
play circus on the back porch. their chief ami
NAL being a large wooden rocking horse. one
dag when Henry was doing wonderful feats In
vaulting over this horse he leaped too far and
he and the horse went down together and the
horses neck was broken.
At school he & good scholar, but fond Of
fun and mischief though he could never bear to
zee anything done that would hurt any ones
feelings He learned rapidly. but was just as
glad when school was over as any Of the others.
One afternoon he came rushing down the steps
and turned a somersault the ground, sprain-
ing his arm 50 seriously that he had to wear It
in a sling for some time. He had learned TO
read much younger than little folks do nova
DAYS. because it was the custom them to send
children Of three years old to private schools
where they learned reading and polite behavior.
As soon as he was able 10 read easily he began
TO read everything he found He especially
liked the poetry OF Cowper and used TO go about
the house repeating his verses with great air
Of dignity and eloQuence.
AS he grew older he began to try his hand
making verses himself. The first poem he ever
had published was about an Indian battle which
had taken place years before at LOvell's Pond,
near which he lived. BE told no one about this
poem except his sister, but copied II neatly and
ran down TO the Office Of the town paper, which
was printed only three times week. and slipped
his poem, In a neatly addressed envelope, into
the letter box OF the Office. He had not signed
his full name TO the poem, only Henry" so that
no one should know II was written by child
10 was excited he could hardly wait for the