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

paper TO appear in the morning and for some
time during the evening he stood around the
opposite side Of the street. watching the printing
house windows. When the morning came and
ms father brought in the paper II was very
damp, so he held ii by the fire to dry. Henry
ana his sister watched all this with great eager
ness and impotence, but said not a word When
the paper was dry their father read II through
Just as usual and said nothing When he finally
laid II down they eagerly seized II to see II the
poem was there, and when they actually found
it they We're tremendously excited Henry read
indeed Fp'
Henry must have made rapid progress in his
studies for he was prepared to enter college
Wneh ne was fourteen. At college he loved
by every one, and was finally graduated with
so inuch honor that year later he offered
d pToIsSsoFshlp in the same college where he
mad studied. This an unusual thing 20
happen 10 one so young-he was then only nine
teeH-and he decided not TO begin teaching until
he had spent some time in travel. So he went
abroad and spent nearly four years IN France
Spain, Italy and Germany
LOngfellow has written so many poenls that
II would not be possible 10 give the names
OF half Of them here, but all American school
children know some OF them, at least. One II
the most familiar is The Village Blacksmith"
which was written after he had moved TO Cam
bridge, Mass. The blacksmith % that town had
q SHOP under a large chestnut tree, and the
school children used 10 stop on their way home
from school to watch the blazing forge the
redhot irons, the horses and the strong men
at work. LongfeOw used TO watch this scene
with great deal Of pleasure; much. in fact,
that he finally wrote the poem about it which
S4IlloSt every one KNOWS by neart But IL hap
pened after a while, that the town OF Cam
bridge decided 10 widen the street where the
blacksmith shop stood. and to do this Il was
considered necessary TO cut down that great,
beautiful chestnut tree. This Mr. Longfeow
seriously objected 10, and the townspeope were
sorry 10 do il. but the street had be wild
ened there seemed to them to be other way.
so the tree was cut down. Then the city fathers
had q happy thought and ut their suggestion
the children had a great armchair made from
the wood of the old tree and gave II 70 Long
fellow on his seVenty-secOnd birthday. Each
child gave few pennies. whatever he could
the poet go pleased and happy and surprised
that the children should show their affection for
him and their sorrow for the loss Of the tree
IN such way that he wrote poem about IL
and gave orders his home that every child |
who came to see him or the chair should be
allowed to do
This chair always one Of his most priced |
possessions, and at reception given 10 him on
the 25Oth anniversary Of the settlement Of Cam
bridge, by thousand grammar school children. |
he made almost the only public speech Of his |
life, and had the poem which he had written |
about the armchair read bv a friend Of his |
George Riddle. The first stanza begins:
Am a king that should call my own
or by what reason what right divine
Can I proclaim II mine?
Longfeow not only known and loved and !
hOnOred in this country, but in other countries |
As well His poems are said 10 be better known |
and more translated on the Continent Of Europe |
than those Of al the rest Of our American poets
put together. He was made member Of many |
foreign literary and scientific societies. and !
when he died his bust placed in the poets |
corner in Westminster Abbey. Up to WITHIN |
three months Of his death. which came on |
March q, 1889, the poet answered all his letters |
himself, which was great task, because there |
was such a large number Of them. NAM Of |
them from children and he always took !
his family, especially when they were written !
well and were bright and interesting.