Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1909-06-24
HALE AT WASHINGTON
Glimpses of Senate Chaplain's
Life In the Capital.
FRIEND OF EVERY SENATOR.
Delighted In His Intercourse With
Them - Characteristics That En-
deared Him Equally to Strangers
and Acquaintances-An Instance of
His Absentmindedness.

His Absertmndedness.
The passing of DR.. Edward Everett
Hale, chaplain of the United States
senate, at the age Of eighty-seven.
took from Washington one of its most
picturesque figures.
Or. Hale's face and body, like those
of Chief Justice Melville Fuller of the
supreme court, once seen, were never
forgotten. Previously the opening Of
the senate or house with prayer had
been a perfunctory duty. With DIR.
Hale it was different. 1t was the daily
service of Il minister to God which
came to be recognized in the years
that he occupied the post as one of
the most eloquent of the day, even
though so brief as to be carried in n
paragraph. The aged minister took oc-
casions of illness and death in the
senate to preach little gems of sym
pathy, consolation and eulogy.
He was a friend of every man in
the senate. He delighted in his inter-
course wiki the senator's and loved to
talk Of affairs and books with them.
lie was close to Senator Clark of
Arkansas, one of the most profound
scholars of the senate, and was very
chummy with Senator Frye of Maine.
Or. Hale used the vice presidents
room as his office 1t was here that
his daughter helped him don his big
black ministerial robe for his morning
prayer, and from this office the little
/ pages escorted him to the senate cham
hav Tho OF of IN Il
ter Of the minister was often comment
ed on rs a beautiful tribute of love.
With visitors DR. Hale was patient
and kindly He took delight in meet
ing strangers, and the capitol guides
never found him in a mood when they
could not approach him. Although he
was a man who had Travelled little In
the west, his knowledge of the United
States and its citizenship was great
He had the artlessneSs Of n politician
without its wiIes. If guide intro
duced the chaplain 10 party from
/ Marion, o., or Tallahassee, Fla, or any
other place it recalled to Dr. Hale the
memory of man who had lived there
With this he put his visitors at their
/ ease. lie signed autographs cheer
fully. and the senate pages never
feared 10 ask him to write his name
for visitor
DR.. Hale's great influence over men
was not sufficient to teach the United
. States senate to pray, although he tried
hard enough. When he first assumed
the duties Of chaplain over the body
he asked that the senators join him In
repeating the Lords Prayer at the end
of his BRIEF morning sermon. Day
after day he called on the senators to
pray, but the response was so feeble
that he dcspaired and abandoned the
practice. His two banner pupils were
Senators Platt and Depcw Senator
Platt always mumbled the prayer with
him, and Senator Depew came in
strong at the end. The pages respond
ed to his efforts and all Of the little
fellows lined up daily and participated
in the prayer.
DR. Hale was never able to master
the details Of his own affairs, and he
was frequently placed in an embar-
rasstng position by his abseutmnded-
ness. \ former magazine editor re-
NthaANai lhh N'-lt-l litl Ht'A tltl years ago
he bought story from Dr. Hale and
later found that another magazine had
bought the same story. When DR..
Hale's attention was called to it he re
membcrel and sent letter of apology.
inclosing another story. a better one.
to soothe the feelings OF the uulucky
editor
His habit of ignoring all of the de
tails OF his home and business life pro
voked one of his brother ministers into .
asserting that If DR.. Hale had not
been such success as minister he
would have undoubtedly been tramp.
In Or. Hale's home at Roxbury,
Mass, there IS a collection of the most F..
valuable literary works of the present
century. Books and prints, pamphlets
mouograms and manuscripts with.
out number are hidden away there.
Many autograph copies Of books and .
manuscripts submitted by friends for
his perusal and later sent him as gifts
go to make up a collection of material
which could occupy the attention of a
literary student for lifetime. Much
of the material In DR.. Rale's library
was handed down to him by his IA
ther, and his own active life has pro-
duced nearly an equal amount His
own manuscripts are there. and the
collection Will no doubt be preserved
intact by his son.
His Interpretation Of the National
Idea was given by Or. Hale rs in
spiration for his literary masterpiece,
the parable Of The Man Without
Country" the most remarkable argu-
ment for patriotism ana fidelity to the
land of ones nativity ever written
According TO Or. Hale's explanation.
the theme of the story, the need that
lust such forceful active, partisan pa
triotism rs inhamed his own heart be
brought close to the hearts of Ameri-
cans, was working within him at least
fifteen years before it found express
sion in the story. ry.-Washington Cor.
New York World.
Miami University's Centennial.
Miami university. the Oldest Of Ohi3's
colleges, will celebrate her centennial
Mt Oxford June 12-1S. 1t is expected
that more than 1000 alumni and for
mer students will gather on the cam
pus at Oxford. The first invitation is.
sued was sent to President Taft. who
Is interested in Miami university be.
cause his father-in-law, John W. Her
ron of Cincinnati since 1890 hoc bnnr