Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1910-03-23
new NEWS or YESTERDAY
The Man Who Once Saw Aaron
Burr Weep.
Parke Goodwin Witnessed His Last
Visit to the Graves of His Father
and Grandfather at
Princeton.
RX Z. ]. EDWARDS.


A year or two before the death, in
1904, of Parke Goodwin, distinguished
journalist, author and son-in-law of
William Cullen Bryant, met him one
morning, and in the course of our con-
versation some historical reference
was made to Aaron Burr. At once
Mr.. Godwin's eyes lighted up with a
new interest.
81 think" he said, "that I am the
only person now living who ever saw
Aaron Burr, and / am sure that / am
the only living person who ever talked
with him. That brings you very near
to the revolutionary period of our
government, doesn't it?
81 believe that there has been some
public reference to the fact that Burr,
when an old man, took me on his
knee and talked to me about my Latin
school books" continued the veneer
able journalist, then nearing his eigh-
ty-seventh birthday. "But do not re-
call any public reference to the last
time 1 saw him, and l will tell you
the anecdote.
''It was during my student days at
Princeton, where 1 graduated in 1884.
One afternoon, in the late autumn,
went with fellow student for a
stroll, and finally, at his suggestion,
we turned into the town cemetery and
walked among the graves Of the dis
tinguished men buried there.
1--WE were approaching that part of
the cemetery in which the presidents
of Princeton were buried when l no.
ticed an old man standing there per-
fectly still, with his hat off, his head
bent, and apparently in deep medita-
ton. Something about the mans fig
ure, and perhaps his clothes-for he
wore the conventional garments of an
earlier time-led me suddenly to sus-
pect that it was Aaron Burr, up to
whom my father had led be, bashful
schoolboy, so many years before. !
motioned for my companion to stop,
and l moved a little to one side, SO
that 1 might see the mans face in
profile at least; and when / did I
knew for a certainty that it was
Aaron Burr.
His face was very grave, and as
he stood bowed over the graves of his
father and Jonathan Edwards, his
grandfather, who were both presi-
dents of Princeton, he was oblivious
apparently to every thing that was
going on about him. Silently, my
companion and / watched him, and
am sure that as we strained our eyes,
with a feeling of awe, towards him,
we beheld the tears course down his
withered cheeks and fall upon the
mounds before him. And / at least
suddenly found myself thinking that
this would be his last visit to the
graves, and that Burr himself realized
It. l believe that this turned out to
be the case.
For perhaps ten minutes he stood
there just as we had first seen him.
At last he turned slowly-it seemed
reluctantly-away, and with his head
still bent, his hands clasped behind
him, and his few struggling gray locks
all but sweeping his coat collar, he
walked with trembling steps out of
the cemetery, not having seen us, or,
if he had, making no sign to that
effect.
1.-TWO years or so later Aaron Burr
himself was at rest at last beside his
father in that old burying- ground"
DOWNRIGHT 1909 by e. J. EdWardS.)