The Washington herald., 1915-02-18
HISTORY BUILDERS.
The Peculiarities of Two Famous
Americans.

Americans.
Written Expressly for The Washington Haah.l
BY DIR. f. J. EDWARDS.
After the late Parke Goodwin retired
to private life. in the early nineties
he was always glad to chat with
friends reminiscently. To the friends
with whom he thus conversed he was
himself even more interesting and pic
turesQue than were any of the per-
sons or events he described. A won
derful shock of 'iron-gray hair, almost
| leonine in it's profusion. covered his
| head and concealed his coat collar His
| beard was SO heavy that it hid almost
all of his face except his nose. fore
head and his wonderfully expressive
eyes.
Mr.. Goodwin was qualified by long
association with his father in-law,
william Cullen Bryant. the proprietor
of the New York Evening Post. in the
, editorial direction of that paper. to
speak Of men and events identified with
American life from 1897 until about
1875. He was also a shrewd politician
and at one time was deputy collector
of the port of New York. As one Of
the editors of Putnam's Magazine, he
was brought into close touch with
Thackeray and others who gained dis
tinction as writers. Mr.. Goodwin was
also successful as platform lecturer.
And it was with some of his recollec-
tions of his experiences as a lecturer
that he entertained me in a chat 1
had with him some years before his
death. l remember particularly what
he said of Emerson and Wendell Phil
lips in connection with their vocations
as platform lecturers. He knew both
men well and occasionally met them
when on a lecture tour.
Emerson and Phillips were at one
time the most popular of our lectur-
ers. excepting possibly Henry Ward
Beecher." he said. They were peculiar,
almost eccentric. in some of their per-
sonal habits when upon the lecture
tour. Phillips told me once that he
never Travelled. at least in winter, with
out carrying in his old-fashioned car
pet bag wooden blanket. He did this
so As to protect himself from the dan
ger OF cold or poorly ventilated bed
ding. After a lecture when he returned
to his room at the hotel. he carefully
spread the blanket over the sheet and
then when he got into the bed he
wrapped himself Snugly up into it,
He told me also that he did not fail
to carry a little apparatus consisting
of an alcohol lamp and a small copper
kettle. In that way. he was able to
make his own tea. beverage of which
he was very fond. He never lost a
cup of tea for a single night when
upon his lecture tours.
Emerson was not particular about
what he ate nor did he make fuss
about his hotel accommodations. but he
would not accept an invitation to be-
come a guest at private house while
ne was upon lecture tour. He never
visited a town or city without being
cordially invited by one or more of the
prominent citizens to accept private
inequalities. He always declined these
invitations. He never told any one so
far as | know. why he preferred the
hotel to the private house. even in
towns where hotel accommodations
were very bad. | was always glad to
accept invitations of that kind and so
was Beecher, but Emerson maintained
this habit as long as he appeared in
public as a lecturer"
tC"Tyrieht. SIS by 4. ]. Edwards. All rights ~
serredl
Tomorrow DR.. Edwards will tell of
Some Popular Lecturers of the Past
Century,