Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1916-08-12

before the Delaware College Summer
School, is full of interest to the peo-
pie of all this region of country. II
is a paper of such value that it should
be put in permanent form, for 1t
makes a real contribution to the his
tory of Kennett Square, Longwood
and Wilmington. Miss Worrall COM
manded the closest attention upon
the part Of the students and faculty
of the Summer School, and at the close
she was rapturously applauded
The address follows:
Kenneth Square is a busy little
country town about IA miles to the
north OF us. browning hill, up three
sides Of which its streets and houses
climb to stray off to the level north
in pleasant residences and undulat-
ing farms. Il is a beautifully situated
place, and II is a very wide-awake,
progressive community. We, who
have always known it, and have early
associations rooted there. love il: but
far-away people who never had
grandfathers living there, know it
only by one thing, it is the home Of
Bayard Taylor Just as Cambridge
Is known to us as the home of Lowell
and Longfelow, just as Portsmouth
means Aldrich. and Amesbury, Whit
tier, and Concord. Emerson. Haw-
thorne and Louisa AlcOtt, so does
Kennett Square. out in the world
stand for Bayard Taylor-poet, nov
elist. traveler-and it is his story
about his native village that has made
classic many of the houses and farms
l. hot Il
thought quite worth while to go to
Kenneth pilgrimages to identify them
just as we in poetical mood, make
Journeys TO THE House of Seven Ga
bles' and THE Old Manse."
Among all his novels-all well-writ-
ten and interesting-the STORY OF
Kennett," is to me the most pleasing
and reposeful. bearing definitely the
ssured touch of good literture. One
feels. in reading, that ono is among
kindly. old-fashioned. real people.
was treasured in this estimate
only the other day. when a friend
knowing that l had just been in Ken
nett. said It find some new beauty
IN It every time" And another
busy lawyer. not given TO sentiment
picked up the book from the table
where he was making a quiet call
one day. and read in mellow tones the
description Of the homecoming OF
Gilbert and Martha in the sOft-even-
ing twilight. saying. as he closed the
book, There! Isn't that poetry? II
the form is prosel" Bayard Taylor
had indeed the happy power to reveal
the beautiful and poetic, which IN
heres in even the most commonplace
and familiar. That is what poets car
do
One thing that gives a charm tC
this book is the title; it is avowedll
about Kennett--the poets own birth
place. This was a stone house on tbs
southern side of the main street o
the town. on the corner diagonall!
opposite TO the Unicorn Tavern" o
the story.
! happened to be in Kennett S1uar
in the August Of 1878, and witnesses
one night the burning OF this historic
building. only a few months befor,
the death of Bayard Taylor himself
in Berlin where he had gone less thar
a year earlier. by appointment o
President Hayes. as the United States
Minister to Germany.
There surely was never a NOR
popular governmental appointment
than that of Bayard Taylor 10 III
court of Berlin. His wide acquaint
ance with other countries. which hi
travels haS given; his knowledge o
foreign languages, especially Of Ger
man. which he had studied critical,
in making translations, notably 70
his chef d'oeuvre, GOethes Faust; hi
numerous personal friendships Their
and family connections through hi
wife, as we'll as his valuable exper
fence as Secretary Of Legation, Il
Russia. during our Civil War, whel
so many delicate situations Of vita
import to our country had 10 be me
and manipulated by him as Charg
d'affairs. in the absence of Genera
Cameron, the Minister; all these mad
him particularly fitted for this neV
post. and everyone. not only here. bu
in foreign countries, as we'll. SCENE
TO see the appropriateness Of the ap
pointment, and showered him and tn
administration with congratulationi
II was pleasing to be thus honoreC
and his wife was more than glad
go 10 her home. under so favorabl
circumstances: but alas. how soon
ended In December. we learne
that he was gone, and on a col,
bleak day in the next March. hi
funeral was held at Longwood. thor
sands of people crowding to pa
honor to the dead poet, their believe
neighbor.
Memorial meetings. of the mo:
feeling and genuine character. wer
afterward held in many places-iT
formal, in so far as set program
and stilted addresses were concerned
but crowded beyond all expectation
or precedent, by sincere and quiC
mourners, to listen to heartfelt word
of love and sorrow-expression {
esteem and appreciation from pei
sons in all walks of life. The one
Boston was particularly remarkabl
for the coming together of so man
literary men and scholars; -journa
lists. scientists, diplomats, officials
and all in an unofficial, simple way
tell Of the love they bore their brotf
er-poet and friend Whittier. Holmes
Longfellow, Lowell. Aldrich lin som
ways the dearest friend OF ALL, Ste6
man. Stoddard. Boxer were all Iii
ing then. and gave his memory trit
ute. In his old hometown, the pee
pie. who had known him from child
hood. gathered in sad conclave. an
Lid I,,rf,,