New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-04-16
"Deleting Paul Reve,.r
An Acquaintance Of Lo,,..r
Thinks the Poet Would o.:
D the Editor Of The Tribune.

"uiu Obies,
To the Editor Of The Tribun.
Sir; In your issue Of April =,
caption "Deleting Paul Reverb nc" "a
well thinks that on the coming ,s.t o'o
We ought to omit the word oB,;.;..- /" ~,
sort enemy" in Longfellow', ,,;--M =
Revere's Ride" s eit
In conversation on this very
I had with Longfellow he tols -. IA
convince me that If he wer. No.. 20 =
would tell Us not 20 change !. .v.. e
one occasion. and would give ,vs.;. y
sons why. Long;ellow was noted fo.s,A
Illness Of expressions. The main -. :" -
he wished TO emphasize, Of coyr,. :, 's
ginning the poem BY Listen. nv ebpI.
you shall hear was to tell ,bsm '' -1'<
forefa'hers did. not 20 brag over /, ~"
british was 20 tell US with vbo- tss
fathers were contending VI -
We don't want 20 softsoap tho ,o.
The English people wouldn't eYper, 4. . 4
are not that narrow. l. deals u;.s u
tseif part Of, our fixed history 80 d
British take no little interest In. az 2
some Of our recent writers try 70 "s
believe that Longfellow is apprec,..s 80" :
IN England than IN the United S,..., ~
In l'SO one fine spring morning e.,
in front Of the old historic Lon1fsu..'-, =
n Cambridge, Mass, known as Graz. p.
the headquarters Of Washington dur, /.
operations about Boston in the begi,,,ss.' y
the War Of Independence.
was young and had a desire n
many Of our great men as oppor,ur,,-
m'tted. had previously visited Whit,
his home IN Amesbury Mass, and 10 ~
quite deaf. his Quaker ways and -
distant and cold demeanor made No -
So when J started up tho gravel walk 49,.
rho Lorgfellow house It was vita ,,.',
cradle fear that might have 10 20 t..
"a lot Of ceremony and perhaps meet eols.-
from the very start. For the though, -
What have 20 offer such q man Of l,,.,- !
| had my business card ready 20 hand -
servant, whom | expected 10 meet AZ n. -
when heard heavy footsteps on n. "a
porch, and a good-sized man anpes,.I !.
oeckoned for me 20 cross the laua !, y
porch. IA I stepped upon the por,. I
reached out his hand shall never a..
that large but very soft hand-and | a.
Have ! the honor OF meeting Mr.. Lo,v.
low?' He replied in his kindly. soi, Va,
Il guess you have" / said: Mr.. Lope,,T.,
I have always wanted 20 see7vou eve, a..
we used TO read your Paul Reyeres Rid
school Yes" he said; sit down h,,. i
me porch with me and We Will talk /, ava,
/ began 70 Try 20 excuse myself for ,akiu,
his valuable time, when be put me At ess
once by telling ne that he had some r,
doing the spring work on his grounds; y,
he was simply directing them and was ,s,,
wise disengaged. lie began to ask n, ,
sorts OF questions about my business =.
made It appear as though he was grss,ly ,
terested. This. of course. made me i,,l ,
home; and after a long conversation 4, !,
vited ne into his library, a place very q.
wanted to see.
This was all wonderful to a young, IN
perienced boy. When was taking nv las
said: "Mr Longfellow. my people Al h,-
will be very glad 10 know that called ,
YOU His last words made me feel two y
taller; "You tell your people am very "a
you called Thus ended my meeting wi,i 4
great and kind-hearted poet, who died y
years later in 1882.
When talking about his paul Reysr,
Ride" he called attention 70 the friendly
ations existing at that time between q
land and the United States. and he beis7
We would never 90 to war with Engr
again, and spoke Of how well he was r.ctH
by the whole English people while visit
their country.
| hope the poem will be read without
word changed, in every school in the eou,r
and printed IN every newspaper on April
Il is Patriots Day" and legal holiday
Massachusetts, and Maine.
FRANK L. S0WTER
New York. April -. 1917.