Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-10-09
"REMINISCENCES
FDR. CONWELL
Stories of Longfellow, Miss AL
colt and Emerson Hitherto
Unpublished

~ II. Conwell addressed his old friends
I Of the Baptist Social Union and told some
"reminiscences that had never found their
way into print
Dr. Conwell told Of a memorial service TO
Bayard Taylor over which he was called
upon TO preside. In arranging the program
he asked Oliver Wendell Holmes to write
a poem on Mr. Taylor and read II at the
service. DR.. Holmes threw up his feet in
dersion.
Me write a funeral poem! why, they
would all laugh. But / will tell you what
to do. You go over to Cambridge and see
! Longfellow. Tell him I sent you, and ask
him TO write "a poem on Taylor and tell
him If he will I will read it at the service.
| You will never get him to read it. He is so
! shy"
/ So DR.. Conwell went over to the we'll
| known house in Cambridge. lie presented
! Or. Holiness card with his own, and was
| kindly received When he explained his
| errand Mr.. Longfellow was silent for a
| time; but finally said he would not prom
| Use, but If the muse came he would write a
poem for the funeral Of Mr.. Taylor.
| After several days Longfellow sent u
| messenger to Doctor Conwell asking him
| to come to his house. He went, and the
| aged poet handed him sheet with the first
! lines of the poem on Bayard Taylor, ending
! with the lines;
"ln what gardens Of delight
Rest thy weary feet tonight"
He asked if that was the idea he had
in mind and the reply was, They are the
finest lines for such an occasion ] have ever
seen" Longfellow then walked TO the win
dow and stood looking out silently long
| time. At last he turned to Mr.. Conwell and
said:
Il do not think | can finish it,"
why? We shall be greatly disappointed
If you do not. These lines are fine
We'll" said Longfellow, 81 have had a
| singular experience DO you believe in ap-
paritions?'
Doctor Conwen said that he thought
sometimes the sense Of the presence Of "a
departed friend might be so strong that
we might have the impression of an ocular
vision.
We'll" said the poet, "when l was writ
| ing, and reached the last line. the face of
Mary (hs first wife) came to me as plainly
as l see yours, | do not think l can go
on with the poem
lie was finally persuaded to finish II.
But as careful reader will see, and as
| critics have observed, the rest of the poem
after that line is Of different spirit.
Il was singular TO remember, also that
! when Doctor Holmes rose to read the poem
| at lIe memorial service 10 MI. ldyluT llt
! read as far as the lines quoted, and stopped
| and turned to take his seat. When Doctor
| Conwell asked him what was the matter, he
was deeply agitated, and said, II do not
understand it. There is break there.
This is a different poem"
All felt the solemnity Of the event
! James Russell Lowell, who was sitting near
| on the platform, said, This is the Sabbath
time" At last Doctor Holmes said, 81 will
read the rest Of the poem," which he did.
Doctor Conwell told the incident as illus
trating the pervading presence of the spirit
of his first wife in all Mr.. Longfellow's
poetry. Her tragical and uutimely death
left tinge of melancholy in his whole life
and writings,
How Longfellow Met His First Wife
Doctor Conwell also told the story of the
way in which Mr. Longfellow became ac-
quainted with his first wife, an incident
which does not appear in any of his biog-
raphes.
Mary Potter was daughter of Judge
Potter at Portland, Me. When Longfellow
was a student at Bowdoin College, at
Brunswick he and his chum went to
convention in Portland. They were enter
tanned at Judge Potters house The FAM
lily had gone away into the country i'll order
that room might be given for the enter
tainment of the delegates to the conven-
tion. Mr.. Longfellow was given a room
cally and appropriately fitted to each other
and their surroundings that his sympathetic
soul was delighted; and when they were
going back 10 Brunswick he made bet
with his chum that if he should see the
lady who occupied that room anywhere in
the world he could point her out.
SO the next Sunday Longfeow and his
chum went back TO Portland, and to the
church in which Judge Porter worshiped.
When the Judge came in, followed by his
| family, Longfellow pointed TO the second
| lady in the line, and said;
That is she"
The Young men were invited TO dinner by
the Judge and Longfellows judgment was
found 10 be true. So he met Mary Potter,
whose influence largely nodded the cast of
thought of the great poet. Theirs was
perfect union. They thought alike; they
loved the same things; their tastes were
the same. They were ideally happy. When
in after years Longfellow, because he was
so Overrun with curious callers at the
house in Cambridge, was urged to buy
more retired house out in Concord near
where Thoreau had his little home, he re-
Piled
II do not care to change. But If ever I
| should buy another house it would be a
| little brick house in Portland"
| The house where Mary Potter lived.
The Author of Little Women"
In the course of his newspaper work
| Doctor Conwell went out TO Concord to in.
| terview Louisa Alcott. He raped at the
| front door of the old.fashioned house and
| some one, whom he took for the maid,
| came to the door.
! I'D like TO see Miss Alcott," he said
| Come right in," said she.
| But please take my card to Miss Alcott
| Perhaps she will not care TO see a news
| paper man, and l do not wish to intrude
| unless l am welcome"
Throwing a dish towel over her shoulder,
she said:
oh come in. l am Miss Alcott"
So he went in, and had a cordial and
| pleasant interview with the writer who has
so perfectly interpreted the spirit of girl
hood, As they were talking Miss Alcott's
father, the originator of the Concord school
of philosophy, came in the door Miss AL
colt handed him the dish towel and said /:
| Here, father, you go and finish wiping
the dishes l was not half through, but ]
| want to talk TO this newspaper man"
All really great people are simple com
| mented Doctor Conwell.
When Emerson Laughed
Young Conwell was sent by Horace Gree.
ley to interview Ralph Waldo Emerson fol
the New York Tribune. He was pleasantly
received by Mr.. Emerson In his home In
Concord, surrounded by his family, anG
was furnished much material In the
| 90 the CONFORMATION ha AF.