Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1916-1918, 1917-01-12
Alfred Tennyson-by Helen
CriSSWell

llOn l spent my Christmas IN town ana
il had nice time. l am going to write
about poet.
Alfred Tennyson was born in Som
ersby, England, on the sixth day of
August, 1909. Alfred's father was the
village rector and there in the white
rectory house, among the leafy elms,
came the tiny babe that was destined to
become the greatest poet Of his age. His
mother was gentle lady and was
kind hearted. The mean boys of the
village used to beat their dogs under
meath her window in order to be bribed
to leave. There were twelve children in
the Tennyson family and they lived in
a little world Of their own. The seven
boys would often play they were
knights defending a castle or rescuing
maldens. Sometimes they fought mimic
battles, dividing themselves into two
camps, each having a willow wand set
up in its midst for a king. Each party
tried to overthrow the other king
with a stone
The love of beauty was very strong
in them and they told marvellous tales
and fancied themselves knights and
heroes about which they read. They
liked to write about their play and
often put the histories Of their battles
beneath the potato bowl on the table,
that their father might read them. But
it was not all pfaytime The children
We're taught at home and at the village
school Alfred showed thought beyond
his years when very young. When five
years of age, as the wind swept through
the garden Of the rectory he spread
out his little arms in great giee and
cried II hear a voice that's speaking in
the wind Alfred always loved the sea.
He once ran bareheaded to the shore
to hear the moaning music made by the
sea. Charles Tennyson, next older than
Alfred was his constant companion
through life, but his genius was less
than his brothers. The two boys were
sent to South Grammar school for a
short time, but soon returned to Som
ersby and attended a school called
"Cadney's." During this time they
wrote verses. In 1927 they carried, these
to publisher and they were published
under the nam Poems by Two Broth
ers.' The critics paid little attention to
this work and its sale was confined to
the family friends. The world little
dreamed that poet was springing up
in it's midst.
The following year Charles and AL
fred went to Trinity college, Cambridge.
Their older brother had spent two
years there and had taken the college
prize for the Greek poem This life was
great change from the sleepy village
of Somerby and the influence of the
strong. thoughtful minds gathered
there was of great benefit to Tennyson.
At that time there We're a number Of
young men at Trinity who had unusual
talent. The Tennyson boys found
friends Of their own age who had the
same tastes and they used to meet and
tell stories and talk and plan for the
future. These college days were full Of
, delight and profit 1t was here that
Alfred met Arthur RaTlam. a young
man Of rare sweetness Of character,
who gave promise of great genius.
Hallam and Tennyson were soon drawn
to each other in a friendship closer than
| that Of two brothers. Both young men
wrote, and Tennyson afterward said
HE still outstriped me in the race"
In 1929 Tennyson gained the chancel-
| lor's gold medal for a poem on Tenn
buctoo In 1880 Tennyson published
little book of verses. A great sorrow
was hanging over the young poet now
[ Arthur Hallam who became dearer
| with every passing year. died suddenly
at Vienna. Gods finger touched him
and he slept For seventeen years
Tennyson relieved the burden of his
heart in a memorial poem. The volume
published in 1912 took the world by
storm. His later poems were full of
pictures Of English scenery. the bastles
and baronial halls. the homesteads and
We'll kept gardens. the glorious woods
and the ever changing seat. Charles
Dickens was one Of the first to recog
nize Tennyson's genius. In 1850 Tenny-
son gave to the world poem TN
Memoriam." Tennyson was made the
poet laureate. That was also the year
OF his marriage to Emily Sellwood Two
sons. Hailam and Lionel were born at
the beautiful home at FArringford. In
the midst of all the beauty and COM
fort that was around him he lived a
quiet life. His pen was never idle and
his last poems were as full Of melody
az any he ever wrote. His most ia
nous poems are "Maude" THE
Princess and '1dyls of the King" The
great poets faith grew brighter and
more hopeful during the last years of
his life and when he died in 1892 and
was laid to rest with the kings and
queens in Westminster Abbey his own
words came to many a sorrowing heart:
Come away. for life and thought
Here no longer dwell.
But in a citv glorious,
great and distant city, have bought
A mansion incompatible,
Would they could have stayed with
US.
Thus It was that Alfred Tennyson
was laid to rest as other great poets
have been.
Helen Criswel
R. r. No. g Ottumwa, Ia