Norwich bulletin., 1918-10-10
excited the sympathy Of all on board.
 HORACE PECKHAM, Age 13. Lebanon.
LonqfelIoW.

Perhaps the most beloved and wide ly read of American poets is Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. A greater prophet of beauty never lived, save the immortal Shakespeare, than the poet-teacher of Cambridge. His works have a charm which cannot be defined in mere words; a beauty of expression which only the cultured soul can fully appreciate.
 The one who said: The poetry of Longfellow is gospel of goodwill set to music. It has carried sweetness and light to thousands of homes. It is blended with our holiest affections and our immortal hopes" has voiced the appreciation of millions in his words.
 l know of no poet, living or dead, who has written such thoroughly en- joyable poems. His works have a certain life-giving effiuessence about them which refresh ones soul as the sparkling waters of the oasis do the tired and famished traveller.
 His "Courtship of Miles Standish," telling of the love of John Alden for Priscilla Mullens, with the scene laid at historic Plymouth, is one of the most exquisite romances ever written in verse;
 Then his 'EvangeIine," immortaliz- ing the expulsion of the Arcadians, with it's beautiful descriptive passages and sweet heroine, will ever delight the true lover of poetry.
 '"Hiawatha" is perhaps the best known of his longer poems, as since it's first publication the whole or se- lections from it have been reprinted in numberless volumes of verse and countless schoolboolzs; it is written in a peculiar metre and in it's sim plicity of beauty must be read care fully to be fully appreciated. It will always rank as one of the masterpieces of American literature-a lasting me l morial of the life and traditions of the now almost extinct Indian. Besides these notable epics, Long fellow has given us some prose and a | great many shorter poetical pieces. ''The Village Blacksmith" and "Chil- 1 dren's Hour" are chanted by a chorus | of youthful voices in almost every ] schoolroom in the country What better memorial could a poet have than to have engraven upon the | hearts of thousands his most price | less words?
 Longfellow's poems are cherished by almost every American as standing for 1 the highest and noblest ideals of the nation. This love of Longfellow is not provincial, nor is it alone national: 1t | is almost universal. England has shown her appreciation by placing a bust of Longfellow in the Poets Cor ner of Westminster Abbey. If the beautiful philosophy contained in some of Longfellow's poetry had been taught 1 in German schools instead of the gos- pei of hate, conscience might play some part in the making up of German i chara acter.
 How appropriate today are these words from Long fellows 'HThe Build ing of the Ship"
 Sail on, nor fear to breast the sea! Our hearts, our homes are all with
 thee.
 Our hearts, our hopes, our prayers, our l tears
 Our faith triumphant OCT our fears Are all with thee-are all with thee! ;"
 Although written many years ago
 we have no grander words to express the spirit of the American people | towards their government than this
 selection from their beloved poet WALTER V. GAVIGAN. VVi11irna ntic