The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1919-06-05

Waits younger brother, George, enlist
ed; and when he was wounded at the
battle of Fredericksburg, in December
| 1862, Walt went to the front to care
| for him.
Once there, he remained as II volun.
| teer nurse and hospital visitor during
the rest of the war, supporting himself
by acting as correspondent for New
York daily. a brother correspondent
says of him that "his devotion surpassed
the devotion of woman. 1t would take n
volume to tell of his kindness, tender
ness and thoughtfulness. When he APP
peared, in passing along, there was
smite of affection and welcome on every
face. however wan, and his presence
seemed to light up the place as it might
have been lighted up by the God OF
| love"
BY June. 1864. the strain was telling
on his health. Doctors warned him to
stop, but he simply couldn't. His let
ters to his mother during these years.
published after his death under the Ii
tie of The Wound Dresser" show what
kind of Il heart he put into this work.
In Indian Bureau.
When the war closed Whitman was
appointed to Il clcrkship in the Interior
department. believe that he served
in the Indian bureau. Secretary of the
Interior Harlan fired Whitman when
he found that he was the author OF
Leaves of Grass" He was then given
- place In the treasury department,
where he served until 1873. when he had
a stroke of paralysis. from which later
he partially recovered This stroke was
the far-off result of his work in the hos
pitfalls. He had never recovered from
the strain
When he was stricken. Walt moved
to Camden, y. j., where his brother
George was living. The years in Wash
ington had increased the circle of his
friends who were also admirers and
disciples; John burroughs was one of
the group who is still with us. English
literary critics, led by William NJ Kos
setti. We're becoming Interested, and
some of them enthusiastic. But in spite
of these cncouragemcnts. the remaining
10 years of his life gave Walt an ample
chance to test his optimism in practice,
He met the test magnificently. He had
never married. He lived alone. He was
poor. He was partially crippled There
were many who still misuIderstood, rid
iculed and denounced both the poet and
his works. Some of these were men
whose praise he would have priced. and
whose curses cut. lie died on March
20. 1892. of diseases which had caused
him intense suffering.
Never Whimpered.
But he had never whimpered When
he couldn't smile. he was silent. lie
never gave abuse for abuse. He pos
sessed and enjoyed the dear love of
comrades" lie was convinced that
his books would live, and that one day
he would be understood by ALL as then
by few These We're compensations1
enough. Hamlin Garland. the novelist.
speaking of these later years, says that
there was something fine and hardy
and American about him. Beyond that
he was one of the noblest figures I have
ever seen. With his great dome. his
snow-white hair, with his bright, flash
ing beautiful face, in which there was
no line of bitterness or accusation
knew at once. when | looked at him.
that he was in very truth the great op- |
timist which his writings had made me
believe that he really was"
Roll of Admirers.
His centenary finds the roll of Whit |
mans admirers and disciples extended |
to include the great majority Of really
cultured Americans. He is generally |
regarded as one of our greatest poets
and moralists We have grown used
to his novel style. We have forgiven
him his occasional crudeness in the
choice of words. We understand better |
the spirit in which he wrote OF the
Lodv we have gotten past these things |