The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1940-03-11
EDWARD MARKHAM
Best Loved Poet OF Labor
BY c. H. UMsTEAD

Markham, came to Washing
ton he always stopped for a few
minutes at our home. and when
ever we visited the lower part of
New York City we made ity a
point to visit Mr.. and Mrs. Mark
ham at their home at 90 Waters
Avenue on Staten Island. Mr..
Markham would have been 88
years old on April. %.
The last time my wife and
visited them was in midsummer
about z p. m. On the day before
we started, ] realized that he had
just written 'The Gallows Bird
for the Mercury Magazine and that
/ had not read it and that it would
be embarrassing for us all if the
poet should ask me how / liked
his latest poem. Thinking
could get a copy at all or any
book store, / started out. Going
along Vesey Street, Christopher
Street and Varick Street, / was
unable to find a copy. All were
sold out and / had to travel to
near the Battery before I found
copy. Fortified by the satisfac-
ton that / had read the poem in
"the Mercury, we proceeded to
the ferry and landed ION the
north shore of Staten Island.
My wife suggested that we
phone from the ferry depot and
be sure that they would be at
home. Upon receiving an af-
firrnative answer and a very
cordial invitation, we boarded
what looked like the first street
car made in America.
When the motor started the roof
of the car seemed to sway from
side to side and to recede from
the motorman about a foot, and
when the brakes were applied
the reverse motion took place
and the roof would leave the con-
ductor about the same distance
as it previously left the motor
man. This kept going until we
reached our destination. Some
of the passengers seemed to think
it was funny to ride inside such
an Anticipated conveyance but to
one who realized the danger
there was nothing grotesque
about the whole outfit, only a
case of greed upon the part of an
unsympathetic utility company
and politicians.
Arriving at Winter Avenue
House, Mr.. and Mrs. Markham
greeted us very cordially. My
wife had assisted the poet in his
previous arrangements for his
lecture tours and they went into
a discussion of rates, railroad
routes, tickets for proposed lee
lures, ETC., while Mrs. Mark
ham seemed to be disturbed
about her son, Virgil, who was
away at college and had been, or
was about to be, initiated or haz-
ed before entering some college
fraternity. She said something
about having to walk thinly clad,
on a narrow plank, over a brook
on a cold night, and was in an
awful state of anxiety.
The poet had told her there
was no danger and to think
nothing of it, and tried to assure
her that the poet was absolutely
correct and. that her son would
soon have a chance to haze or
initiate the next set of applicants
to the ranks of his fraternity.
But none of our arguments ap-
peared to her mothers instinct as
very convincing.
1 When we were about to leave,
the mosquitoes had started to col
1ect on the screen doors of the
enclosed porch and Mrs. Mark
ham carried out large table
lamp to help us find our way to
the sidewalk. Upon reaching the
car line, my wife limited that it
might be considered rude not to
have paid more attention to what
the poet had to stay but she for
got that the poet and / had a long
discussion relative to his latest
poem, ''The Gallows Bird, while
she and the poets wife were dis
cussing their fine library, which
covered the walls of two large
rooms on the first floor
On a later occasion the writer
visited the poet alone at his house
| ~, ono ba croxyo tho xIyrifof. covpral