The New York Times from New York, New York • Page 22

nis NEW YORK. SATURDAY. JULY 25. 1903. FROM READERS.

Clackberrlet School Books, and Early Influences. Xtm Yr rttwct SornTcof Book: JOUR column ot Queries and "Appeals to Reader. have rare fascination for many ot the boys and Slrla ft the long ago. trho now read through classes more or less brishtly. Under their charm- to Influence tho halo of youth reappears revivified and enlarged, time and space are bridged, iind the fragrant of life's Springtime flowers seems to permeate every part of its harvest-time, In the, issue of Mrs.

Fannie O. Brines of Sheffield, reported thirty-five letters received from readers -with whom "The Blackberry Girl 'V stilt Uvea. Ia this report may be recognised a marked tribute to Tub Nrw Tor Times Saturday Review or books as a tracer of stray poetic children, some of them the fairer of the lot living in helpless orphanage. This fortunate reader's basket must be piled as high with letter-copies of "The Blackberry Girl as the unfortunate Fhcbe's was with berries just before she climbed the fence, the nearest way to when, as aha told her mother, her aproa caught upon a stake and then (she) tumbled down." Little Phebe, It would seem, was as brave aa she was unfortunate, and mid: "I scratched my arm and tore my hair, but still did not complain, and had my blackberries been safe would not have cared a grain." Yet. Just like a she continued: But when I saw them on the ground all scattered by my side, I picked my empty basket up, and down I sat and cried," It 1 entirely safe, however, to assume that rtiebe precisely as our Phebrs with their April-day faces would do In the same circumstances after her good cry," broke out Into smtta and was seen trlrplwg away ti the Metals more blackberries; they.

were very abundant, very large, and so delicious! It seems to me. Mrs. Brines, writes. the interest of the renders In the poem has been extraordinary, and It occurs to this writer to suggest if we would seek reasons for this extraordinary Interest that we should look to those blackberries, themselves. Is it not memory of tlinwe, awakened by the simple song, that stirs the boys and girls of other years? "Where else has one ever found berries black, red or yellow, as they were found up In' the grand old mountains' of Vermont.

New. Hampshire, 'and Massachusetts Assuredly poetic Imagery In The Blackberry Girl cannot account wholly for this absorbing Interest. Its lines are feeble enough, contrasted with the strength and brilliance of the poetic gems that glitter in the pre of our own times jewels that on the stretched forefinger of Time win sparkle forever." And the school books of slaty and seventy years ago, were they not as superior to those of to-day as the blackberries, if test of superiority be the quality that help In laying firm foundations for a good education la the same number in which Mrs. Brines makes her report. Mr.

E. Ford of 432 Carlton Avenue. Brooklyn, expresses the wish for a copy of tha poem commencing: How big was Alexander. A'a. that people called him great As memory recalls.

It. the Inquisitive boy presented his father two objects by, way of comparison, following the couplet quoted, with: "Was he like some Goliath tall, with spear an hundred weight Was be so great that he could stand. Ilka some tall steeple high, and while his feet were an. th arrounw hla hand could touch the His father, paternally anxious to lead hla boy to a consideration of that which conat'tutes enduring fame, replied: "'Twas not his stature made him great, but greatness of his name," The boy. It Would reemvdld not catch the Idea Intended, but he caught a good one and -rejoined: name so great! I know 'tis long, though easy quite to spell, and more than halt a year ago I knew it very well." The boys and girls up In the little red school houses tt New England, by close study and frequent of their few simple books learned how to spell, bow to read, now to write, and how to cipher, and la this hand-to-hand struggle caught the rapture of the strife." and acquired a life-long love of books.

It came to them that "the world was round, and like a ball, seemed swinging in the air," as did many other bits of useful Information, while making their iittla trips wirh Peter Parley. The books of the Little Red School House era were few In number, but who may measure the depth of their Inspiration? The love of letters, of literature, of home and country, of all the virtues that have made the Uvea of New England's sons Illustrious la the last fifty years it were a profitable study, indeed, that should shew to what extent these have been shaped and controlled by the public school-book lessons of that "period. Those anions publications were dkUetlo from cover to cover. Advanced pedagogues, nowadays, point with pride to tielr Nature Studies." Have we forgotten "The Teung Reader," our first school book, in which we were shown How doth the little busy bee tmpewrvacBi shining hour? and In which there securely nested "A white old hen with yellow leg, who laid her master msny and In which, aa In other Books, judiciously graded. The introduction to the English Reader." "The Friend of Touth." and "The National we formed las tin tf with, "every lender living thing," almost? Can we ever forget Alice Fell, and her adventure in the poet -chaise? or Lucy Grey, aitd her sad.

sad fate, the dear little girl "who dwelt on a wide moor, the sweetest flower tliat aver grew beside the cottar, door? No tears because of the hard lines of the boys and girls In The Blackberry Girl's" set, but sympathy mar not be misapplied If extended to some of the Me-ttmtf of modern school systems In some ritles apparently unaware that theo la wrsug with schnol that sends the pupil home st the close of the terra, hi less perfect phjraWal condition than when she first nnleted IL W. Rl'SSELL. Washington. l. C.

July HXO. ea-awaaasawaxawaaj funny Crosby's Life Story. r4 fart Time Bttmrdrng RteUm itf Seeia; Fanny Crosby life story, told in the simplicity or b'tr own words, gives to the pubUo a real view of real woman. The book Is overflowing with "life, liberty, and the ponmlt of happiness," of which she has aoight moat diligently for others, and la tha seeking found to so great a degree that. like Rebecca of old, she stands at the well of life giving forth cooling draughts to thirsty soul.

The psychologist studies the souL or no attempts. He administers not to Its needs. Fanny Crosby sends out the cry, Rescue the perishing, care for the dying; Jesus la merciful. Jesus will wave," -This story treats not only of tho blind poetess as a hymn writer, but aa a writer of secular songs. It gives interesting accounts of her meetings with people of note rover Cleveland.

Gen. Scott. James K. Polk. Jenny Llnd.

William Cullen Bryant, Horace Greeley, and her appearance before tho Senate and tho House, of Representatives. The book contains an introduction and poem by Will Carteton. a poem by Margaret gangster, and several pictures of Fanny It la published by the Everywhere Publishing Company, New York City. LILLIAN SNOW KIMBALL. Brooklyn.

Jury 20, 1MB. Dr. ElUs Weld Again. Tftt Sew Tor Time Safardog Ret it a Book: 1 have received prompt reply to the Inquiry I recently made In your columns in regard to Dr. Ellas Wild, the "wise old doctor" of "Snow-Bound." and the early friend and benefactor of VThlttier.

to whom he inscribed his poem, The Countess." The story of his life has been sent me by J. Edward Weld. of New York, who baa for years been collecting data In regard to the Weld family. It" may interest some of your readers to know something about the man to whom Whlttier so often. In verse and prose, acknowledged his Indebtedness.

In my former letter I stated that he was born in Brain tree in 177(1, In which case he would not have been bearing up the fourscore yesrs and ten with which Whlttier credits him In the prelude to The Countess." written In 113. I also stated that he ITailnwr-11 1t1l tn which case bit tier could not have been more than twelve or thirteen years old when he last saw him at East Haverhill. It seems he was born in 1772, and therefore would be ninety-one years old when the poem was written. Just aa Whlttier suggests; and he did not go to Hallowell until 1821. so that the young poet had all these additional years tn which to profit by Weld's library and his conversation.

He had fairly begun to blossom out in vera before the good old doctor left Rocks Village. Though he died in the very year in which Whlttier enshrined his memory In the poem yet he lived to read the dedication of The Countess," which Whistler sent to him In advance of Its publication. He died at Hudson. Ohio. May 4.

18(3. I am Inclined to think that the photograph of Dr. Weld I have found in an album of Whit tier's now In my possession was sent to the poet from Hudson In the last "months of the doctor's life, and that the receipt of It suggested his writing The Countess." or at least the prelude to It His statement of Weld's exact age In tho poem would Indicate he was tn corre-trpondence with him at about that time, for Whlttier- was one who had leas than the usual gift ef educated men for the memory ot dates. He was curiously inexact In this particular. Dr.

W'eld'r father was tike Rev. Exra Weld, for many years pastor of the church In Brain tree. Mass. a graduate of Tale, class of 173U. My Informant has not learned from what college the son was graduated, but one ot his letters epeaks of a time of inaction and great depression after leaving college, whejt he was ur.dedded as to bis future," He Is next heard from In East Haverhill, where be took up the medical practice of Dr.

Abbott, whose widow be married. He lived many years In Haverhill and became greatly Interested In young Whlttier, gave him the was of his library, directed hts reading, and aaelated in his education In many ways and often criticised his poems. In which he found much merit." About .823 he went to Hallowell. and had a large and successful medical practice. ID" wife and he had many relatives in thst vialnlty.

He was a delightful letter writer, and corresponded with many ef the noted men 'of his day. Falling In his health, in 1X18 he went to ManUus, N. and ten years later to Bel Irvine. N. intending to make his home with hla nephew.

Theodore D. Weld, who was afcaa a lifelong friend of Whlttier and his associate In anti-slavery work. Ia nine days after his arrival la wife died, and Dr. Weld then went to Casenovla, N. T.

Ia 18TjO he married a Mrs. Bll. and they removed to Richmond. Me. After a few years he went to Hudson.

Ohio, where he died. My informant writes: He was a handsome man, above' medium height, rather stout, dark eyes, and strongly marked face. He always wore an entire suit of drab or gray, with great coat and tall hat of the same color; and crlmpled. raffled ahlrt bosom, long after this fashion was out ef data. He always carried a book with him usually some volume of history or biography.

He was alwayejond of rutting poetical extracts from papers and magaatnea, and had his pockets filled with them. He waa not a member of any Church, and when criticised for that he said. I hare done Justly, loved mercy, and walked humbly before God what more raa be required of He died of pneumonia at the home of hla nloce, Mrs. Borah Tracy JT The late Gov. Hubbard of Maine was a practicing physician In Hallowell at the time Dr.

Weld waa there. A daughter of the Governor Informs me that she wvU remember the doctor. He used to pass our house two or three times every day, and used also to call upon father. I caa see him before me now a man of quiet manner, wen ring a suit of gray, and driving backward and forward rn his whlte-ooitrrd Chaise, with a very sedate hnrwa. I have heard my father say that Dr.

Weld was aa extremely well read man. not only la hla own profession, but la general 1 Iterator." Thanks to lh aide circulation af Tire New Ycax" Tim SaivaniT Ksvirw among the right ctaas ef readers throughout the country, I am getting other Information about a man who dwervee le be kept In memory of book lovers for the service he did la such tb-nely way In behalf of tha Quaker Isd of East Haverhill. SAM TEL T. PICK A RD. Amesbury.

July 23, HMX 4 IL Aeu Tr fl" Harare aVeW a Its; In the yeaa lca my father. Samuel II. Terry, housht a piece land oa the passale River, Belleville, N. railed Tho Ever-greens, from Llewellyn 0. Haskell, former ly owned by Theodore D.

Weld, who bought it in 1840. It waa a beautiful place, noted for its variety of fine trees, many of them planted by Mr. Weld. I have a piece of an old willow tree that Mr. Weld carried as a twig In hla hand and planted at the back door.

Which fell from age In 18W. I remember the schoolroom, with desk and benches, and seeing a gentleman and two ladies dressed in bloomers walking around to view their old home. There waa the body of a relative, burled under an old black walnut tree in the orchard, which later was taken away. It is my recollec-tton that my father told me It waa the body of Dr. Weld.

Ton might gather more information from William Lloyd or some of the eldest Inhabitants of Belleville. MINNIE TERRf. Woodhaven, N. July 25. 1U03.

Stephen C. Foster, Tie York Times Saturday Review of Books: The Sentinel, Milwaukee, about July 1002. printed notes on the composer. Stephen Collins Foster, "by a well-known local musician." Anecdotes afloat are often in unexpected corners. If collected, an interesting life might, be compiled; but it would be He was no Korner or Rouget tie I'lslo.

As the negro minstrels are nearly all gone, any direct particulars will have to come soon, I waa mixed up with the later generation, but, like all the Ann Street printers' boys, I often used to aee him and hall him with whistling one ef his ever-popular airs' as he proceeded to his haunt. This rendezvous with cronies-Graham, the magaslne publisher, whom Mr. Chi Ids rescued here, Greenhorn Thompson, Gaslight Foster, (no kin.) and the like, held symposium In the groggery," hack room of the Dutch corner grocery, slipping In by the aide door in "Tin pot" Alley. This descriptive nam hid the vanished splendor of Theatre Alley, erstwhile the trystlng place of the beaus waiting to mm thf man leo the atae door of tho Park Theatre. The chief theatrical organ had offices overhead, though the Inlet was on Nassau Street, so that the negro minstrel men, the Chrlstys, Bryans, Horns, or Whites, were wont to.

give a look In at No. One Around the Corner." and see that Steve's slate was not heavy with scoring. As in Graham's case, kind hearts tried to pluck the old ha'nts from this cave of the shades. Henry Morford, editing Anson Herrlcks Atlas, used patheTlcally to relate how he Ingeniously Inveigled Foster out of the scurvy Mermaid's clutches, sobered him, put him in the clawhammo" and ruffled shirt of the times, and presented him as the ruling spirit to a select party. Toung ladles dreamed of The Hasel Dell and wished to be a lady like Nelly twas a But the ducky waiters, also worshipping the author of "The Old Folks," (Apollo! If poor Steve had ever imagined Christine Nllason singing it!) and "My Old Kentucky Homo! would insinuate a glass as he sat at tha piano, and he had to be removed at too oar.iy an hour.

Oh, the wormwood in the honey of his music vows! would sob Morford, in his Othello voice he was reader at the 8upreme Court. But inebriety was inherent in the sons of the three-bottle men. Foster waa not, technically, a musician, but he created that catching and clinging melody which is beloved. It was the backbone of the negro minstrelsy which captivated England and fastidious Paris. Teftr after year, in the Paris spectacles, one might bear the familiar rir that they call "Drinn! drlna!" being the senseless burden; the gallery gods of the St- Martin Theatre Insist on It.

as the cockney on Rule Britannia before he win settle down to his pantomime. When Foster's part singing and the repeat" echo effect were first heard at the St. James Theatre, London, the (jueen, a devotee of harmony, listened, charmed, to Germon. the vocalist. We know that "Come Where My Love Lies Dreaming Impressed her, for fifty years after, st a Windsor concert, on the band playing for an encore a fantasia on a popular air.

she asked Its title. The equery reported thst the leader said Come Where the Boose Is Cheapest! being Coburn's parody in vogue, Victoria simply said: "It Is astonishing what odd names the musicians now-a-daya give their compositions! If her memory had been aa accurate for the music Ian aa for the music, Foster might have been revived. But there Is still time to raise a memorial to his grave at Ittts-burg. And his natal day being the Fourth of July. (ItCO.) might be a gala for the profession whom he lncommensurably benefited.

HENRY LLEWELLYN WILLIAMS. Pearl River. N. July 30. W0B.

II. TU rers Timtt aWarsas Jteains of Boot: The Percy F. Smith Printing and lithograph Company. 3U4 Wood Street. Pittsburg, published la 1WM a limited memorial edition of the life of Stephen Foster In quarto form, Illustrated.

I have a copy In my library. The exact title Is "Biography. Songs, and Musical Compositions of Stephen Foster. Author ot 'The Old Folks at Home, By bis brother. Morrison Fwater." Morrison Foster's address Is Shields Tost Of Ore, Allegheny" County, Pean.

JOSEPH O. BUTLER, JR. Toungvtown. Ohio, July 'JO, 1003. Dialect in Stories, Thr Terx rtswv HsreWey re few ef Soots; The remarks by Mr.

Aldan In yvnt last issue on the Scotch dialect stories tm my exewae for this. All language Is only a mode of expression or a vehicle of tbcught. Possibly lbs thoughta expressed la ordinary dialect stories need no special vehicle to carry them, or perhaps without a stwctnt vhlu'a they would be very ordinary goods. If any one 'wlahra to write a greet book and philosophise vn lite he la foolish to go to the wayside places for subject or treatment. But when It romea lo a little chapter of the story of a life, what better etttlng and col.

ertng then caa be found In Scottish life; and fortunately or unfortunately the Scotch have a peculiar mode of eipreaalng themselves. They use a dlalecl. They have Internet for us, those people with the strange tfingnw. Aye, more, something to teach U. know them strong mn and women actually knew them, they being among aa, and then we have them historically, looming large.

In abort. Ihey have done something for the doing of whk-U the world Is better, and ell.tr time ei perusing themselves In this dialect. We have respect for such a dialect. We would not be ashamed to own that our fathers used It. and for what It stands for let uh hear it.

Let us hear the Wee Macgreegora at home. It needs the dialect to give a picture of hla big-handed and big-hearted father. We would draw another man were we not to use the native pigments. No, no; missspel ling doesn't make a dialect; It is men and women who make a dialect either a desplsa-ble clatter or a delight as a sprig of thyme from the home garden. JOHN CLARK.

Brooklyn. N. July 2. IJX Reminiscences of Whistler. The ew York Timet gatmrdet Review of Bookti I went to London In 113 and there I met Whistler; He had just finished studying In Paris under Glevre, where George du Maurier and Robert Ridley were his fellow-students, but who, like him.

were about to start their art careers in the great British metropolis. Accompanied by Messrs. O'Connor. Ridley, and the late Charles Keene, artist ot Punch, I visited on Saturday afternoon his studio, which he callously named The White House." It was just around the corner from Cheyne Walk, Chelsea. It was an old bouse nicely furnished in an artistic way In the then prevailing fashion blue china plates and bric-a-brac of great variety, pictures on the walls, and odds and ends of Parisian fittings; a coxy.

little home just suited for an artist who lived a 1 Boheme." He made us very welcome and we had a most enjoyable time, because he was a conversationalist with the keenest sense of wit and humor. I saw much of him until I went to Paris. In W4 I vlaited London again and found Whistler In the name White House." with the largo studio still in the rear. It waa here some of his happiest hours were spent. Whistler's reputation had Increased in the years of ray absence.

He realised that was a pioneer in a new field of unpopular art and that he was making enemies of those who believed in the old formulas as the best. Now I be-gap. to kaflTf the rral man, hla rouragc. steadfastness, and determination to achieve success In hla chosen art, I will not attempt, however, to analyxe his art method -others will quarrel over that. He hated ehams of all kinds, and his fearless way of exposing them made things very lively at times.

I could write columns' of most delightful talks with him If your space permitted. No 'jard luck seemed to knock him over; he took the ills of life as a soldier. I remember meeting him at a costume ball at George H. Boughton's house one night. He appeared as Hamlet, and he was the merriest one I had ever seen; he asked me to the supper room to join him In a a lass of wine Koucrhton iolned us; we drank to the hostess and to each other, and Whistler waa In his best humor.

Judge of my surprise to read in next morning's papers that the Sheriff bad sold out all Whistler's effects from the White House on the previous day. He was a bankrupt, but not a single word from him about this summary and melancholy episode in his artistic career. A short time afterward the Fine Art Company of Bond Street sent him to Venice to make a collection of views tn colored chalks for their exhibit The result waa splendid; he waa well paid for his beautiful rendering of Venetian subjects. Since then many others have followed in his path. He had a bold, masterly way of using the etching point and in deallug with new color schemes.

At the time I refer te there were many clever artists in London who never nent picture to the Royal Academy. When Sir Coutts Lladaley built the Grosvenor, at expense and offered the same for the exhibition of pictures by artists like Ttasot. Burne-Jones, Whistler. Watts, and others of the new a world of art and criticism opened the gatea of progress. Whistler made a fine exhibit, I remember It well.

The Grosvenor Art Gallery was in New Bond Street, nesr the Royal Academy. In Piccadilly. Incidentally I will mention our meeting Carlyle one day oa Cheyne Walk; ho waa very much bent over with age. but there was fire la the eld man's eye and a cheery smile for his neighbor Whistler. To become a great succeas In Ijcndon in art a msn must be a genius.

Wuistler waa a genius. He has lived hla life to the end. one of the strongest and moat original cf men in the nrt world. ARTHUR LUMLET. New York July 21.

1303. Who Arc the Readers? far Vew Terk Tim RmJuriat Review of Soeaa: The majority of the people who have the Inclination to read and the. ability to appreciate good 11 tor slur, do not have time to road. Their tune is employed In making a Uvlngr accumulating money, or In other ways to such an extent that they have practically no time that thry can devote to reading literature. Of course those people read the newspapers, and books and journals pertaining to their profession or business, but they do not read at her works, either of fact or of fiction, to any extent.

Still, there must be a great many persons who do have both the time and the Inclination to read, rise What Is the use of the great flood of books of all kind a that keep pouring from the great publishing houses month after month tho whole year through. It must be that many, even of our busiest people, manage somehow or other to find more or less time to read, for we ran scarcely believe that we have hi this country a leisure class large encugh and with the reading habit strong enough to read half of the much-talked about booka that come out every year, to aay nothing of the magaaiaes and other publications. There Is very large class ot persons who do not read at all. and another Urge class who do not read anything but newspapers, and either bad or "light-weight" kind of literature. Of the remaining class, as has already been suggested, many are too busy to read ranch, so that It Is remarkable that the demand for the better class of books Una great.

I certainty indicates that there is Is this country a very large class of our people who have time. Inclination, and the means to gratify their tastes In this direction. J. ATKINS, -s Kanawha Falls. W.

July a. 10UO. rjohn bennctt's Career. John Bennett, author of "Muster Sky. Urk and Raraety Lee." published by the Century Company, started life aa an a.

A a a I llruatrator. lie was gTaauuiwa irorn in. I crt tMxa.r N.v Tnek. ftofoee I his marriage Mr. Herrnatt live at Chilli-! rot he.

Oh In. but since ta he has made his I home In Charleston, a..