He shall rank now with the sages Who survive in cla.s.sic pages, English, German, French and Latin, Greek, so weary to construe; Did he con his Epictetus Ere he came to-night to greet us?
He, _aoristos_ in reverence, among the learned few.
He may climb no more the mountain, But he still employs the fountain Pen from whose incisive point pure Helicon may flow, And his "Yesterdays" so cheerful Charm the world so wild and tearful, And the Devil calls for copy, and he never answers "No."
Do I speak for everybody, When I utter this rhapsdy, To induce our friend to keep his pace in following Life"s incline; Never slacken, but come on, sir, Eighty-four years I have won, sir; Still the olive branch shall bless you, still the laurel wreath entwine!
So, you scribbling youths and la.s.ses, Elders, too, fill high your gla.s.ses!
Let the toast be Wentworth Higginson, of fourscore years possest; If the Man was good at twenty, He is four times that now, ain"t he?
We declare him four times excellent, and better than his best.
The early days of 1904 brought "a very severe blizzard. Sent tea to the hackmen on Dartmouth Street corner."
She never forgot the hackmen in severe weather.
"They _must_ have something hot!" and tea or coffee would be despatched to the shivering men. They were all her friends; the Journal has many allusions to "Mr. Dan" Herlihy, the owner of the cab stand, her faithful helper through many a season.
"_January 27, 1904._ I was so anxious to attend to-day"s [suffrage]
meeting, and so afraid of Maud"s opposition to my going, that my one prayer this morning was, "Help me." To my utter surprise she did not oppose, but went with me and remained until our part of the hearing was finished, when she carried me off. I read my little screed, written yesterday. When I said, "Intelligence has no s.e.x, no, gentlemen, nor folly either!" laughter resounded, as I meant it should...."
"_March 6._ In the evening to hear "Elijah" finely given. Some of the music brought back to me the desolate scenery of Palestine. It is a very beautiful composition.... The alto was frightened at first, coming out stronger in "Woe unto them," and better still in "Oh, rest in the Lord."
The audience seemed to me sleepy and cold. I really led the applause for the alto."
"_March 13._... Wrote to John A. Beal, of Beal"s Island, offering to send instructive literature to that benighted region, where three mountebanks, pretending to teach religion, robbed the simple people and excited them to acts of frenzy."
"_March 17._ Mrs. Allen"s funeral.... I had a momentary mental vision of myself in the Valley of the Shadow, with a splendid champion in full armor walking beside me, a champion sent by G.o.d to make the dread pa.s.sage easy and safe...."
"_April 2...._ Learned the deaths of X. and Abby Morton Diaz. Poor X., her conduct made her impossible, but I always thought she would send flowers to my funeral. Mrs. Diaz is a loss--a high-strung, public-spirited woman with an heroic history."
"_April 4._ To the carriage-drivers" ball. They sent a carriage for me and I took Mary, the maid.... Mr. Dan was waiting outside for me, as was another of the committee who troubled me much, pulling and hauling me by one arm, very superfluous. My entrance was greeted with applause, and I was led to the high seats, where were two aides of the Governor, Dewey and White, the latter of whom remembers Governor Andrew. The opening march was very good. I was taken in to supper, as were the two officers just mentioned. We had a cozy little talk. I came away at about 10.30."
"_April 14._ Mr. Butcher came to breakfast at nine o"clock. He told me about the man Toynbee, whom he had known well. He talked also about Greeks and Hebrews, the animosity of race which kept them apart until the flourishing of the Alexandrian school, when the Jews greedily absorbed the philosophy of the Greeks."
This was Mr. S. H. Butcher, the well-known Greek scholar. She enjoyed his visit greatly, and they talked "high and disposedly" of things cla.s.sical and modern.
"_May 28._ My meeting of Women Ministers. They gathered very slowly and I feared that it would prove a failure, but soon we had a good number.
Mary Graves helped me very much.... Afterwards I felt a _malignant_ fatigue and depression, not caring to do anything."
In June she received the first of her collegiate honors, the degree of Doctor of Laws, conferred by Tufts College. This gratified her deeply, and she describes the occasion at length, noting that she was "favored with the Tufts yell twice."
"Lawrence Evans came, and Harry Hall.... I read the part of my speech about which I had hesitated, about our trying to put an end to the Turkish horrors. It was the best of the speech. Seeking divine aid before I made my remarks, I suddenly said to myself, "Christ, _my brother_!" I never _felt_ it before."
"_June 16._ Maud would not allow me to attend Quincy Mansion School Commencement, to my sincere regret. The fatigue of yesterday was excessive, and my dear child knew that another such occasion would be likely to make me ill. Charles G. Ames came, from whom I first learned the death of Mrs. Cheney"s sister, Mary Frank Littlehale; the funeral set for to-day.... Dear E. D. C. seemed gratified at seeing me and asked me to say a few words.... She thanked me very earnestly for what I had said, and I at last understood why I had not been allowed to go to Quincy. It was more important that I should comfort for a moment the bruised heart of my dear friend than that I should be a guest at the Quincy Commencement."
"_June 29._ Heard to my sorrow of the death of delightful Sarah Whitman.
Wrote a little screed for "Woman"s Journal" which I sent...."
In early July, she went to Concord for a memorial meeting in honor of Nathaniel Hawthorne.
"_July 11...._ Alice Blackwell, some days ago, wrote beseeching me to write to President Roosevelt, begging him to do something for the Armenians. I said to myself, "No, I won"t; I am too tired and have done enough." Yesterday"s sermon gave me a spur, and this morning I have writ the President a long letter, to the effect desired. G.o.d grant that it may have some result!"
"_July 17._ I despaired of being able to write a poem as requested for the Kansas semi-centennial celebration in October, but one line came to me: "Sing us a song of the grand old time!" and the rest followed...."
This poem is printed in "At Sunset."
"_July 21._ Writ ... to Mrs. Martha J. Hosmer, of Rock Point, Oregon, who wrote me a kindly meant letter, exhorting me to "seek the truth and live," and to write to a Mrs. Helen Wilman, eighty-five years old and the possessor of some wonderful knowledge which will help me to renew my youth...."
"_September 25._ I could not go to church to-day, fearing to increase my cold, and not wishing to leave my dear family, so rarely united now.
Have been reading Abbe Loisy"s "Autour d"un pet.i.t Livre," which is an apologetic vindication of his work "L"evangile et l"eglise," which has been put upon the Index [Expurgatorius]. I feel sensibly all differences between his apologetic _wobbly_ vindication of the Church of Rome, and the sound and firm faith of Thomas Hill."
"_October 2._ Mr. Fitzhugh Whitehouse, having left here a copy of my "From Sunset Ridge" for me to furnish with a "sentiment," I indited the following:--
From Sunset Ridge we view the evening sky, Blood red and gold, defeat and victory; If in the contest we have failed or won, "Twas ours to live, to strive and so pa.s.s on."
"_October 5...._ To Peace Congress, where Albert Smiley was presiding. A wonderful feature came in the person of a Hindu religionist, who came to plead the cause of the Thibetan Llama. He said that the Thibetans are not fighting people: are devoted to religious contemplation, prayer, and spiritual life. He spoke valorously of the religions in the East as by far the most ancient. "You call us heathen, but we don"t call you heathen"; a good point. He concluded by giving to the a.s.semblage a benediction in the fashion of his own religion. It was chanted in a sweet, slightly musical strain, ending with the repet.i.tion of a word which he said meant "peace." So much was said about peace that I had to ask leave for a word, and spoke of justice as that without which peace cannot be had.... I said:--
"Mr. President and dear friends, a.s.sembled in the blessed cause of Peace, let me remind you that there is one word even more holy than peace, namely, justice. It is anterior in our intellectual perceptions.
The impulse which causes men to contend against _in_justice is a divine one, deeply implanted in the human breast. It would be wrong to attempt to thwart it. I hope that The Hague Tribunal will bear in mind that it is sacredly pledged to maintain justice. The brightest intellects, the most profound study, should be devoted to the promotion of this end."
The Greek bishop met me in the ante-room and said, "We always pray for you."..."
"_October 9._ I have felt more strongly than ever of late that G.o.d is the only comforter.... These great serious things were always present to work for in days in which I exerted myself to amuse others and myself too. It is quite true that I have never given up serious thought and study, but I have not made the serious use of my powers which I ought to have made. The Peace Congress has left upon my mind a strong impression of what the lovers of humanity could accomplish if they were all and always in earnest. I seem to hope for a fresh consecration, for opportunities truly to serve, and for the continuance of that gift of the word which is sometimes granted me."
"_November 12._ I to attend meeting of Council of Jewish Women; say something regarding education....
"I was warmly received and welcomed, and recited my "Battle Hymn" by special request. This last gave me an unexpected thrill of satisfaction.
The president said: "Dear Mrs. Howe, there is nothing in it to wound us." I had feared that the last verse might trouble them, but it did not."
"_November 19._ Was busy trying to arrange bills and papers so as to go to Gardiner to-morrow with my Richards son-in-law, when in the late afternoon Rosalind told me that dear n.o.ble Ednah Cheney had died. This caused me much distress. My first word was: "The house of G.o.d is closed!
Such a friend is indeed a sanctuary to which one might retire for refuge from all mean and unworthy things."
"A luminous intellect, unusual powers of judgment and of sympathy as well. She has been a tower of strength to me. I sent word by telephone to Charles G. Ames, begging that _her_ hymn might be sung at church to-morrow...."
"_November 21._ Dear E. D. C."s funeral.... I spoke of her faith in immortality, which I remember as unwavering. I said: "No, that l.u.s.trous soul is not gone down into darkness. It has ascended to a higher light, to which our best affections and inspirations may aspire.""
"_December 25...._ Got out my dearest little Sammy"s picture and placed it on my mantelshelf. [He was a Christmas child.] Maud and I went to the Oratorio, which we enjoyed.... I wondered whether the heavenly ones could not enjoy the beautiful music."
"_December 31._ A little festivity.... At supper I was called upon for a toast, and after a moment"s thought, responded thus:--
"G.o.d grant us all to thrive, And for a twelvemonth to be alive, And every bachelor to wive; And many blessings on the head Of our dear Presidential Ted.
"We saw the year out; a year of grace to me, if ever I had one."
The new year (1905) found her in full health and activity. On its first day she writes:--
"I begin this book by thanking G.o.d most deeply that He has permitted me to see the dawn of this New Year, and by praying that I may not wilfully waste one of its precious days. I am now about half through my eighty-sixth year and must feel no surprise if the mandate to remove should come suddenly or at any time. But while I live, dear Lord, let me truly live in energetic thought and rational action. Bless, I pray Thee, my own dear family, my blessed country, Christendom, and all mankind.
This is my daily prayer and I record it here. Is it amiss that in this prayer my own people come first? No! for family affection is the foundation of all normal human relations. We begin with the Heavenly Father and open out to the whole human brotherhood."
"_January 2._ Had an anxious time hunting after my Hawthorne screed to read this afternoon before the New England Woman"s Club. In my perplexity I said: "Lord, I do not deserve to have You help me find it"; but the answer seemed to come thus: "My help is of grace and not according to desert"; and I found it at once where I ought to have looked for it at first...."