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FROM DR. WALKER TO MRS. GIBBONS.

'My dear friend,

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Cambridge, Jan. 15, 1857.

"The College Faculty have just been engaged in the annual distribution of Deturs among meritorious students. If your son had continued with us, the best would have been given by common consent to him. And as he still lives in the memory and affections of us all as freshly as ever, we could not repress the desire to carry out this purpose, and to ask you to accept the Detur in his name. We hope you will not be unwilling to retain this memorial, however slight in itself, of the profound affection and regard with which his name is cherished here.

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I shall always hold most dear whatever reminds me of that beautiful life, and of that death, the sorrows of which would have been insupportable if they had not been hushed and subdued by infinite consolations.

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FROM REV. SAML. J. MAY TO MRS. GIBBONS.

He [Mr. May's son Joseph] says: 'You know, father, how much I respected and loved William Gibbons, one of the very best fellows I ever knew, whom I wish I resembled more.'

The savor of William's name is still sweet at Cambridge. Not only his classmates, and Club-mates, and personal friends speak of him with

deep affection, but all who knew anything of him seem to have received the impression that he was a remarkable young man-remarkable for his intellectual ability,—but still more so for his moral excellence."

"I want," Willie once wrote, "to underscore every word I say.

"I shall not consider the world civilized until there is a passenger telegraph, so that a fellow can at least spend his First Days at home."

His mother's words as she bent over the coffin: "The light of our home-gone out!"

CHAPTER XIV.

1857.

VISIT TO BOSTON.

TO JULIA.

"New York, 5/19, '57.

O thee I am inclined to address my letter; first, because thou art the best correspond

"T°

ent; and secondly, because it is in my heart to ask thee to use the form of speech in which thou wast educated, and to which I hope thou wilt always adhere (especially when writing or speaking to thy own family), even to the naming of the days.

"Thy letter was most welcome; it told me of days passed pleasantly, and that going from home. did not fail to have the effect desired. Come home when all are ready, and be careful to preserve the cheerfulness so manifest, and which is better kept, when profitably employed. It is the wish of my heart that thou and thy sisters may think seriously what there is in this ever busy world to demand your interest. When I think of your years, I am led to believe it right for you to take hold of such work as will enable you to benefit somebody beside those of our own family. Let the time not be spent in heaping comforts upon those who were

never needy, but seek out, or rather, lend a hand, to such as happen in your way, and thereby lighten the labour of your mother, who must accomplish what you fail to undertake.

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Remember the German School is my legacy to thee, and if thou wilt begin early to sow the seed, I may enjoy the harvest with thee.

"On First day evening, Joe,—ever faithful Joe,* stayed at home, and we were joined by Thayer, John, Rosa, and just before we sat down to tea, Mr. Shattuck, one of dear Willie's first Cambridge friends, came. He talked much of our good friend Langdell, to whom I have a strong attachment because of my admiration of his many gifts; and, more than all, because he was a devoted friend of our dear Willie, whose interests were so entirely mine that I cling to all his favorites, and ever shall. It is a great comfort to cultivate his friendships, and to keep alive all that was pleasant to him.

"Joe reads aloud of eve'gs, and never forgets to ask every morning what he can do to serve us."

TO EDWARD AND ANNA HOPPER.

"Boston, 1857.

"We cannot say just when we shall be at home. We live a day at a time, the children doing more visiting than I should be able to accomplish. They find many pleasant paths to walk in and are able to go alone. Where there are briers and thorns,

*Joseph H. Choate, Esq.

I bear them company, and we have all journeyed so far without the slightest entanglement.

"We have made no plans, but concluded to follow the light, and at every turn, have been able to pick up sweetest flowers of a beautiful life. Such love for a young man of twenty-two! We have already had over one hundred calls from old, middle-aged, and young,-all bringing sweet memories. Dr. Walker and wife were among the earliest, of A charming young man by the name of Eliot (a friend of Willie's) was invited to tea.* Alfred S. Hartwell, his room-mate, came in the evening. We returned to Boston at ten o'clock, Hartwell and Jimmy Lowell (both particular friends of Willie's) accompanying.

course.

"I passed an hour with Dr. Walker, alone in his library. He talked long and beautifully of the strength and influence of Willie's character, and the loss to the College in every sense; adding, that he never was so affected by any event of his life. He talked sweetly to the children, and we all left with a feeling akin to adoration for the great and excellent man. Their home is neat, tasteful and very comfortable. The grounds about the house beautiful, and the road leading to it a bower of elms and other trees, with abundance of beautiful shrubbery.

"You may think it strange that we are here so long, but I am satisfied that it is good for me as well as the children to be in pleasant places, where

* Charles W. Eliot, afterwards President of Harvard College.