President James Walker, always the keenest of observers, once said of Hale that he took sides upon every question while it was being stated. This doubtless came, in part at least, from his having been reared in a newspaper office, or, as he said more tersely, having been “cradled in the sheets of the ‘Advertiser,’” and bred to strike promptly. His strongest and weakest points seem to have been developed in his father’s editorial office. Always ready to give unselfish sympathy, he could not always dispense deliberate justice. One of his favorite sayings was that his ideal of a committee was one which consisted of three persons, one of whom should be in bed with chronic illness, another should be in Europe, and he himself should be the third. It was one of his theories that clergymen were made to do small duties neglected by others, and he did them at a formidable sacrifice of time and in his own independent and quite ungovernable way. Taking active part for the Nation during the Civil War,—so active that his likeness appears on the Soldiers’ Monument on Boston Common,—he did not actually go to the war itself as chaplain of a regiment, as some of his friends desired; for they justly considered him one of the few men qualified to fill that position heartily, through his powerful voice, ready sympathy, and boundless willingness to make himself useful in every direction. A very characteristic side of the man might always be seen in his letters. The following was written in his own hurried handwriting in recognition of his seventy-seventh birthday:— April 8, ’99. DEAR HIGGINSON,—Thanks for your card. It awaited me on my return from North Carolina last night. Three score & ten as you know, has many advantages,—and as yet, I find no drawbacks. Asa Gray said to me “It is great fun to be 70 years old. You do not have to know everything!” I see that you can write intelligibly. I wish I could—But I cannot run a Typewriter more than a Sewing-Machine. Will the next generation learn to write—any more than learn the alphabet? With Love to all yours Truly & always E. E. HALE. This next letter was called out by the death of Major-General Rufus Saxton, distinguished for his first arming of the freed slaves:— WASHINGTON, D. C., Feb. 29, 1908. DEAR HIGGINSON,—I have been reading with the greatest interest your article on Gen. Saxton. It has reminded me of an incident here—the time of which I cannot place. But I think you can;—and if you can I wish you would write & tell me when it happened—and perhaps what came of it. I was coming up in a street [car] when Charles Sumner came in & took a seat opposite me—The car was not crowded.