E. P. Roe: Reminiscences of his LifeRoe, Mary A. (Mary Abigail)
History
E. P. Roe: Reminiscences of his Life
Roe, Mary A. (Mary Abigail)
Roe, Edward Payson, 1838-1888
"At Williams College we saw much of each other. Roe was a fair scholar,
more intent at getting at the meaning of the text, and its mythological
and historical relations, than in making what is called a fair
recitation. His ability as a writer and speaker was recognized early in
his college course when elected speaker of his class at a Washington's
Birthday banquet. Friends he easily made, and with many remained in
pleasant relations to the close of his life. Trouble with his eyes
caused him to shorten his course at college, but the authorities, in
view of his subsequent success as a writer, gave him his diploma."
My brother excelled in athletic sports in his youth, particularly in
swimming and skating. On one occasion when he was home on vacation, he
and a young companion were skating on the river. His friend, who was
skimming along in advance of him, suddenly fell into an air-hole and
sank out of sight. Edward instantly realized that if he went to the
spot to rescue him, he also would break through. With quick presence of
mind, therefore, he unwound a long worsted muffler from his neck and
threw one end of it into the opening. As soon as the struggling boy
rose to the surface, Edward shouted, "Take hold of that tippet and I'll
pull you out!" His friend did as he was directed and Edward, by
exerting all his strength, succeeded in drawing him out of the water
and upon the solid ice, fortunately not much the worse for his
immersion.
Adjoining our father's property was that of Mr. Nathaniel Sands, a
"Friend" and a gentleman in all that the words imply, who was loved and
respected by the whole community. His residence commanded an extended
view of the river and mountains and especially of the narrow Gap of the
Highlands. At his death the old homestead became the summer residence
of his eldest son, Dr. David Sands, the head of a well-known firm of
druggists in New York.
While my brother was at the theological seminary, and just about the
beginning of the Civil War, he became engaged to Dr. Sands' second
daughter, Anna. The young people had known each other from childhood,
and this happy culmination of their long friendship was not unexpected
by either family.
CHAPTER II
LIFE AS CHAPLAIN
One of Edward's schoolmates at Cornwall, writing of him, said: "We met
again on a most memorable evening in the early days of the war, when
with two young ladies, one of whom became his wife, we rowed out on the
Hudson River, under the shadow of Storm King, while the whole sky from
west to east flamed with crimson-tinted clouds, that seemed a portent
of the scenes to follow. When we reached the dock on our return the
evening papers brought the details of the battle of Bull Run, fought on
the previous day."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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