The Heaven of perfect peace.
It was the eve of the Civil War. The young astronomer and his Wife used to attend the Music Hall meetings in Boston, where Sumner, Garrison, Theodore Parker, and Wendell Phillips thundered away. On one occasion, after Lincoln’s election, Phillips spoke advocating disunion. The crowd was much excited, and threatened to mob him. “Hurrah for old Virginny!” they yelled. Phillips was as calm as a Roman; but it was necessary to form a body-guard to escort him home. Asaph Hall was a six-footer, and believed in fair play; so he joined the little knot of men who bore Phillips safely through the surging crowd. In after years he used to tell of Phillips’ apparent unconcern, and of his courteous bow of thanks when arrived at his doorstep.
Angeline Hall had an adventure no less interesting. She became acquainted with a shrewd old negress, called Moses, who had helped many slaves escape North, stirring up mobs, when necessary, to free the fugitives from the custody of officers. One day she went with Moses to call upon the poet Lowell. He treated them very kindly. Was glad to have a chat with the old woman, and smilingly asked her if it did not trouble her conscience to resist the law. Moses was ready to resist the law again, and Lowell gave her some money.
Superstitious people hailed the advent of Donati’s comet as a sign of war—and Angeline Hall was yet to mourn the loss of friends upon the battlefield. But hoping for peace and loving astronomy, she published the following verses in a local newspaper:
Donati’s Comet.
O, not in wrath but lovingly,
In beauty pure and high,
Bright shines the stranger visitant,
A glory in our sky.
No harbinger of pestilence