Henry Wadsworth Longfellow < /a > penned a poem destined to morph into one of our most beloved Christmas carols. The poem was originally entitled, " Christmas Bells " . It was re-arranged (most modern hymnals exclude two of the seven verses that specifically pertain to t..."> Henry Wadsworth Longfellow < /a > penned a poem destined to morph into one of our most beloved Christmas carols. The poem was originally entitled, " Christmas Bells " . It was re-arranged (most modern hymnals exclude two of the seven verses that specifically pertain to t..." /> Henry Wadsworth Longfellow < /a > penned a poem destined to morph into one of our most beloved Christmas carols. The poem was originally entitled, " Christmas Bells " . It was re-arranged (most modern hymnals exclude two of the seven verses that specifically pertain to t..." />

Hearing Longfellow ' s Christmas Bells

On Christmas Day 1863, as the American Civil War raged, < a href= " http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Wadsworth_Longfellow " > Henry Wadsworth Longfellow < /a > penned a poem destined to morph into one of our most beloved Christmas carols. The poem was originally entitled, " Christmas Bells " . It was re-arranged (most modern hymnals exclude two of the seven verses that specifically pertain to the war), and set to < a href= " http://www.cyberhymnal.org/htm/i/h/iheardtb.htm " > music < /a > by John Baptiste Calkin in 1872. < br / > < br / > The following is a brief recounting of the < a href= " http://www.whatsaiththescripture.com/Fellowship/Edit_I.Heard.the.Bells.html " > story < /a > and tragedy behind " < a href= " http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boAE-Mnk470 " > I Heard The Bells on Christmas Day < /a > " . < br / > < br / > In the summer of 1861 ( < i > the same year " the war of Northern Aggression " began < /i > ) Longfellow ' s second wife, Fanny died in a freakish fire. It had been a very hot summer, and she had been attempting to seal an envelope containing the recently shorn curls of the couple ' s young daughter, Edith. Burning wax fell on . . . and ignited . . . her cotton dress. She ran away from the children (to protect them) and straight to her beloved husband. Ironically, the rush of a cool summer breeze that she had longed for only the day before fueled the fire, completely engulfing Fanny Longfellow in flames. Longfellow himself was severely burned trying...
Source: Dr.J's HouseCalls - Category: American Health Source Type: blogs