True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-09-09
"HERO WORSHIP"
MY MEETING WITH THE POET.
By WINNIE wooDFERN.

fbe axiom was long ago laid down
that one never must Judge an author by
his or her writings. Ano rightly Tor who
in the name of Caxton, wotud De respon
sible for all the nonsense uttered In mo-
ment when the world seems made only tt
be laughed at, and the printers devil Is
clamoring outside The door for "copy"!
Our hearts begin their career like young
and unbroken colts. The harness of
Reason is not for them, and the whip Ex-
perience must crack many time, before
they learn the steady trot of the worl0,
and arrive at the end of their pilgr image,
thoroughly jaded and perfectly respecta-
ble pack-horses, ready, as soon as their
load is thrown of, to lie down and sleep
forever.
We cannot measure or restrain the en-
thusiasm of youth-it is better to let it
have its own way. Hot fires burn out
quickly, and leave nothing but ashes be-
hind.
So said my guardian, as Louis Clay
and myself pored over new volume OF
poems which had just been issued from
the press of Lippincott & Co., interrupt
ing the perusal with fervid exclamations
OF delight, and earnest prayers that our
eyes might gaze upon the gifted author
before we died.
My guardian glanced toward us with a
qnizzical look, and gave us to understand
that unless we intended to leave the earth
before the week had passed, our prayers
would probably be granted.
"What do you mean 2" we both ex
claimed, grasping him by the arm as he
was hurrying from the room. He growl
ed, good humoredly,
"Don't tear my coat of, and III tel
you. Your brother Fred comes home
from college, you know, tomorrow, and
this Harrison Simmons, that you are Sc
crazy about, is coming with him. There
now let me go. What silly things Two
men are ~
We returned to the parlor, breathles'
with astonishment. Luck, if not "riches,
had come upon 1--WE Pettigrews." The
poet absolutely coming 10 my own deaI
home, and while Louise was there J.
Was there ever such happiness
Louise, you must know, dear reader,
was my "chum" at boarding school, and
my sworn friend. We were both hair
Drained, giddy, and sentimental, botf
eschewed fine sewing and embroidery
voted Greek and Latin bore, and patro
nized Newfoundland dogs, ice'cream sa
looms, and Tom Moore's poems TO an ex
tensive degree. We had known eacl
other for some,six months, had passed th'
ordeals of boarding-school together, ant
been admitted by unanimous vote init
the Society known as the "P. +. ST." w
had borne our parts in the many escapa
des of said society, been threatened witt
expulsion some half dozen times, and hat
once been actually "suspended'.-or h,Uat
up to dry, as we irreverently termed it
In addition to all this, we had carried OF
an extensive Irritation, which finally end
ed in the capture of our hearts by, ant
the promise of our hands to, two younI
gentlemen some three years our seniors
who were more noted for their love O
fun anil oyster suppers, than for their de
votion to.Virgil and Sallust. So, in con
sideration of the unheard-of svmpath.
and friendship existing between us, | too
possession of Louise at the end of tn
term, and carried her to my own home
for the fortnight of vacation. And ther
we had romped and laughed, and talke
of our absent lovers, till this wonderful
book came to us, and after that, am sorr
to say, our cavaliers scarcely entered ou
heads from morning till night, so enchant
ed we're we with Harrison Simmons an
his burning verse.
He was coming to us at the last me
ment. Was there ever anything so pro
voking Our school commenced Of
Wednesday--this was Monday, and sc
after few hours conversation with on
idol, we were 10 be hurried off, and. pei
haps, never meet him again ! 1t was to
much. and we agreed to rebel against tn
authority Of our worthy preceptor, Goa
my guardian, and start for the Academ
only when my brother and his friend re
turned to college.
AT dinner, therefore, Louise commend
ed the attack with her most winning toni
and smiles, and kept up a running fiji
of mingled entreaties and kisses, till m
guardian was vanquished, ard exclaime,
hastily, that we might stay at home a
our lives, so that we would only let hi
alone.
H This was enough for us, and shoutiu
with glee, we ran up stairs, to superinten
the decoration Of the poets room. o.
own dear little chamber was on the sout
side Of the house, and its own windoy
curtaired by climbing honey-suckl
looked out upon most delightful pros
pect. This, we settled at once, shoul
be the hallowed place. .
"Who knows" said Louise, "but l