The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1867-01-18
public iavor BY sending stoy to my peri.

y ~~o T
odical.
But do the public or the authors ever re.
member tho patient laborer who tolls
through reams Of bady.written foolscap OF
cream.laid, to find the pearl amid all those
'hapelcss oysters7 ihave always thought
that Mrs. hemans's poem Of the Diver
would find an answering chord in the
breasts Of many editors.
One bitter cold morning, few days be-
fore Christmas, in tho year -, sat as
usual at my desk. Among the heap Of
manuscripts, was ono written on the son.
est cream.laid French white paper, in q
childish, lady's hand, on lines which had
boen carefully erased afterwards. It was
a little story Of no great literary merit. but
there was an aroma Of youth and ofsweet-
ness in every line. There was a promise
in IL; il was like the light in tho sky before
the sun has risen on fine dsy-an omen,
a ponent Of sunshine and warmth, but no
more. put Il down as if had touched
tho petal Of a rose. There was a tiny
scented note besido it-of course full OF
italics -
Street, Dublin, Dec. =, 1866.
aDrAR Mh. EDiroR,-l send you IiiIo
story. lam only sixteen, and papa and
mama do no, know anytaing abou, Il, but
please tell mo iii. be worth anything. ]
soani !, to I've printed; ,oans to be paid for
IT, It is no, for myself, though, but want
the money to give my dear little brother a
nice lille birthday present tt am, dear Mr..
Editor, yours, SC, EMILY -"
Then came tho address and tho sigma
ture. The writing Of the note was less
neat and regular than the manuscript. But
there was the same fragrance Of dainty
youth about II.
l held II long time In my hand. lam
an old man at al events middle aged ;
perhaps something more; my beard Is grey,
my hair is grey too. have no doubt that
to the jsunesse doree whom ] occasionally
meet wear the look Of Dickens's patri-
arch, hut my heart II younger than my APP
pcarunce. Little Installations came, or
seemed to come, from the paper held.
Had boon Foster or Home I might
perhaps have OWNED tho writer but
certes, il was with no common feeling Of
interest that sat down and wrote my an.
swcr to the note. I returned the manu-
script, but I wrote gently and tenderly. I
gave Il as my hope and my opinion that,
with little moro caro- and study, the youth.
ful writer would achieve success. lev.
en- promised to print that identical manu-
script II !, wcre a little revised and cor.
rccted, and pointed out how Il might bc
made available. lopcned the window Of
my den after had written my note. The
weeds piercing through tho flags below
had a less dreary look than they had ever
had before a CLEAN Of sunshine shonc on
them, and their frosty veduro borrowed
something Of Picciola brightness from Il. ]
posted my letter and the manuscript to the
address named, and went homo, wonder
ing If ever should hear from tho writer
again. With that, however. all thoughts
Of the manuscript passed. away. The au-
thor was too ,imid to reply. ..
On Christmas Eve was asked as usual
to dino with an old friend Of mine at ST..
Johns Wood. lie was a married man,
with pleasant comely wife, and several
small children. male and female. We
dined en- petit eomis.
"The children arc not coming down to
dinner" said my hostess, "for they are
going to give Us surprise afterwards"
lbowed and was delighted, both at the
anticipation Of pleasure to come anil Of
priva,iou for the first time Of considerable
present annoyance. need not say was
then bachelor. When wo went upstairs
after dinner we found the folding g.doors
which divided the from, from the back room
closed.
They were opened after while. The
Christmas hymn was sung, and German
tree of the most brilliant splendor was re
vealed on its branches were hung gifts
worked and embroidered by De children
for their parents, and for the friends Of
their parents. The three little girls and
their goyerness had done II all
While my friend and his wife were en-.
bracing and thanking the children, ] had
time to notice the goveness. Sho was very
young, almost child herself. A mass oI
bright hair was gathered up in great waves
a, each side Of her head, and fastened Ia a
loose thick loop behind. The bigh, curls
were % arranged q to reveal the ear. The
ear and cheek were, should rather say
they are, like those painted by Leighton In
his aPain,cr's Honeymoon" Need say
more Of their ravishins loveliness3 Bu,
the pretty blue eyes looked as IL they had
cried good deal and there had been re-
cent tean, for the eyelids were somewhat
swollen. She was not sad at present, low
ever, for she played on the piano for the
children and for me. their old godfather,
to dance TO, and she joined with us in q
game Of blind mans buff. When The
children retired, sho retired also.
"What charming person." laid.
4Sho 10 moss excellent said my iriernl.
Although she . % young, Miss the
bread providcr Of her family. Her fathe,
and mother have, according to tho cant
phrase, soon bet,or days in fact, they ara
people Of good birth, and once had good
fortune. They have q son and daughter
The son b fine fellow also. i,oth tho son
II A - n a II