The New Orleans crescent. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1866-1869, 1868-07-12

the low garden gate, whittier Tennyson had
already hsstened TO meet her.
she did not want to enter his house, but, walk
ing with him along the shore, she explained TO
him what disquieted her in regard to his poem on
the beauties of which she dwelt with that refined
appreciation which is said to be peculiar to her
The two thus walked along the high western
shore-at their feet the blue sea. upon which
many white sails, like scattered blackthorn bios.
SONS, were scudding, while the neighb
hedges resounded with the merry chirping of the
robin redbreast and the wren, and innumerable
sea-gulIs, screeching, crcling round the steep
cliffs.
At last bundle Of fsgots, obstructing the path.
way, arrested their progress. lighthair
blue-eyed girl of ten or twelve years was stand
ing beside il, not little frightened az not having
shouldered her burden, yet, like all islanders she
knew the queen, and to have obstructed the path
to the graveyard, before the entrance of which
lay her sgots, seemed the more unfortunate to her
as the high road, owing to its muddy condition on
that day, could not be used at all by pedestrians
Tennyson assisted the little girl 10 binding and
shouldering her bundle of fsgots the queen asked
her name-it was Anna-and gave her piece of
money; and the happy girl went slowly on her
way.
"A sweetfaced child" said the queen, gazing
afer her, as she was lettering along with the
heavy burden. and then, as if to lead the poet
back TO the subject of their previous conversation
she added, mnsDgly: at is about thus that
think your Anna Lee must have looked mean
at the time when she was the playmate of Enoch
and Philip, and, TO reconcile them in their boyish
qHarrels, promised them both to become their
little wife,
"A painter really might use that little girl as
mocel for that purpose, your majesty" replied
Tennyson.
he had stood still, in order to allow the queen
to pass puddle of rain water, and the august
lady, calling to mind beautiful passage in Ten
nyson's "ldyls of the King, on seeing the ripple
on the surface of the puddle, recited the lines.
Rlt hat fnfin Ia 10 ~ 4
the queen, looking in passing, at the epitaph on
one Of the moss grown tombstones, and then
answering herself: "Sure enough, IL is Enoeh
II is strange how important something which we
formerly regarded with utter indifference sud
denly appears to us. Thus, for instance, this
name. which have so often read on these stones
among so many others from the Old Testament
during my excursions on The island"
And then, looking around, she added " II is
pity that your Philip has not likewise a name
sake here, people would not be long in believing
that the two heroes of your poem are buried
here, and they would, maybe, lay the scene of
your whole poem in the shade OF these walnut
trees. But, tell me, Mr.. Tennyson, what have you
TO reply to all those objections which mentioned
to you before?
Very liltle, your majesty"
"What?"
~ should be sorry. your majesty. if the little
girl yonder had to bear the stain of ilegitimate
descent"
"what little girl?"
1.-The little girl disappearing just now behind
the hawthorn hedge, your majesty mean the
child carrying the bundle of fagOts."
And what has that girl TO do with your poem"
"a great deal, for, if the Bishop Of n. had his
wsy, little Anna yOnder, would be considered
child born in illicit wedlock."
The queen had stood still.
You do not mean to say, Mr.. Tennyson," she
replied. 4" that on our little island here an event
such as you related in your EnOch Arden has
really hsppened2"
And az TenDyson was silent for a moment, she
continued, "0h. know you do not ike to az
swer such questions. But tell me, now. did Enoch
Arden live here? And ishe, perhaps, even buried
beneath that tomb stOne?"
Your Majesty" said Tennyson, "there occur
among the lowly and poor many traits of heroism
for which historians might envy the quiet observer
Of the people. Happy he who can contemplate
and comprehend such traits, with an unbiased
mind happy he who is enabled to relate them in
his poems without spelling their simple originality
too much; happy, above all. he Of whom poets
can tell such traits. His memory disseminates
heavenly seed"
The queen had walked across the lawn to the
tomb stone and laid her hand on its moss grown
edge. She stood there long while 10 silence
her eyes fixed on the spot where EnOch had found
his last resting place. A length she drew her
self up, and, turning to go home, she said, "God
bless him he did right after all! !"