The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1868-05-15
ORANGE COURT HOUSE VA. FRIDAY MORNING MAY 1861


ten wears or more ago, and it has jus
occurred to you, but not to me, that
have not written that novel vet. Wha
is more, | don't much believe eve
willwrite 1t. Which should be a lessor
to vaulting ambition. h.EQ
My next with John Ester
Cooke was not so pleasing. AappeD-
ing again to be in Richmond. l callec
on Marion Harland, author of "Alone;'
liked her, except the back of her head
and, while my hand was in, thought
would finish up the Virginian authors
by going to see Cooke. OF John II.
Thompson was positively afraid-he
looked so distingue. 1 dld see Cooke.
He had moved into Goddin's Building
afterwards the General Post Office o.
the Confederate States, deceased) and
in reply to my timid and most respect
full knock, met me in person at the
door. All al ! woe was me, and l was
woe, tor, as a thundercloud, black and
vast, with gnarled, knobby and horrent
forehead and dishevell,d hair, even SO
was the dire viznomy of nine author. =
Jupiter Tonans, in largest boots,
charging, with distended nostrils and a
NAVY revolver at the head of a brigade
of Sheridan's Cavalry was not more
awful to Early than Cooke to me. My
aghasted and teneritous soul sank
straightway to the bottom of pair of
shoes which cost me 81 ,50in Farmville;
retreated respectfully, like line of
skirmishers, and was seen no more in
Goddin's Building or elsewhere that
day. 9n7 f .aaH 5ls EAia -.
My mind was fully made up; no feath-
or bed was ever more SOL so much so.
Never again, I swore in my chagrined
heart, would go to see John Esten
Cooke or any other author--never, so
long as L lived or they continued to
write mean books; never / Asinissimus
that was L knew not that mine au-
thor was, for the moment, IN the throes
and travail of composition. Poor man
how felt for him, sympathised and
went with him., decentralization l
made that disastrous atte npt to be nay-
self an author, and discovered the inn
perious need of not being eyilly-entreat-
ed aud intruded upon in the high hour,
noon, heat, fervor and eholic of creative
Then f0rgaye him freely
and won from myself the assurance
that would shed the jonquil ligh. of
nv countenance upon him frequently
If not again and again. Which l did
Ito his sweet delight, surely. a.i.
Methinks--I am told that the moder-
ate use of s'methinks" is essential to
fine W riting-that if had not forgiven
John Esten Cooke, the consequences
must have been serious; but how seri-
Gus it is not for me or anybody else to,
say. BE that as it mays ] did forgive
him, saw him often, and "camc to knew
him and to love him we'll" as they say
in East Tennessee. 1t was then that
wrote that fine critique, infatuated I'm
kind but complete Destruction OF j ohm
Estcn Cooke, Novelist" which you re-
member distiactly never to have read,
hut copy of which shall be more
than pleased to send you for $40, by
mail or preferably by Express, G. o. ID.
And now. having digressed about as
far as it Is prudent to go (fain would l
dioress a couple of dollars more--for
am faciIe and indeed elegant digress-
cr-if my publisher w0nld allow itl hav-
ing. saw, digressed far enough. | come
down, like a we'll trained 2,4o literary
trotter, duly nicked in the tail, steadily
to my work. a6i ..ge..i f}ti f0
Failing to destroy J ohm Esten Cooke,
Novelist, by my hereinbeforemention-
cdfthis whollyunneccssary word alone.
4 take il, will be worth at least five
cents to me--which is a valuable lesson
to beginners inmagazine writingl"Un-
kind but complete'' article, and learn
ino. to nv envy. by the great sale OF
i'Surry of, Eagles Nest" that ne had
the side of Gen. Stuart, ! coyenanted
with myself to go to see him., -, =.
The day was, whew! cold. There
was a milestone. SKY. a gritty and con-
gealcd earth, and wind pronounce it
If you please) that followed
fast. In verify 1t was the month, NO
yember. Invisible cambria needles,
fresh from the pincushion where Boreas
keeps his choicest and most pointed
jcicies. came like the owl. which drove
James Jed from the shed, where OF a
ted of straw he made his bcd) out and
few about. This knew by my nose,
sally. And l had to ride twenty miles
in stage over road to see John Es-
tel Cooke! Insert "horrible" before
ustaoe" and "road," and you will ap-
preciate the ssin What warmth OF affec-
tion was mine, thus to confrontate the
rude and almost indecent blasts Of an
inclement heaven in order to behold
my friend? ~
The day was cold, as I have remark
ed. L milftied me delicate forum In an
annie borrowed cloak, lined with red;
drew ascant me bearded check black
and white worsted comforter; encom-
nassed me excellent knees in q big
shawl; and jobbed under min left ar
rum a brown paper parcel of snack
Thus accostumed, plunged into the
yawning stage and took, for modesty,
The back seat--all of it, and engaged
half the middle seat with my prepo-
sessing feet. Now that l am speaking
OF the Stage, You will observe that ust
the stage acccnt--that is, | say 'lne'
tor "my "ssmin" for ''mine" and plung.
Fed for. the vulgar and uncultiyatet
'tplung'd a...--5 - ee,.5i
Mrs. WuiIix (my wife, to wlt) accom-.
panied me in a red hood to the stage OF,
flee, and Mrs. Ran assured me, casu-
ally, that the road, especially from
Paris to the river" was terrific; thai
the driver drove like Jehu tight, and
left me to draw ut came out like ar
eye-tooth) the logical Inference. Ny
heart was breaking, but put on aboit
face. and drew me comforter closer
around and athwart me hirsute cheek
A dieul | cried, and waved my lily
hand Mrs. Wuffix wept, l hope but
the stage ratified off like a school giri''
tongue, the chains elanked like thu
chains of a maniac on wheels, and Mrs
Wutfix tho lost to sight to mem'rJ
dear) receded in tie Middleburg dis
tance. For got in the stage at Mid
dleburg. '" :
It was a fearful time. My hepar-
for ''hepar" see Dunglison's Medica
Dictionary-my hepar, like A chl,les
wrath. : of direful woes the unnumber
ed spring OF ''of ofunnunbered dires th'
woeful spring." forget which tits fiv
and twenty years since l read Homer
my hepar was out of keller, and ha
| know not what presentiment OF com