The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-08-04

p, ON Our ousn Correspondent

EfOm VuI Ot03 COTfooDOItucfb-
New YORK, Aug. 8, 1870.
Yesterday 1 read in a Miss Nancyish afternoon
paper a letter that had been copied from q
Boston journal, and which purported to have
been written at Swampscott. The subject of the
letter is Miss Anna Dickinson. in regard to
whom the writer makes, in curious English,
certain revelations that cannot but be interest
ing to Philadelphians Since the correspond
ence is q fair example of that unre6ned and
offensive adulation to which men and women
who become celebrated are exposed, l cannot
resist the temptation to pick out the tit-bits of
description and to ask attention to their flavor.
After explaining that Miss Dickinson left New
port because 'ishe was restless under the re-
stra'nts of conventional, fashionable life" the
writer states that Miss Dickinson went to her
old haunts at Swampscott, where, it seems, she
always occupies 'the same little room, away up
to the very top of the house" The correspond
ent then says:-
'tShe is a great lover of Nature, and she de-
lights to ramble by herself and, lying on the
rocks with the sunlight streaming over her aud
the breeze tossing her dark brown curls, dream
out 81 me new thought to weave into her lee
lures. Who can tell how much of inspiration
she has received on this very spot? Perhaps it
was here that she wove her romance that grew
into the story, What Answer 1t may be that
here some of the glowing sentences came to her
that have fallen from her lips almost like pro-
phecy. III IS certain Jnab SDe mas gained pnySl-
cal strength here, and that the sea-breezes of
Swamps colt have had q great deal to do with
keeping our Anna Dickinson with us"
What q delicious picture these words frame
What a depth of sympathy and discrimination
is shown by the question and the conjecture en-
bodied in the middle of the paragraph! Who
an tell how much inspiration eCds derived from
that very spot ESPECIALLY since no particular
spot has been mentioned, and rocks, sunlight,
a,d braa1ac In uoparo1 ora thn pn1v inspirati0nal
requisites named. With respect to What
Answer it surely can be of very little interest
where Miss Dickinson ''wove' it, since all
readers of correct intellectual tastes are agreed
that it would have been better for her reputation
had she not attempted any "weaving" of that
kind. AS the correspondent warns with his
theme, however, he vouchsafes us a little infor-
nation respecting certain habits of Miss Dickin-
sons which unquestionably place that very
talented young woman in an ingenious and
poetical light. His words are as follows
Except when propriety demands it, she
never wears q hat, and mo amount Of coaxing
can induce her to put her hands in gloves, if
she can possibly go without them. AS a sort OF
compromise, she sometimes carries a hat, q
gipsyish looking affair, covered with field
flowers, seemingly never trimmed by q we'll
regulated milliner, but just laid down some
where and pelted with daisies, buttereups, and
violets, each one staying just where it fell.
Oftener the hat is left behind, and the only pro-
lection is a white linen parasol, which she uses
to shield her eyes from the sun glare. One could
not want to look at a prettier picture than she
makes-this warm, tropical creatureLas she re,
S sl1Gss S on y ene gaae Gyter TEskS' in he the U Wi1d. d the
dark hazel eyes half shut, the full red lips half
open with a smile of the intensest enjoyment,
the cheeks deepening their color under combined
influence of sun and wind, one tiny hand form
ing a pillow for her check, the other carelessly
holding the ild-tiower-covered hat
Here we have a charmingly fresh, delicate,
and original character, expressed in a few bright
yet tender strokes. True, we are left in doubt
as to whether the generality of ladies wear hats
when p~ropriety does not demand the wearing OF
them; but that, of course, is a small matter, un-
worthy of q place in criticism that pretends to
be candid. And then, what a grand, great
nature, what largeness of heart, what a genia
charity for the narrow prejudices of the les:
brilliant creatures that surround her, Miss Dick
inson eyinces by conseDting to a compromise
and carrying that ''gipsyish-looking affair,
stuck with daisies, buttercups, and %violets, each
of which possesses the phenomenal property o
staying precisely where it fell! Judging from
this description, perhaps it would not be unfai
to imagine that Miss Dickinson's Swampscot
hat bears a remote resemblance to the wonder
full bonnet which Mrs. Barney Williams wear
in The Customs of the Country. Whatever i
is, however, it is only fitting tina
poor creatures like US should fee
duly thankful to the Swampscott correspondent
for admitting us into the secrets of Miss Dick
inson's toilette. Then, too, what a sweet an,
touching picture he draws of Miss Dickinson
surrounded by her friends, all of whom wit
tears in their eyes implore her to wear gloves
while she sternly refuses to do so, but at lengtl
relents, and with a smile of ineffable compa;
SON condescends to borrow a pair. 1t is nc
often indeed that we are let into secret
so sweet and sunshiny as this one is
secrets which reveal the melting mood
of mighty intellects, and impel us to yearn t
draw nearer the great ones of the earth beeaus
of the very weaknesses that are betrayed i
them. With thoughtful consideration for th
inquisitiveness which We, poor common ella,
have for anything that relates to porcelain, th
writer obiigingly informs US that Miss DickiI
son carries "a white linen parasol, eohtch 81
asses to shield her eyes from the sun glare"
this application of fashions invention we PEI
ceive the strictly utilitarian nature of Mi;
Dickinson's mind. The paragraph conclude
with q sentence still more enticing than tn
one with which it begins. Whethe
Miss Dickinson likes to be called a "warn
tropical creature, l do not know. 1t woul
be strange if she were not warm in such weatht
as we have had, and if her nature is ''tropical
so much the better for her power of endurance
There is q gush of innocent and playful fame
in the idea of Miss Dickinson's taking an on
of-doors doze on the ''open your mouth an
shut your eyes, principle, and the throwing
of that ''carelessly held wild -hoWer-covered har
must be acknowledged as a happy stroke