The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1871-06-23
"BETsEY AND IARE OUT
A Literary MuddIe7The Story OF a
Business Man and u SpirituaIistic
Mod inm .......

Medium.
We find the following curious story
il the New York Standard: The farm
bllard lately published by Harper
Brothers, entitled "Betsey and l Are
Out" credited to William NJ. Carleton,
has caused general attention all over
the Union. The manly tone, and with
all the exquisite pathos, gained it such
enconiums and interest," that it has been
copied into almost every newspaper
published on the continent. Several
bogus ANSWERS" have been published.
so general was the interest manifested,
and the Harpers this week announce
that they will publish the authentic,
written by Mr.. Carleton himself. We
should be sorry to assert that Mr.. Garlic
ton is not the author Of the poem allu-
ded to, and we give the recital appended
below for what it is worth.
The following announcement, pub
lished few days back in the Standard,
has brought forward denial.
The VIM. NJ. Carleton who writes
such excellent poems for the Toledo
Blade, and which are copied into Har-
per's Weekly turns out to be Petroleum
V. Nasty. His verses are as good as
his prose, and the popularity they have
met with proves that Bert Harte and
John Hay are not to have their pecu-
liar field 10 themselves.
The correspondent who denies the
veracity of the foregoing is Mr. Wes-
ton, the well.known advertising agent
of No. As John street. His communi-
cation ran as follows: .,
Who wrote "Betsey and Are Out,
also the answer? If / am cridibly in
formed it was written by Mrs. French,
who resides in Thirty-second street,
between Lexington and Third avenues.
Mr.. Carleton paid her the small amount
of two dollars to attach his name to 1t.
If it is true, amt it cheek? l fnrther
understand he paid SIS for the answer.
"ONE Who KNOWS"
Ifyou wish to see me, call at42 John
~
street. f,..raa.
- j. w. WESTON,
Advertising Agent:
Accordingly a reporter was detailed
To gain all the information he could and
he Immediately went to the address in.
dicated Mr.. Weston was found to be
a gentleman Of pleasing manners, VINO
stated that he had been an advertising
aren't in this city for the past twenty
wears. He said he had no objection to
his name being mentioned in the mat;
ter The lady in question, said he. is q
Spiritualist, and is powerful medium,
and her poetic illusions are supposed
TO be under the inspiration Of Geo. u.
Prentice Of the Louisville Journal, who
died four years ago. He said, as far as
il was in his power, he always meant
to expose such cases, where honor was
given to the wrong person in matters o.
pirated authorship. He further stated
that he would have great pleasure 10
cooperating in the present case, and iol
that purpose he gave his address card
at No. AZ John street, requesting ina,
Il might be shown to Mrs. French, and
he felt sure she would have great pleas
nre in giving the true version OF the a.
fair fair SO that the public could be cogni,
| zant of the true merits of the case ano
mass its judgement accordingly
Thanking him for his information, ano
With the intention of trying to get q,
the truth of the allegation. and armed
with his credential, the reporter sPeo
his way to the address indicated oy MT
Weston. aaA s ,. :. -. =,
Arriving at the house. . couple Q!
sovenly, children came to the dooI, any
went to see il the poetes was a. nome
A moment afterward Q lady emergee