Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1872-02-13
FAXON'S BEAUTIFUL SNOW.
Conclusive Evidence that watson is
an ImpOstOr.

an ImpOstOr.
From the Turf, Field and Farm, Feb. 9.
Our recent article on the disputed poem,
beautiful Snow" has brought us food
OF letters. As the poem is claimed by so
many persons, it is not surprising that each
one of the legion of claimants should have
his or her partisans. 1t is not necessary to
repeat the old story. The evidence has
been pretty thoroughly sifted; and as
consequence of the sitting, the controversy
has been narrowed down to this: either j.
W. Watson or Henry W. FaXOn wrote
E'Beautiful Snow" All others have been
proved inn stOrs. Mr.. Watson says he
wrote the poem in 1858; and he challenges
any one to produce copy in print prior to
this date. This challenge is likely to bring
misfortune upon him. The brother Of
Henry w. Faxon, it viii be remembered,
made solemn oath on his deathbed that the
manuscript of the poem had beel sub
mitted to him in 1919 or 1850; and we are
given the names Of several responsible gen
tlemen whe testify that they saw "Beauti-
full Snow in print repeatedly during the
years 1851, 80, '53, and "a. These are
hard facts to get over, and the testimony
against Watson aCcumulates. Mr.. John
Rice, of Detroit, in the letter that we pub
lish below, testifeS that he has a copy Of
beautiful Snow" in his possession that
be cut from a paper as long ago, in the
least, as 1852, or six years before
Mr.. Watson claims to have written the
poem. 1t makes no difference that the
poem is credited in the RerielIe TO a st.
Louis actress. The actress alluded to is
Dora Shaw, who has admitted that she did
not write Beautiful Snow" and that the
claim put forward in her name was unjust
to the real author. We have said that the
- controversy has been narrowed down to
Watson and FaXOn. As Mr.. Watson does
not claim TO have written the poem until
1853, and as Mr.. Rice has a copy of "Beau-
tiful Snow" in his possession that he found
in print in 1852, the evidence seems to JUS
tify decision in favor of FaxOn:
DETROIT, MICH, Jan. 81, 1872, Ed
TORS TURF, FIELD AND FAIM.-Being in
a friends house few evenings since, l took
from the table the Ttuf, Field and Farm Of
26th inst, in which / read an article headed
"Faxon's Beautiful Snow" As there seems
to be a controversy as to the authorship, al
though not knowing myself who the author
is, still | think | can give you some data
that may be interesting to the parties con-
cerned. l have now before me the poem
"Beautiful Snow" which / cut from the
ReUeilIe, a small sheet published in SYRIA
cuse, New York, twenty or twenty-three
years ago, with the following Introductory
remarks whether the remarks are the edi-
tors own or only copied, do not know, as
he does not credit the article TO any paper.)
give them to you just as pub
ished by him: "Since the publication of
the Bridge of Sighs,' by Hood, We have
seen nothing equal to the following poem in
point of smooth versifcatiOn, flowing
rhymth and touching pathOs. The author
and subject of the piece was an actress Of
some reputation, who formerly lived in St.
Louis in great style and magnifcence. She
was connected by marriage with some Of
the first people of the country, and to those
who knew her the poem will be doubly at
tractive. A woman of gre At genius and I'M
surprising beauty, falling from her proud
estate, paints her own soul and lets the
world see the remOrse written upon it in
such terrible letters. The plaintive wall of
a woman's lost honor viii bring tears TO
every sensitive breast"
From certain events that have occurred
in my life, | can fix the date Of the publica-
ton of this poem in the above paper to have
been between April, 1S49, and November,
1852. Although, as you say, the editor
does not give Mr.. Faxon credit for the au-
thorship, still from the date Of publication
as given by me, it is conclusive evidence
that Mr. Watson could not have been the
author of it MISS.
/ am, truly yours, JOHN RICE.