The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-05-14


been bestowed upon me, must close this
hurried response.
DEATH OF THE AUTHOR OF 'sBRAUr1Fu1
Snow. "A few years sgo, there appeared
in an American paper published in one
OF the Western States, an exquisite poem
entitled Beautiful Snow" The beauty
OF the composition secured its republica.
tion in numerous journalg, and at length
found its way to England. accompanied
by the tale that the original had been
discovered upon the person of a young
woman who was frozen to death in the
streets OF st. Louis. For long time,
the author preserved his incognito, while
numerous claimants sought to establish
thelr rights to it's authorship and the
honors appertainiDg thereto. Some one
who knew the true history Of the poem,
knew c'so the cause of its retiosnce in
giving it's name to the world. Some
months since, the secret was revealed.
and Sigourney, nephew of the celebrated
poetess OF that name, BECAME known as
the writer. Harpsr's Magazine pub
lished companion poem entitled
Beautiful Child" which is marked by
all the elegance of diction and deep reli-
gious feeling characteristic of its prede-
oessor.
Who could have thought that in few
weeks its gifted author would fill sui
cide's grave? Yet such is the case. On
the night o! April %, W. A. Fl. Sigour-
ney was found dead IN the outaKirts of
New York. under circumstances leading
to the belief that he had shot himself.
he had in early life married Miss
lady Of great personal attrac-
lions, and with her made q VOYAGE to
Europe. During their absence rumors
unfavorable to her character reached the
Sigourney family. The reports seemed
to have been we'll founded, for shortly
after her return to New York she showed
that the curse OF the nineteenth century
the demon drink-had added another
name to the list of it's victims. She
abandoned her husband, became an out
cast, and was next heard of as an inmate
OF the penitentiary on Blaokwells
Island. Her husbands love was still
sufficiently strong to induce him to make
On effort to save her, and through his in
Huenoe she was released, only again to
desert her home.
In the winter OF 1868, the papers
spoke OF young and beautiful woman
having been found dead under the snow
IN disreputable street of New York.
Something seemed to tell Higourney that
the body was that of his wife. Upon
making inquiries. he found his surmises
we're but too true; and after claiming the
RENAME, he had them inferred in that
'si!ent city" which overlooks the busy
harbor OF New York. The story OF that
erring wife was told in the touching lam
guage OF Beautiful Snow" What won
der that he stunned the publicity that
its authorship would have conferred
Henry j. Raymond, the editor OF the
New York Times. was for years the friend
of Major Sigourney, and obtained for
him employment as journalist, which
failing health compelled him to aban-
don. Circumstances connected with his
death remain mystery. Not even his
child, for whom he always displayed the
tenderest affection, can throw any light
upon it. The last effort of his genius is
displayed in the poem already referred
to, entitled Beautiful Child" which
was published in onr columns few days
ago.