Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-02-29
Misfella,,eous.
SEVERE snow STORM.

The Cincinnati Enquirer of Feb. 18th
contained the following paragraph.
"a note from two or three constant
readers requests us to republish the poem
entitled Beautiful Snow We have no
recollection of ever having published such
poem, aud we doubt whether there is
one in existence bearing that title. There
must be mistake. If any person now liv-
ing can put us on the track of Beautiful
Snow we will be obliged to them for so
doing"
The next day the Enquirer contained
the folowing:
| There is poem entitled Beautiful
Snow. We have reason to know it now
II we never had before. We remember
reading it some ten years ago. That must
have been shortly after Messrs Faxon,
Watson. Major Sigeurney, Professor Ven-
able, Enos Reed, Dora Shaw and one or
two other unfortunate persons whose
names we can't recall now, turned it out
upon the public. We always admired it,
but, considering the number of people en-
gagged IN its construction, it isn't such a
remarkable production. However, in
Difference to public opinion, we have re-
ligiously published that poem every win.
ter. from that time to the present. In our
editorial capacity we have incurred an
expense of not less than one hundred dol
lars for composition on that one piece of
poetry alone, and that is great deal more
than 1t cost to compose it originally. Hav-
ing, as we thought, supplied the demand,
and placed at least half dozen copies of
that intensely popular versfication in
every household, we concluded to lay off
this winter. But day before yesterday we
received request to publish it. 1t was
the same old request-couched in the
same old, familiar language. We were
little eXasperated, because great many
newspapers kept the poem standing at
the head of the first column on the title
page. and we knew there could be no ex-
traordinary demand for it. In order to
escape we affected ignorance. We assert
ed in paragraph the next morning that
we didn't believe there was any such bum
die OF rhyme in existence.
Alas, thai bit Of Simulated skepticism
has cost us dearly! Early Yesterday
morning copies of Beautiful Snow began
arriving at the counting ROOM A number
of young ladies called and left their scrap
books, the first mail brought basketful
of letters, all enclosing copies of the old
favorite. Some were dscoored by usage;
others were fresh copies in manuscript
all accompanied with a request to return
if not used. Il am astonished," saws one
gentleman, "that you never came across
this beautiful poem" II did not think"
says another, there was an editor living
so stupid as not to know of Beautiful
Snow. '" AT first we thought it good
joke, and we're highly delighted. but the
| Beautiful Snow kept falling and the re.
fraln OF the letters began to be burdensome.
When business men began to drop in last
night. bringing copies of old magazines
| among whose dusky pages lurked the fu-
gitive poem. and began to express their
lack OF confidence in a newspaper that
had never heard of Beautiful Snow it
became apparent that we had inflicted
great injury upon the Enquirer. 1t was
no use trying to make a jest of the thing,
and so we apologised to all who called.
The fall of beautiful Snow" continued
late into the evening. 1t filled our waste
basket, dritted upon our table, insinuated
Itself into the CRATE, and piled up in our
private drawer until we began to despair
of ever being able to get out OF the
room. At IL O'Clock last night we had
enough of 1t TO blockade the Pacific Rail-
road, and at twelve O'Clock the office boy
appeared with another armfu OF the gem
erous contributions, and we incontin emily
Xxi, ked him down stairs
This was the condition of things at one
O'Clock this morning, and not more than
half the wards in the city had been heard
from. Then there's the entire State to
hear from yet, and we know what we will
have to endure for the next forty eight
hours. We acknowledge that we have
the worst of it, and are anxious to COM
promise. Sunday next we will publish
Beautiful Snow in all its pristine tulness.
We are determined that this craving for
the poem SO dear to the popular heart
shall be stopped"