Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1874-11-22

ing to the ''trlmp of deathless fame" she
would not claim one thought:
ssBut when the busy crowd Is gone,
And brightly on the western sky
| The changeful sunset hues are thrown
Oh, wilfthOu thither turn thine eve
And send one gentle thought 10 her
| Whose spirit ever turns to thine,
Like Persia's idol-worshipper,
Or MOslem to his prophets shrine?"
The correspondence continued through
out the year, growing more and more in
teresting. The gay badinage ceased and
was succeeded by earnestness on both sides
Though still preserving her incOgnitd, and
shielded by her assumed name, we find the
lady growing timid "a the poet grows
ardent In his protestations Of admiration
and esteem. At one time she saws: "Eyery
step that have made in your ACQUAINTANCE
has increased my timidity. With a reck-
less laugh l flung my first Offering on the
current of accident, little thinking it would
ever bring me back tears and smiles,
anxious thoughts and fevered dreams.n
Toward the end Of the year she intimates
that the terms of her privilege will soon
expire, and that the correspondence must
close. The poet replies, urging its con-
tinuance, and speaking of the happiness it
has afforded him, and the desire to know
her personally. She replies: 81 certainly
did suppose / had written to Mr.. Halleck
for the last time; but you know before
confess it that am but too happy to be
convinced by your profound gogic' that it
is not only my privilege but my duty to
respond. Your witty assumption Of your
extensive privilege has delivered my
fw0man's pride from the bastile of word,'
for whose adamantine bars, perhaps, l have
not shown proper reverence" After the
Interchange OF few more letters, the poet
announces his intention Of seeking the
home of his fair correspondent, and meet
ing face to face the lady whom, as "Ellen
Campbell he has learned to highly es-
tenn This proposal filled Miss Flanner
with dismay. Remembering that she had
commenced the acquaintance, she reflected
that a tacit agreement to the poets visit
would place her in the character of wooer.
An ardent admirer of Halleck's poems,
nothing could have afforded her more pleas
ure than to have met him, but under the
circumstances she felt that she must not
encourage his coming. Her reply was
posted at Washington, whittier she had |
sent 1t in care of relative, and to that ad- |
dress the poets subsequent letters were ad- |
dressed. She eluded all his efforts to dis |
cover her identity, and remained to him al. |
ways "An Ellen of the mindh-nA being |
of the air." They never met; wealth Of |
possible happiness was left untouched.
For him the aloe never bloomed. She |
late in life, a man her equal in
station, but her inferior in natural gifts /
and in culture. Whether her brief married |
life was congenial and happy we do not |
know. The leaves Of this part of heart his
tory we may not turn. We can but won
Ter if she whose thoughts found such nattl-
al expression in poetry, never, in looking
back over the years of the past, repeated 10 /
herself the lines by Owen Meredith:
i'WhOm first We love YOU know we seldom wed.
Time changes all, and life, indeed, is not
The thing We planned il out ere hope was dead, |
But then, we women cannot chose our lot.
1T might have beeny-ah, what, dare not
think.
We are all changed. God judges FIR us best
tod help rs do our duty and not sfrinI
And trust in heaven humbly for the rest-
The poet, in writing to friend on the
Iubject, years afterwards, alludss to her as
the heroine Of one of my life's most cher
shed romances, whose memory has hereto
ore heen numbered among the dearest Of
ny inconsiderable joys" and mentions his
'exceedinggriefand disappointment" at be-
ng unable to obtain further clue TO her
IDENTITY,
Miss Abbie Flanner, at the time of her
with Fitz-9reene Halieck
vas about twenty-six years of age. She is
described by one who knew her then as tall,
lender and graceful, with cordial and en-
,aging manners. She had bright, hazel
,yes, attractive features, and a peculiarly
wet smile. When silent and thoughtful,
Ter face were pensive, sad expression, but
fben engaged in conversation il lighted
10 with animation and intelligence. She
vas exceedingly sensitive. When her feel
ngs were wounded she would put her hand
o her face, and Immediately che te3rs came
rickling between her white fingers. She
lsd unusual mental gifts, was a fine con-
and the queen ofthe circle in
which she moved. The necessarily brief
extracts from her letters given here afford
title idea Of her talent and culture.
Her family belonged to the Society Of
friends, or Qaakers. She had two broth
rs ard three sisters. The brothers were
10Th eminent physicians-the eldest died
# cholera when that disease was prevalent
n Pittsburg. She lived bat yer after her
marriage. her death was marked by that
,esec snd perfect trust which cnaracterizes
lie last hour Of Christian.
Above and back of the Ohio river is a
'luff commanding a wide view of the sur.
Ounding country and the misty blue hills
# Virginia. Here, beneath the shadow
ng trees, In whose brapches the birds sing
II day long, is the grave of Abbie Flan-
Ter.
screen be the turf above thee"
NC