The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1874-12-04
ABBIE FLANNER.
The Romance Of Fitz-Greeue Hal
leck's Life-The Identity Of His M
known Love NJ Last Dfsclosed -Ihe
Missing Poems Of their Correspond
eMee discovered.

The Romance al fttz-Nreeue Hal
known Love ut Last Dtsclosed The
Missing Poems Of their Correspond
enec Discovered.
From the indianapolis Journal. Nov 10th.
Like the faint perfume of withered
rose long pressed In book and hidden
from sight. there comes 10 us a half-for-
gotten story of the past. The bloom ana
freshness faded from the flower forty
years ago. At lis best il was but pale
blush rose, growing in the rarefled. some
what chilly atmosphere OF intellectual
friendship. a different flower Is the glori-
Gus crimson rose that flourisles in the
tropical air OF passion. tragedy, and death
less love. The idy which we read. though
full OF the pathos of Knight have been"
is not flushed with tints OF the hearts lite
blood. The elements of intense joy and
grief are wanting-there are none OF those
briS hit lights or deep shadows that make a
love story "a thing woven out OF rainbow
on ground of eternal black" like the
episode OF Francesca and Rimini.
A party of young ladies and gentlemen
of Mount Pleasant, Ohio, assembled at the
house OF friend in that village to 'watch
the old year out" The incoming year
was lS36-leap year. Amid the merri-
ment OF the occasion, some one suggested
that the ladies' should avail themselves of
the prlvileg. which IL brought, and open
a CORES pondence with different gentle
men. mentioning, among Others, the
bachelor poet, Fitz-Greene Halleck. The
proposal was passed by as jest. but in q
few minutes ii was noticed that Miss Alb
bic Flanner, a young lady of much talent
and vivacity, was missing from the party.
Quietly bidding good night to her friends
OF the house, she had slipped out and gor.
home alone. The ground was covered
with snow that sparkled in the moon
beams. Walking along slowly, scarcely
noting the beauty OF the scene around her,
she meditated poetical epistle to Fitz-
Greene Halleck, and reaching her room,
sat down and wrote the following:
NEW YEARS NIGHT.
THE MERRY MOCK BIRDS song.
Ger fields of snow the moonlight falls
And softly on the snow white walls
OF Abb cottage shines,
And there beneath the breath Of June
The honey suckes gay festoon,
And multhora twines,
And form sweet empowering shade,
Pride of the humble cottage maid.
Who now, transformed and bold,
Beneath the magic Of n name,
Those equal rights presumes to claim,
Rights urged by young and old.
And who is she. to fame unknown,
Who dares her challenge thus throw down
Low at the feet Of one
Who holds proud, conspicuous stand
Among the magnates of the land,
The muses. fayorite SOM
As when she roamed careless child
To pluck the forest blossoms Wild,
OFT climbed some pendant brow
OF rock or cliff To gather there
Some tempting flower that looked more fair
Than all that bloomed below.
SO now, like Eve in Paradise,
Though numerous offerings round her rise
OF love and friendship bland
With many a sober blessing fraught,
Would give them all for one kind thought.
one line from Iialleck's pen.
Like that fair plant Of Indias field
That most were bruised and broken yields
It, fragrance on the air
such Is the heart offer thee,
Pride of my cOuntrys mnstrclsyi
Oh, is it worth thy carcs
She signed this Ellen A. r. Campbell, in
her initials with the name of
SCOTS Lady of the Lake, and forwarded ii |
10 the poet
In those days of slow coaches. much time |
must necessarily elapse before a response
could be received, and it is but natural |
10 suppose that during the interval buoy
ant hope and lively thought alternated |
with misgivings and coubt as TO the re-
ception of her letter.
Perhaps, when the first glow of adven
turous feeling passed, she half regretted
her action and ielt the natural shrinking of
4 woman's heart from Offering itself I'M
asked. even in jest
And when at last the long looked-for, |
hoped-for, packet arrived. with what trem- !
bling eagerness she must have opened and |
read il:
Tn EIIE<