The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-04-16

l was afraid of him from the first and
wanted to get away.
He took me up stairs when told him
l had book all about the great West of
America; and there he showed me many
things Of Byron-.-Byron's mother, among
the rest, stout, red.faced woman, with
awful fat arms and low, black curls about
low, narrow brow.
l ventured to say she. looked good-na-
tared.
faye, now, don't you know she could
SHE a poker at your head, don't you
know o.
And the great Murray waggcd his fin.
ger in her face as he said this, quite
ignoring me, my presence, or my opinion.
Then he spun about on his heel to
where I stood in the background, and,
taking sight at me behind his long, lean
finger:
''Now, young man, let us see what you
have got.''
I drew forth my first love and laid it
timidly in his hand.
He held his head to one side, Tipped
the leaves, looked in, jerked his head
back, looked in again, twisted his head
like a giraffe, and lifted his long finger.
"Aye, now, don't you know poetry
won't do, don't you know?''
But will you not read it, please?"
''No, no, no! No use, no use, don't
you know"
reached my hand, took the despised
sheets, and in moment was in the street,
wild, shaking my fist at that house now
and then as stopped in my fight and
vous fear that he had followed me.
think was half crazed when got to
Fleet street. did so want to SEQ some
one-to get some counsel, some kind
word.
saw the sign of Punch and entered.
SIS the editor in?''
will you send your card =
How my heart beat again. How l did
hope he was not in, and how glad I was
when that boy Came back with his la
comic SHOT in, SIR yet delivered in such
way that knew perfectly we'll that he
was in, but wouldn't see you.
went on. A group Of people stood on
tao sidewalk looking at the comic pic
lures in window. 1t was the Fun of.
flee. pushed my way Lobby through
the crowd and entered.
us the editor in!''
"What name, sir p
mo name; he would not know me-
Tell him man from America wishes to
see him.
''Come this way, sir. Mr.. Hood will
see you.'''
As VIC went on thr ough the shelves of
books and papers I wondered if this
Hood was any relative Of the great, the
greatest, the saddest, lightest, best hu.
morist that has ever been. It was his
only son. Now that he is dead and leaves
no children the name is no more. -
What in the world made this man So kind
to me I never could make out. But from
that day till yesterday he stood to me
like tower. The tall, manly fellow, the
handsomest man in London, cut down
yesterday just on the edge of forty. 1t
seems to me now I shall never want to
work any more, for I shall miss his praise
oil the time whatever may do. From
the first I took him everything. What
4 patient man he was. do not now see,
overworked as he was all the time, how
he managed to put up with all of my stu.
pid plans and demands. took my first
fruits to him. On his shelves are three
books from the last three years, and in
them all when gave them to him,
wrote: ITO my first and best friend in
London
He took me home with him. But for
him should have been very i'll that day
l now begin to find out, however, that
this strong, handsome fellow. half lion,
half lamb, was as kind to hundreds, t. all
alike. as he was to me. ARENAS Ward
died, one might almost say, in his arms.
''Don't tell my mother, Tom. Don't
let them write it to her. Keep it from
her for year or two, and then she will
not know it till she sees me on the other
sidc--for she is very DID," +.
The very first evening spent with Hood
he brought out great big basket and
cmptied it on the table. This was his
fathers scrap.basket, and contained all
the papers, manuscripts, and drawings
that his son had got together and kept,
Of course l wanted to see the .s.Bridee Of
Of Sighs;" but there was not one line Of
it to be found. There are q few lines
however;.that were meant for this poem
perhaps they are the very first thu
great, good poet conceived when thi.
! poem WAS In his heart. And here theJ