The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1875-02-18
THE TRIBUNE.
a POETS LIFE ROMANCE.
Eitz-Greene HaIlecEK's Unknown Love
at Last DiscIOsed-The Missing
Poems.

It is the pleasant lot Of the Journal,
this morning, to be able, through one
of its valued correspondents, to clear up
a literary mystery of long standing con-
nected with the memory of one OF
Amsrica's sweetest poets. Persons
familiar with the life of Fitz-Greene
Halleck, VIII remember an interesting
love episode and mysterious eorfespon-
dence between the poet and lady under
the assumed name of Ellen A. F. Camp
bell. In Wilson's Life OF Halleck,
published in 1869, it is referred to as
one Of the romances of his life, the
memory of which the poet numbered
among s'the dearest Of his inconsider-
able Joys" In the life Of Halleck above
referred to the author says: "Ihe
lady's poem was of the same length and
measure as the poets reply. 1 exceed
ingly regret my inability to recover it,
no copy existing among Mr.. Halleck's
papers, and the heroine of this romantic
episode having died many years ago,
and her family gone, no one knows
where" Ealleck himself never saw her.
Even as late as 1857, more than twenty
years after the correspondence closed,
he wrote to friend as follows: ''Your
ses and delights me, for it induces me
more confidently to hope that you will
hasten to give the happy tidings of the
welfare of the lady you name, the hero
inc of one of my life's most cherished
romances whose memory has heretofore
been numbered among the dearest of my
inconsiderable joys. Mr.. Hicks, the
painter, some two years since, limited to
me his knowledge of the subject, but
seemed very shy about it, to my exceed
ing grief and disappointment. [ shall
impatiently wait for the kindness of
your further communications, SO full of
interest as they will be to me-"
The correspondence between Miss
Flanner and Halleck took place nearly
forty years ago. She was then about
Sc, he Al. Both have passed away from
earth, and that which we publish this
morning seems almost like message
from another world.
THE NARRATIVE.
A party of young ladies and gentlemen
of Mount Pleasant, O., assembled at the
house of a friend in that village to
swatch the old year out" The incom-
ing year was 1636-Leap Year. Amid
the merriment of the occasion, some one
suggested that the ladies should avail
themselves of the privileges which it
brought, and open a correspondence
with different gentlemen, mentioning,
among others, the bachelor poet, Fitz-
Greene Halleck. The proposal was
passed by as a jest but in g few min
ntes it was noticed that Miss Abbie
Flanner, a young lady of much talent
and viyacity, was missing from the party.
Quietly bidding goodnight to her
trends OF the house, she had slipped
out and gone out alone. The ground
was covered with snow, that sparkled in
the moonbeams. 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 Sorg
Der the fields of snow the moonlight falls,
And softly on the snow white walls
o! Alb cottage shines;
And there beneath the breath of June
The honeysuckles gay festoon,
And muitit1ora twines.
And forms sweet empowering shade.
Pride of the humble cottage maid,
Who now transformed and bold
Beneath the magic of a name
Those equal rights preSumeS to claim-
tights urged by old and young.
And who is she, to fame unknown.
VINO dareS the challenge thus throw down
Low at the feet of one
Nho holds Il proud conspicuous stand
Among the magnateS of the land,
me muse taVorite son?
As when she roamed carless child
TO pluck the forest blossoms wild,
OFT climbed some pendant brow
OF rock or clif, to gather there
Some tempting flower that looked more fair
Than ali that bloSSomed below
30 now, like Eve in Paradise.
Though numerous offerings round her rise
OF love and friendship bland
WITH many sober blessing fraught
Would give them al for one kind thought.
one ille from Halleck'S hand.
Like that fair plant of India'S fields
THAT most when bruised and broken Yields
Its fragrance on the air
Such Is the heart / offer thee
Pride of my country'S minStrefSy.
Oh, Is ii worth thy care?
She signed the Ellen a. f. Campbell,
incorporating her initials with the name