The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1876-05-04
4 WORD no DIR. HOLLAND.

IL
nrt drawing out the genius of Sidney
and Clifford J.anier, we hope he will do
so. Tic Power Of Prayer, or the First
Steamboat up the Tennessee, published
last Summer, and Uncle Jim's Baptist
Revival Hymn in the May number of
Scribnci's, are the truest, the most
characteristic, and altogether the best
negro poems, il they are to he called so,
that we have ever read, For Il century
the negroes Of the South have had Il
hearing, or rather they have had those
who spoke for them, through stories
IND negro songs, but there has been
nothing 50 genuine as these poems Of
the Laniers, brothers, cousins, or what
ever they are. These men have struck
one of the richest veins of. literary ore
in the whole mining region of litera-
ture. Will they work it?>
We feel Il lively interest in anything
of this kind, and say this to the editor
at Scribner's because these poets are
publishing in that magazine and he can
reach them. Next to the delight of
producing genuine thing in literature
is the delight Of calling it out Of some
one else and Introducing genius to the
public. We had the pleasure. few
Vars ago, Of introducing Will Carleton
I the world us 4 poet. One morning
willie looking over our mail at the To-
ldo Blade Office, we came upon a = Rail-
road Lyric," describing an accident on
the Hudson River road, and signed by
Will Carleton of llillsdale, Michigan.
at once We recognized the lift and fire
OF poetry and we gave it place on the
editorial page with comnendatory
caption. Carleton then sent us Bet
sly and l are Out" which we dressed
up" for the composition and had it pub
lishcd In the weekly Blade. The New
York World took it up first. Then the
1I:trrers wrote to the Blade asking the
privilege Of copying and Illustrating
md Carleton was soon famous. For
three months after this, we were flcod-
cd with "Answers "and ''Scquels " to
the poem from all parts Of the country.
Only q few could be published, from,
s,icl, writer's lis Helen Bostwick. CT
course Carleton was assailed by critics
and we had to. defend him. We said
then that he had struck most rich and
original vein which lie was capable of
working, and we still think that in
Carleton'a Farm Ballads lie the poten.
cy and the possibility I'VE believe that
il the way the m"terialists say it, OF
the. truest md the most genuine poetry
Of western furm life which we have Lad
Carleton afterwards sent us "John
ny Rich" and tout Of the Old House:
Nancy" We wrote him tn It the latte,
poem was imperfect without 4 stanzy
mentioning the birth Of the first child
Carleton promptly sent back the re-
quired stanZ:t, which we inserted and
then published tie poem. Carleton
told us afterwards that, in lis public
readings, the audience always cl,eere(
ut that stanza.
Our Object in referring to these facts
however, is mainly to defend Carleton
Il Miss Emerson, year or two ago
ct'imed the authorship of the Farm
Ballads, and charged Carleton with lit
cr;try piracy. We could settle that
dispute, if any one could. We have
mt : seen Miss. Emerson's publish
t.l version Of the Ballads, but if sl,t
gives "Ont Of tile Old House," witt
the stanza about the baby, We sl,oul,
x,y: that she is caught.
DR.. Holland will please not under
stand us us imti,nating that the amer.
ar1C,.rleton IRE great poets. We OIL!
wish to say that they are working veins
wl,icl, win "pan OUT las We say on
here III the West, n, great deal Of pur
gold. THEY are touching the hearts o
j hat great PEOPLE with whom DR.. lIol