Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-12-19
Gales aud Sketfhfs.
SIMON PENNiWORTH, A.P.
AND
His CHRISTMAS PRODUCTION.

WAS Tue way ne liked TO write IT, iOT
| though the simple name was by no means
| to be derded or thought little of, yet the
two letters affixed to 1t seemed to create
a certain appearance of Importance, and
give the name more weight, as it were.
No one beside Simon Penniworth himself
could have told you of the great Joy
mingled with honest pride that was ever
awakened in his heart, when his eye hap
pened to fall on this signature; whether
it should be at the bottom of some worthy
literary production, or on the page of one
of the numerous autograph albums over
which his pen had gided 1t was name
no one should be ashamed of, he thought.
And how much better was his title than
that OF NJ. d., A. B or even ID. ID or l..
l.. d; for colleges conferred such titles
men gave these honors to each other,-
'but where can a body of men be found
who can confer upon any one the title OF
American PoetP Nowhere. For few
whom Providence has smiled upon have
been born with this title attached to their
names. and among the number is my
self, ARE words that are said to have
fallen from the lips of Simon Penniworth.
Now no one must consider the hero of
this story egotistcal because he placed
the two letters. mentioned above, at the
end of his name Indeed. it would be
doing great injustice to the one in ques-
ton TO do So. Egotism was far from the
mind OF ibis young man. He was con-
scious of the rapidly developing powers
that had been placed within his mind, and
in making this addition to his simple
name he was merely preparing the world
to understand the greatness of his talents
he was informing the people what they
might expect of him in the future. mo
one should accuse me ct egotsm," said
Simon Penniworth. 'Should | attach G.
A. L. to my name. and the G. standing
for Great, then men might justly find
fault. But this do not. and shall not.
| shall wait and let the world give to me
the letter G.. | was born with two letters,
and the world, and that alone, must give
me the third"
Simon Pennworth found by far the
greatest portion OF his happiness in that
little room which he called his study
Oftentmes he was tempted to term il his
'inspiratiOn rOom;" for. situated in a lofty
part of the old-fashioned house, and COM
manding an excellent view of fields,
woods, u pretty river and houses; less
talented poets than Simon Penniworth
might have there been inspired to do no
BILE things. Indeed, Simon had felt, ever
since his powers were first made known
to him, that it was in this room he was
sometime to give birth to a literary phe-
nomenOn that woudagitate, surprise. and,
it might be, strike the world with ave.
But he kept his thought to himself; it was
too precious to be divulged.
There was nothing in this room of ST.
mons to have particularly attracted ones
attention, unless it might have been the
pictures that adorned the walls These
were all poets. There were Campbell,
and Milton, and Byron, and Shakespeare,
and Longielow aud Poe-with others
fully rs distinguished in the world of song.
Between Shakespeare and Poe was fine
likeness of Simon Penniworth himself
Is il to be thought strange, then, that
Simon called this his "inspiration room ?"
for what ideas were not given to him
through The fields, the woods, the beauti-
tul river. must have been lent him by the
great minds around him. He felt such to
be the case-and even went SO far as to
declare tkat, by standing tor several mo-
ments in front of any one CT the poets in
his room, and looking intently into his
eyes, he (Smon) could then sit down and
exactly initiate the great mans style.
And no one dared to think that this could
be otherwise than true.
Simon Penniworth. on the morning in
which he is introduced to the reader, had
just been receiving inspiration from the
handsome countenance OF Byron, and was
now al his table rap dly addressing lines to
one whom he termed the ''Maid of Wood.
ville;' which maid many OF the inhabi-
tants OF Woodyille knew Simon to be par
ticularly interested iu. Urged on by
Byron, he wrote:
"Maid Of Woodville, would know
If | am thine only beau;
Or if It's true, as some doth tell,
That thou hast other besux as we'll
Hear the VOW I'd make to thee,
Nearest, dearest, dHsO ts!
BY those eyes that shine as stars,
BY those curs none can surpass;
BY roses, pinks. and violets blue,
And all the flowers that ever grew;
BY this sad world, too cold for thee
Nearest, dearest, dyro tep'
Simon's pen had just commenced upon
the first line of another verse, when he
was brought back to the world of prose
by quite loud rap upon his door. His
heart, already much agitated by what he
had been writing, beat wildly at the sound
and his voice trembled as he uttered the
words, "come in !" What if it should be the
maid OF Woodville herself that his words
should usher in he thought, as the door
slowly opened.
| But he was calmer when the person en-
tered-a young man little older than
Simon, perhaps with very light hair, and
very pale lace. He was trihe palsr
than usual, it might have been from re-
alization that he stood in the presence OF
one VINO was sometime to be called the
great Penniworth.
"Mr. Simon Penniworth. A. p"
AS the visitor spoke the above, Simon
arose, slowly pushed his fingers through
his long black hair, and bowed.
"My name is D-nt-William Dent"
the caller continued" and l have been
requested by II number OF the inhabitants
OF Woodville to visit you, and iuform you
Of something of considerable impor-
tance."
81 listen to you. Mr.. Dent" said ST.
mon.
At this point it was William Dents in
tention to have made known to Simon the
Continued on fourth pAgs.J