Ashtabula weekly telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1880-1886, 1880-12-03
A LITERARY REMINISCENCE.

WAS graduated from college with
out honOrs; and then, to the horror of
my bachelor uncle-the only relative
who had the right to express an opin-
ion--I avowed my determination to
marry Avice Clyde, a very youthful,
pink-and-white love.
"Marryn snorted Uncle Phil, laying
down his cherished meerschaum in sur
prise. "Is the boy crazyP And how
do you intend to support yourself? if
may ask. Just at the time when you
ought to come and tell me your choice
of a profession you walk in and say,
Uncle, am going to marryr Twad-
dler'
regret to say that he also used
strong expression not usually heard in
polite society. My composure was un-
shaken.
Professions will watt" 1 said, cool
ly. cts just as easy to makeup ones
mind after marriage as before; and the
fact is, I've made a choice of litera-
ture."
He surveyed me from head to foot
with stare of utter disgust.
"And would you be good enough to
tell me what you intend to live on while
you are waiting for your valuable works
to be publishedP or are they already in
pressP Perhaps you contemplate writ
ing an encyclopaedia"
bore up under the latter irony with
great dignity.
81 shall live, sir, with your permis-
sion, on the money left from defraying
the expenses of my education" l said,
with studied politeness. THAT is if l
need anything beyond what my own ex-
ertions will bring me-"
"Seven hundred dollars" he said,
coolly, lighting his meerschaum again,
and paying more careful attention to
that process than to me. Enough to
last you, in your loves paradise, about
six months, at starvation rates."
was somewhat startled, but my
equanimity did not give way.
"Then | have your permission to
call upon you for the sum when need
itP Good morning, sir.'
Avice and were married the same
month, and began housekeeping in
three rooms. No one was responsible
for her actions but portly aunt, with
three unmarried daughters, who was
glad to dispose of her, and, having
made her charming in clouds of tulle
and lace, delivered her into my charge
with sigh of thankfulness.
We were full enough of romance to
dispense with the regulation wedding
journey, and only went to the country
for few days, where lay on the
grass and read poetry to her, and she
uttered rapt little prophecies in regard
to our domestic life. Avice never used
very long sentences; even sentiment
could not inspire her with the blank
verse in which newspaper heroines in
dulge, but her little disjointed cooings
were very charming.
The next morning after we went
back to town, when we had gone
through our rooms for the fiftieth time
and discussed their furnishings, Avice
put on big apron, and said, with
bustling Importance, that she must
''see about dinner,n while l settled my
self at my desk with compact bundle
of clean, white paper, a box of pens,
and some pink blotting paper. Like
most college graduates, l had a very
modest idea of my own talents, and
had not the slightest misgiving that l
could earn nIy bread by my pen.
hNlC0 chille anu AOokeu over my
shoulder as | sat writing my name and
mixing preliminary fourishes, as a
swordsman fences and thrusts before
beginning the more serious business of
running his adversary through the
body.
II think shall write an epic, Avice,"
/ said, drawing her down beside me
with one hand, while with the other
made lion rampant on paper. "You
see we need something original about
the fall of Troy-a modern idea of it.
We have been content with Homer so
long that nobody seems to dream of
giving the subject a new treatment"