The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-04-16
MISS WILDR0SE.

| Disgusting herself under silence or with psoudonym
and the rector Of the parish had heard portions OF
1.-THE Song OF the Morning Stars ~ before Its complo-
tion; and when this known and the first poem was
followed by another and yet another kindred to IT, tho
dOubtcrs sllcnced, and Miss Wildrose took her
| place among tho poets-on the bench with Milton
thought hcr family and friends; on the humbcst foot
stool OF all Miss wldroso herself thought. shc was
content to the lowest there's only to be In the glorious
| company at all was quito enough for hor.
OF course the work was criticised This great critic
counted the number OF Saxon derivatives on page
and honored dishonored her according to his sum
total, and that one weighed her rhymes In the half
balance under glass that s sensitive to the sound Of
| the falling snowflake, and the other found real
mares nest OF delight In lame foot OF the blank
verse. hut the people liked the little books and the
popular acknowledgement was such that Miss Wild
| roses head might have been turned II her art had
been less matter of moment with her, cr u Just at
that time she had not met Ralph Stuart and loved him
| almost on the meeting.
her like being not only Of the outside world but Of
the world OF art In which hor dreams and fanCes lay
For he was painter OF more than common promise,
II not yet Of absolute performance and II poor as the
traditional painter Is, yet with too much love of the
colors harones and shapes Of nature that belong
| TO all who can them, 10 sigh for those heavier
Injuries that belong only TO the few In time he would
like them too hut Just now he had youth, art, and
| love. What more could he wish
Like most young artists, Europe was his goal, II
ever lie could sell enough sketches to warrant his de-
parture. Aud now, since coming to the village, he
had doubled tho distance between him and this goal.
for was hegolnE without Miss Wilhrose Ana IN order
| aS many sales rs he had counted on before. Miss
WlrUse's little income from her books would not 90
great IN their mutual purse, for the sale OF the
best liked verses Is not miraculous draugh and she
had really out various copies OF her books IN the
service OF borrowers not buyers. Moreover, Mrs.
Stuart she could hardly make her way with the same
eXpeuscless simplicity rs when only Miss Wlldtose
Plainly. old age was likely TO creep upon them both
before they could venture TO let their lives become
and make their visions OF those old streets and gale
res, those summer seas and glacier tops thing OF
real life.
| This however, did not seem so sad thing to Miss
Wldrose as II did TO Raphael. She could 70 sing
Ing her songs In the village as long as her heart aud
soul were In sympathy with the great strain that ma
ture sings, and here was Raphael all day and evei
day beside her. hut II troubled her at length little
to his unrest Perhaps she caught the unrest her
| self Her work felt the trouble; aud for time SHE
feared so had lost the secret word of her powers she
| - want my outlook opened,'' he cried search
Ing the blue sky with his bucr eyes al want to see
| for myself how Raphael turned this line how Yer
| shadow. want to know what they mean by saying
| Turner made color do the work of drawing. ] want
| aneld. want to see Venice before some accurscd
| steamboat rips ont her looking glasses
- want to see the Euganean hills, said Mis-.
| Wildrose casting her glance dreamily along the fiat
country where never hill was seen.
And want my home, my wife, my hearth, -
ness seemed only high value Of their art
| ''If you could only he sent to Europe, ~ said she
at last "lf you could be consul in some foreign
town In France or Italy, OF In the East, or In The
| North of Africa.''
an could 20 abroad and be paid for 1t, ht
I" hut It is not Impossible - she answered with 4
brightening smile; :, Now, l consider 1t not at all
Oh. Raphael. II 1t only should -
~ am afraid You are building castles aud the
sCaffoldng Is In the clouds, " he said
:" Listen, then. Isn't the new Secretary OF state
a man of letters? ITand-in-glove with publishers
authors patron Of pl l too m
as bright as your eyes Take me for a clod. see 4
all, now You have illuminated It,. Yes, yes, Goot
yours
ooh, shouldn't want to figure in it, she mur
INJURED Sirnklngly.
''Then you shall not. My little wife shall stay OF
the dark side of the moon till she wakes up and nnd
herself In gondola some sunset, with the moon II
| the laGoons.n
| And 1t was not u month before. armed with all
sufficient papers AZ no deemed, Raphael Stuart was
success that he already canvassing in his own
mind the merits of the opposing ocean lines, the hes
place for we's state room. and whether or not III
would be able to get any sketch of weltering waters
bits OF sails or shipping or saabirds on the way.
lie had plenty of time to think over as the hour
presence The consulshlp to VenlceP All, that wa,
pity lie should DO very sorry to be Obliged TO reus
sS ; n Sa TT hss OF of se STUART
| had seen some OF his work, and indeed had phr
chased little scene ''The Spent Wave,'' Il Mr.
| Stuart REMEMBERED 1t. And as Raphaels color rose
| something about him seemed to interest the Score
tary more for hc read the letter again and asked hin
for his other papers. ''They We're very strong,' h
said, and II is very unfortunate have all but prom
iscd the consusp to Mr. Tiernay, who has Just lef
me-: Perhaps YOU saw him pass out; he looks like al
| fitting and appropriate I'm designating him for TIN
post said the Secretary laughing, for he knew how
| TO NIL disagrecable pauses with light words.
| "Well, well, ~ he said, 81 shall regret 1t yer.
much II cannot be OF service to you. Depend upoi
It, shall try. am sorry to have so far committee
! myself. Perhaps something can be done, though
am doubtful. Are you staying In the city long
Where are you STAYING? Can you dine with me to
| lew pleasant upOplp Sharp Good
ing Aud before Raphael recovered himself, tn
plausible Secretary had bowed him out and admltte
the next, and he was standing with dazed air anon
tho ruins Of his hopes, the face OF the Italian brigani
whom he now remembered to have seen, dominatn,
the ruins like that OF an evil genius.
} But he was not Of the sort easily cast down. Afte
A couple OF hours he on his feet again. full o
toll and a few minutes before 7 O'Clock he was a
the secrctary's door, admitted by tho stately blacl
porter, making his best bow to Mrs Secretary and
| II not conscious that Miss Secretary was regardin
him with an suspicious eye, quite conscious that s
, looked one Of the sweetest and best natured youn
l | women In the world and one to whom, before III
n dinner was announced TO which he led her out, II
4 felt like cOnhding both his Joys and SORROWS.
What troubled him was that before he had bee
five minutes In the drawing room he had seen tn
Italian brigand talking with famous general an
looking as though no were taking his points so as
| be ready for the next ambush, and that now he wa
placed on the other side OF the table but few seat
| distant.
} The dinner went on quite as usual, when sudden
v there was lul In the conversation, which had lee
. | turned by the Secretary to the subject of moder
literature, aud Mr.. riernay's voice was heard qu
distinctly saying to the Secretary, he bent slight
forward, 'oh, I assure you, my dear sir, there
no one better qualified than to speak OF 'rhe Son
| of the Morning stars since / wrote it, rs ma
| say.n Aud then rs Raphael tossed back his ha
like one preparing TO offer battle. he added, ''rh
is TO say. Miss Wdrose and wrote 1t together, al
n | rewrote II. l think there is not single stanza
which our Joint work Is not to DO found. Tho Idea
i the opening chorus Is her own, and the work min
o l myself suggested the refrain of the 'Wanderir
stars, and She worked that up--''
"And the Cloud OF Comes9' asked the Secrcar
con, that Is mine, too; and so was the Earth
Recitatiye In the Region OF Meteors, all mine. Il
her delicate touches gave II grace not within Il
d power OF n masculine pen. Miss wlldrose' grace
n ~ beg pardon. Are you speaking OF Miss WI
n rose9'' said tho secretary's daughter, as Rapha
aghast and utterly Incapable OF using her name
~ "of Miss wildrose9'' said Mr.. Tiernay. so
y certainly
10 "Like sister, said the brigand Bett
;, than sister, might add since we have worked T
~ | our name and our fame together
l. GLOW l should like TO see her ! DO You suppO
nj | she VIII ever come to WashngtOn?''
~ "Ah, 1t is unlikely. The poet is too sensitive (
contact with practical things you KNOW
l. ''Thon you must tell me of her. Is she pretty
n, | Is she pleaslngY'
y. Pleasing yes. IL hardly speak of her
70 openly you must believe me- She is perhaps, one
* Idea OF SapphO-''
ayes. LaTgeY''
"Suporb mOulding.'
| - Blue eyes?''
| tAs vlolets ~
"Then hope her hair is black
"As black as night
LIVERY one has such different Idea of Sappho,
said MIR. Secretary. NOW TO me sappho looks II
story's Cleopatra. And by-the-w way, papa, do y
know that Mr., GOuld's Ghost of llamets FathI
| II TO be seen In Boston? | could take the tOuT
there to SEQ IT, lie is the shelly OF sculptoIs'''
Aud then the Secretary took up the tale aud
daughter bent her head over her little satin m6nu q
Whispered to Raphael al thought you said YOU W,
engaged to marry Miss Wildrose'"
1891 did.
"Why, thon, didn't you announce yourself j
nOw2ii
''Drag her name before a dinner tableg'
81 believe In you - she said earnestly. " lila
you her picture? Pray let me see IT,
She looked at II and passed 1t to her next neighbl
81 looks more like lew England maiden than i
u queen's daughter, - she said as she did SO.
'Oh Is this Is q new prinCess?' cried Tie Ia
into whose hands IT came directly afterward, and
presently reached the Secretary. II was q mlnatl
Ii | that Raphael himself had painted
'Eyes dark as pansles IN front OF March, - 81
the Secretary. "Those close bralds OF fair hair co
trast we'll. Quite petite young woman. You spC