The Arkansaw traveler., 1885-03-21

in his store buying navy suit for child. MT. Stewart had habie of walking about the store and watching sales unknown often to both clerk and customer he ap- preached Fanny Fern and asked, Have you child old enough to wear navy suit?
 'The bright woman looked at him and responded:
 "tGo away, Mir. Stewart, and mind your own affairs
 This is my affair." he answered, and had the suit sent to her address, and positively forbade any expense incurred, saying that he was already deeply in her debt.
 "A characteristic story of my sister Sarah, said MT. Willis, was the way she treated a grasping landlord at K eh- mond, Virginia, when she and her hus- band, Mir. Parton. were staying there for few days. Fanny had the misfor- tune to break nick out of a very ordi- nary toilet chamber set and the landlord included the price of the whole set in the bill. When it was paid the angered Fanny inquired if the set was nov hers. The landlord had not taken that view of it, but finally acknowledged that is was, since she had paid for it.
 "Then can do what please with my own,' said the indignant and inn pulsive woman, and seizing a poker she went into the room and broke every piece of the set to eternal smash. Her keen sense of justice was outraged by such contemptible conduct"
 Her marriage to James Parton, the his- torian, was singularly happy one. Mir Willis remarked, as suggestive of the family heritage, that granddaughter of Fanny Fern is one of the leading editor ial writers of the New York Lsdger at the present time, while the granddaugh- ter of another member of the family is a sparkling and popular writer on the Bos- ton journals. A granddaughter of N. P Willis, living with her mother at Cam. bridge, while yet mere child, wrote a little play which was performed in the presence of Longfellow, Holmes and the Harvard notables, to their great delight, the child herself acting the leading part.
 As this paper is necessarily a compila- tion of biography, conversation and per- sonal reminiscence, it will be excusable to refer in broken sequences to any matter of interest concerning the three distin- guished subjects. While still en yabborf with the beloved sketch-writer, who iu her day was an educator, it may be of in- terest to refer briefly to her style of writ ing. It was blending of humor and pathos told in piquant sentences. She ridiculed the foibles of fashion and soci- ety. Like Dickens she preached a gos- pei of humanity. Her articles were terse and struck popular vein at once. A quarter column newspaper skid was cap- toned "A model widow" The gist of the whole thing was in the opening sentence, of sarcastic brevity:
 "Would not wear her veil uo on any account thinks her complexion looks fairer than ever in contrast with her sa- bles; sends back her new dress because the fold of crape on the skirt is not deep mourning enough ; stcsd:as:!y refuses to look in the direction of a 'dress-coat for -one week!
 "Little Allie," a sketch full of the pa- thos of motherless child's story. ends with this transcript from her humanita- rian creed:
 "Never forget it, Betsey," said he |; "harsh words ain't fer the r.otherless May God forget me, if He ever hears one from my lips"
 Fanny Fern died at the comparatively early age af 5r. She lies buried in beau tiful Mount Auburn, the lovely cemetery which lies adjacent to boston. Over her grave is white marble cross erected to her memory by MT. Bonner as a token of his regard for her. ltis wreathed with fern leaves, carved from the solid mar bic. 1t is said of her that in the fourteen years during which she wrote for the New York Le6gey, that she never once failed to send in her manuscript promptly on time. She was paid for one story at the rate of SIoo column.
 Few can stand by the grave of that bright, loving woman and not recall her own sad, prophetic words:
 70, to die and be forgotten :! This warm heart cold, these active limbs still, these lips dust Suns to rise and set, flowers to bloom, the moon to silver lea! and tree around my own dear home the merry laugh, the pleasant circle and l
 But her usual philosophy was of the bright, cheerful, conductive order. Diff hculties were her best inspirations to success.
 Any biographical record of poets will tell the story of N. P. Willis life He was the darling of fame and fortune.
 My brother was much older than l." said MT. Willis, and at the age of I7- when was less than years old-he went to Yale College. This was in 1923 Previous to this he had written poems over the signature of Roy In college he wrote his sacred poems, which of all his works have had from then until now the longest and steadiest sale, and laid the foundation of his poetic reputation. The universally of their popularity is in- dicated by the fact that although from q Protestant source they are used in the Catholic convents as text books to fur nish poems for study and recitation"
 "Was i: necessary that your brother should write, MT. Willis ?"
 He supported himself by his pen" replied Mir. Willis. "As poet, prose