Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1885-02-05

|
Nellie, tell you again, dear, that
have no literary talent whatever. 1t
has been pretty hard sometimes even to
write letters to You, whom love bet
ter than all the world. How then
could write n successful story p
Couldn't yon write pretty poem
then ?
Horrible ! Ask me somathing rea-
sonable : to swim thousand miles, or
| kill half Il DOZEN tigers but write a
poem Good heavens, Nell, it's e.
nough to make poor fellow commit
suicide could no make rhyme
to save my life Or even your life, dar-
| ling
Now it canpot be so very hard A
little poem upon spring, for instance, to
begin with. Something about bud
ding leaves, and perfumes of the sod,
and young mems hopes, and aching
voids, and all that sort of thing
1t gives me an aching void to think
of it A! And the rhymes Oh, Nell !!
the rhymes y
Take a dictiOnary-S0 some poets do
that. Find number Of appropriate
words to rhyme in pairs, put them
down on the paper, and then write up
| to them
But where do es the sentiment come
in p
oh, that must work in of ITSELF
1T is hopeless case, darling. l am
very sorry that am no. genius-but
nature did not make me one, You know.
And poem !? Oh, it's fearful y
a story then, Chafley-you surely
could write story p
Stories must have plots. Nell, and
plots do require some imagination.
But can't you tell something that
has happened to your friends ? Truth
IS stranger than fiction, you know
Farmers boys are not apt to have
many adventures, Nell. My friends in
the country did nothing more romantic
than digging turnips and potatoes
But did you never haye any thrill
ing experiences yourself. Charley p
This is the most thrilling experience
in my life, and hope that it will be
/ the last one of that nature
! Perhaps you had better try an es-
say p
Jerusalem -
Charles Ba,rett, if you get so near
TO swearing as That, 1 shall leave the
room =
Forgive me, Nell but will you tell
me what subject you would suggest
for at-that-essay p
Something metaphysical of course
Persistence of Force 'Pelativity of
knowledge, ,'-something profound, ,you
see. l always did think that you had a
kind of metaphysical look about your
forehead
will you tell me what kind Of look
that is?' he asked going to the glass, and
examining his face with a somewhat
anxious expression.
Well answered Nellie, it is a sort
of misty
oh, no, dear-not so bad as that, l
hope y
well, wish you would not take me
up so quickly =
'Oh, Nellie, l am an idiot-that is
the truth-but it cannot be helped
1T must be helped, or we shall be
separated forever
Let's run away, and get married y
No. | cannot do that-papa has been
too g BOD and kind. 1t would break his
heart. could not be so Ungrateful,
after all that he has done to make me
happy. Charley,you will have to write
a story, because that will be the easiest.
Go home now, and think harder than
you ever did before, and the ideas must
come. Remember that our happiness
is at stake"
Poor Charley went home in desper-
ate state of mind. After he had reach
e6 his room, he locked his door, took
off his coat, that he might breathe
more freely, lighted his meershaum,
placed a sheet Of clean, white paper be-
fore him, sharpened his pencil to the
finest point, and then knocked his head
violently in hopes that wit would come
After looking at the paper wistfully for
about ten minutes, a brilliant idea al
most took his breath away, and he
wrote quickly, for fear that It might es-
cape as suddenly as it came.
There was once young and very
beautiful girl.
But after writing that he stopped
short, and again waited patiently for
further inspiration. 1t did not come ;
and, throwing down his pen in disgust,
| he cried:
The old man is crazy, and | am an
idiot I'll 60 to bed y which he accord
ingly did and in few minutes was