The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-16
LOUISE CHANDLER MOULTON.
A Charming Writer and Charming Woman
She Writes Our Saturday Story.


remembering Louise Chandler Moulton after the
spell of her presence is gone. 'sIn her writing,
in her person, in her manner, in her voice, in her
dress there is the gracious and indefnable charm
that would lend attraction to mediocre talent
and plain face; and which, when joined to q
clear, fine intellect a lovely. mobile face, and
the exquisite manner Of one who has breathed
always the atmosphere of the gently natured,
results il woman worthy to be numbered
among the fair ones of poets dream"
Mrs. Moulton, is perhaps, the most person
ally popular literary woman of our country; she
pleases so entirely that doubt if there is per-
SOC in the world who has any but warm and
admiring feeling toward her.
Both of her parents were rigid Calyinists.
with the imaginative side of their natures some
what undeveloped and this child of theirs, liv-
ing in her ideal world, might have been puzzing
| in many respects to them. But they idolized
her, and INDUCED her in every way that did not
go counter to their ideas of the immutable
right and wrong. They held it ruinous to read
romances, to dance or to play games of chance.
such as draughts or backgammon. But al
though there is something pathetic in the
thought of childhood so strictly reared, ! doubt
not the little maid found her own pleasures in
her own way, way that did not impair the sun
niness Of her nature.
She was but fifteen when she began to publish
the trifes which for eight years she had de-
lighted to write. Three years later MessrS
Phillips, Sampson & Co., of Boston, published
for her This That and the Other,ra collection
of stories and poems which had appeared in
a. -.
took the public fancy at once to the extent Of
l5,OUO copies. She was little shocked to seS
the huge posters headed, Read this book and
see what girl of eighteen can do"
Among the reviews was one of length In
Winsted paper edited by Edmund c. Stedman.
then just graduated from Yale, and it began
friendship that has only grown with years and
is counted by her among the memorable prizes
and pleasures of her life.
In the autumn of the same year the Msssrs.
Appleton s. Co, of New York, published for her
novel entitled Juno Clifford" which she took
FANCY to print anonymously as a test OF her
power. 1t had quite success, but would doubt
less have done much more with the use Of her
name. The next year she began writing for
Harpers Magazine, and three years later, i'm
1859, the Messrs. Harper issued collection OF
the stories in volume under the title Of My
Third Book"
She was now in her twenty fifth year fully
launched upon the literary high-seas contribut-
ing to Harper's, to the Atlantic the Galaxy and
Scribners, as they came into existence, and to
the Young Folks and Youths Companion. and
other periodicals for children.
Mrs. Moulton is one of the women whom
Americans, with any wish Of impressing the for
eigner, may well be proud to send abroad. She
is always and before everything lady; an artist
innocence and grace united to sufficient knowf-
edge OF the world; a perfect dress, destitute OF
affectaton, an attractive face, and a voice.
the birds warbled"
"Oh, call it the wells bubbling,"-
never heard such melodious tones from any
other womans throat s'If l could only photo
graph your voice." a photographer once boldly
said to her. If he could, he would have photo
graphed flute notes; water-drops tinkling among
cool leaves the ring of sterling silver; the reedy
note of the Virginia nightingale. 1t was her
voice of which an English poet wrote
"As soft as sleep. and pure as lovely springs,
her voice wherein all sweetnesses abide" -
1t is easy to see how she made immediately
multitude of friends. In August she was in
Scotland, and later on the lovely French sea-
coast; then followed a winter in Paris, and then
again in London, in the midst of whose re-
nswed gayeties she was Frustrated by an ILL
ness from whose effects she has never fully re-
covered, its legacy being slight trouble Of the
heart. When she left her sick-room she was
not strong enough for another sea voyage in the
wintry weather, and she remained in London:
and there in the February of 1873 the Mac
m brought out her poems which pub
Poems in the English edition were aptly
named Swallow Flights"
1t was. as one may imagine trying moment
to Louise when she saw her book ready to be
sent to the reviewers. She was almost an utter
stranger to the London press and had been told
that they seldom Hospitality welcomed the
American. How frgid or how cutting might
not her reception be- -.
A friend said he had asked permission to re-
view the book for the Examiner but had been
m rpvnx Il
Modest to painfulness, she could not believe 40
brilliant critic as William Minte would trouble
himself to make an example of her; she dared
not believe that he would praise her. But at last
the paper came-the first London review she
had ever received 1t occupied a page of the
Examiner and praised her more cordially than
her best friends would have dared to do. After
noting the power and individuality of the verses.
the freshness, dlrectness and spontaneity the
originality and independence of models and the
rich and pure music. it declared that it might be
doubted If GeorgesEliot had lever succeeded in
expressing the same intensity of feeling in verse
OF equal fuilness and equally free from that
faint OF over excitement which is so fatal to
high art" 1t quoted the sonnet Zone Dread"
as something that might have been written by
Sir Philip Sidney. s.
Philip Bourke Marston wrote her of sthe most
exquisite and natural blending of strong emo
tons with the sense of external nature In her
work. He declared How Long almost match-
less, concluding with the divine simplicity.
strength. subtlety, the intense fragrant, genu-
ne individuality of 20 IT poems will make them
impershable" Other letters of congratulation
were received from prominent poets from
Marthew Arnold, Austin Dobson, Frederick
Wedmore Gosse, O'Shaughnessy, Frederick
Locker and William Bell Scott
Mrs. Moulton is now abroad, travelling in Italv
She furnishes the story for next Saturday. and
in it depicts the life and the thoughts of girl
reared in the plain, practical home of the New
England farmer.
Mr. Blaine's Future Intentions.
Washington Special.
ExSecretary Blaine will leave for his home in
As.l.. 10 o. he Wal xEaafhar act