Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-02-28
THE POETRY DID IT.
AN EVENT IN TIE LIFE OF
MAJOR EVERGREEN.
RELATED BY wnKrE COLLINS.

An employment VIM" ho S"J"yN>
represented the bright side, and an en-
envy whom he abhorred personified th'
dark side Of Major Evergreen's life
lie hsd plenty Of money, excellent
health, and . hare-brained little niece
who might have caused some anxiety tC
other men in his position. The Majors
constitutional tranquility accepted re-
sponsibilities OF ell sorts with good
humored indifference which set them
at defiance. If Miss Mabel had eloped
with the footman he would have said
swell, ] hope they may be happy.
If she had come down one morning &c
breakfast, and had announced that she
felt vocation to be a nun, he would
have answered "You know best, my
dear; I only beg you won't trouble me
TO find the convent"
Persons who wished to see Major
Evergreen in Enthusiastically IN
earnest--had only to look at him when
he had pen, ink, and paper before him.
and was writing poetry.
This was the employment that he
enjoyed; this was the occupation OF
every day In his life. lie must have
written hundreds of thousands Of lines
without single thought in them which
was not unconsciously borrowed from
somebody else. Every form that poe
try can take was equally easy and
deliebtful to him. Blank verse and
rhymipg verse; epic poems and
sonnets tragedies, satires, cpl
grams; passionate poetry in the
manner of Byron; narrative poe
try ia the manner OF Scott; philo.
sophical poetry in the manner Of Words
worth; poetry Of the modern type
which gets int the pulpit and reminds
us of our moral duties--this wonderful
man was equal to every imaginable eff
fort in verse; and, more deplorable
still, being rich, be published his
works. They appeared in volumes
first edition., and disappeared as waste
psper--and appeared again second edi-
tom, and disappeared as before. The
printing was perfection the paper was
expressly manufactured to make it
worthy Of the printing; and the happy
Major, closing his eyes on facts, firmly
believed in his own popularity.
One day, toward the end Of summer,
the poet had laid down his pen, and
was considering whether he should
write few hundred lines more, when
his niece looked over his shoulder and
asked if she might speak to him.
Miss Mabel was little and dark and
slim and active; her brightly.restleSs
eyes were never in repose, except when
she was asleep her voice was cheer
ful, her manner was brisk, and her
figure was plump. She was further
entitled to claim general admiration by
o system Of dress which was the per-
lection Of elegance, and by possessing
O fortune Of 100000. And last, not
least. on the list Of her virtues, she
read Major Eyergreen's poetry.
Well, Mabel, what is 1t 2"
ats about my marriage, uncle"
"Marry anybody you like, my
dear"
Even your ugly old publisher
ayes, if you prefer him."
"0r anybody else"
Certainly, if you like him better. "
1.-THE fact is, uncle, you don't care
what becomes Of me-"
II ain of your way Of thinking, my
dear"
"What do you mean"
"Doyou care what becomes Of you?"
"0f course do"
"Then care too"
There was aninterval Of silence. Ma
bel was considering what she should
say next. She decided on speaking
plainly, come what might of it.
This is serious" she resumed.
The Major was glad to hear it.
"I'm afraid of one thing-I'm afraid
j shall offend you
The Major declared that it was i'm
possible to offend him.
Remember what you have said,
uncle! | have just had an offer Of
marriage"
From my ugly publisher ?"
mo; from Sir John Bosworth.
Major Evergreen--usually the LATEST
Of men jumped out Of the chair aud
walked up and down the room, trans
formed from pleasant uncle who wrote
poetry to disagreeable old bachelor
who was angry with his niece.
And for what reason! For this ex
cellent reason: She had mentioned the
name Of the enemy whom he abhorred
Sir John Bosworth was gentleman
who INDUCED in the hazardous specu
lations of modern life. He owned race
horses and he built theatres; he wa
also proprietor Of weekly journal. Ii
that newspaper had appeared the only
review Of Major Evergreen's poems
which had ever noticed them at an!
length. OF the tone adopted by tn
critic, 1t is merely necessary to say tina
it hurried away the easy-tempered Ma
ior to his lawyers office to bring Al
action for libel against Sir John Bos
worth. The wise lawyer pronounce'
the article to be simply inhuman, bu
not libellous. Sir John (already unde
the influence of Mabeb expressed hi
regret in the handsomest manner, an,
declared that the article had been pub
lished by the editor without his know
ledge. Major Evergreen submitted t
circumstances recovered his custom
airy good spirits, and went on writing
poetry more industriously than ever
But what author has succeeded in for
getting an inhuman review? To men
ticu the name Of the proprietor of to-
paper was 10 wound the poet in his ten
derest place. When Sir John Bos
worth paid visits TO the charming niece
the unforgiving uncle was never in hi
way. Major Evergreen was "engaget
In his study"
~ couldn't help mentioning III
name, uncle" Mabel pleaded. :"
was obliged to tell you who it was tina
had asked me to marry him."
The Major received this apolog
with a word Of serious advice. "Yo
might have spared me the name. IN
deaI--you might have said 'Ths
Man, I should have known whor