The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-18
STORY OF HER CAREER
CONFESSIONS OF A PoETEss, BY ONE
WHO HAS PARTIALLY REFORMED.

spun Rhymes WhiIe tho niro0 oi'
Did tho ousework-A Plucky Woman's
Well-Earned Success Criticisms.
In less than years time after that 1.-THE
rejection of tale Of love, adventure,
jealousy, and woe, which ended happily with
the peal of wedding -bellsl received my
first check, and felt fully launched on the
great sea of literature. Poems and stories
flowed from my pen like water running
down hill; and when was barely Is years
old was clothing myself with the proceeds
of my pen and helping to furnish and
brighten up the humble little home The
prices received were small. but wrote SO
unanimously that managed to earn quite
little income
When was about 10 wrote eight poems
in single dayl and l considered two in q
day only small achievement OF course |
sent out into the world an immense
amount of trash, which | would gladly re-
call now. All my friends told me was
shaming the Muses. by my reckless use Of
her gifts was urged to devote more time
to study and to the perfecting of my work
But, look you'll was earning money to
| relieve the absolute necessities Of life, and
was lifting many burden from my moth
er's shoulders. With the wisdom of the
| world, our neighbors called me a lazy
dreamer who sat scribbing all day while
her folks" hired help had to do the work |
ought to do The truth was, my pen paid
a servant to tighten my mothers dreary
| labors, besides supporting myself.
Those were memorable days to me- was
intoxicated with my success radiated
| with love for all the world knew nothing
| OF the world as yet, nothing of human
| nature, nothing of my self even. People of
| intellect, and wealth. and social position be-
gan to seek me out Invitations began to
row in upon me to visit in city homes
These visits increased my ambitions and my
| necessities, | saw how other people lived
and dressed, and my desire for money ex-
| ceeded my love for art. | was passionately
| fond OF social pleasures, and the desire to
| appear in becoming toilet at party over
came my resolve to write only two poems a
| week. wrote ten instead AMI sacrificed
| art to fashion. And the next day when
found that | had danced throush my slip
pers / wrote four more extremely faulty
poems. But they purchased new pair OF
slippers and pair of gloves. These are
shocking confessions But they are abso-
lutely true and | hope my brethren and
sisters who listen to these experiences of one
who is partially reformed will Offer up
| prayers in my behalf
MARKETING BRAIN WARES.
Everything was material to me- The
singing of bird outside my window, the
compliments paid me by my escort at the
play, the sound of the reapers in the harvest
fields, the conversation of callers, my own
restless heart, all gave me food for verses
and romances
used to 60 to the bookstores and write
| down list of addresses of various period
Gals in different parts of the country. Te
these l would send out my manuscripts
often ten or twelve by one mail / con
sidered it a great misfortune that / was
often denied credit for my work; l thinl
now it was blessing that SO many of these
waits went nameless into the world. l,
never occurred to me to seek the assistance
of older writers in marketing my brain
wares, and / was too independent and toe
impatient to ask or allow any one 10 crit
else my work before l sent it out / wa,
imbued with the foolish idea that it woul
be no longer my own original composition
| if l allowed any one to make suggestions
| So OF went my half-aedged birdling
almost as soon as they were through tn,
she'll 1t all seems great pity 10 me now
But l enjoyed life and caused others t,
enjoy it After ALL what is better THAI
| that.
That woman is endowed with a NOR,
delicate physical organization AMI NOR,
nervous sensibiiitieS than man Is an undis
puted fact and centuries of hot hous
breeding have rendered her still more sus
ceptible to the cold winds of publicity Ii
my early youth and ignorance of thes
things, l used to look upon a woman VIII
had arrived at eminence, and say, Ssh
has been blessed by the gods and favore,
| by mankind; how fortunate the sta
under which she was born" In the ligh
| Of maturer years and experience
say now, What courage, what patien
ing have been hers"
One of the most important things for
woman to remember who sets forth on
self -supporting career is the necessity O
transacting all financial matters in a strictl,
business like manner Ii she borrows monel
she must repay it with interest, as a ma
would do. II she contracts debts she mus
pay them. And she must not expect especa
consideration or favor in these things "bs
cause she is woman" Not until wome
fully realize this can they expect to sue
coed
RECOGNITION AND REMUNERATION
We are dependent on the gaIlantries an
affections of men in society and in th
domestic relations; they are our courtiers O
our kings, by nature and custom bound t
give US the comfortable seat in the car o
fetch our fan at the ball; but in bushes
transactions we must forget all this an
consider them simply our equals, neithe
our masters nor our slaves; and if we woul
win their respect and encouragement, W
must merit it by well balanced accounts
As | read over my own works and pair
fully realize their great defects, / am move
to wonder why have been accorded sue
unusual success, when many writer's VIII
far excel me as poets and artists have faile
to win recognition Or remuneration.
think it must be due TO the fact that
threw into my work great deal Of the el
IRENE vitality with which | was en1owel
1t touched the public like an electric way
and brought my verses into immeliat
notice.
Yet shall be forgotten while more car,
s1l and conscientious artists live in th
memory of the world While l realize a
Ivy shortcomings, do not see how l coul
have have done differently in the past.
performed the duty nearest me as well as
knew how to do. Sweeter than fam
which is, like st Johns little boo, onl
sweet in the mouth, is to Inc the consciou
ness that have been Of practical assistant
to those dear to me heard recently ths
, Mr.. Edmund Clarence Stedman honorel n
by the remark that ne wished b. could ba,
had the literary training of me from m
18th years he would have made a bette
poet Of me- believe this to be true II
would have taught me that the manner I
expression is Is worthy of consideration ,
the thought to be expressed "a ia I 1 W,
sadly tardy in discovering. He would hay
casued me TO contribute more to art but,
} fear loss to duty, than 1 have done.
! should have teen poet, but less usei
financier and citizen. should be remel
} bered longer by critics, but less grateful
by those to whom l owe my existence
Ella Wheeler Wilcox In Lippincott
|