Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-10-21


approve OF women Of ability and taste
for The work engaging in journalistic
and other literary pursuits. She is OK
ceodlngiy fond % dress, and designs
quaint and unique costumes for house
wear, snch IS were worn in tho Enpress
Josephino's time. These ara of white
satin, black satin. figured China silk.
and IN delicate tInts OF hight blue. cream,
and pink IN other rich fabrics
She 10 dainty in her toilet and fond Of
sweet perfumes. 81 ike my own writing.
desk for work" sho saye. although
an accustomed 70 write wherever and
whenever / havo occasion"
She "a fine equestrian, and says that
o ride0 an hour or two in tho saddle
seems 20 rest her Tor her literary work.
- L had no system, she replied in an
swcr TO question, "but such verses AS
write do 90 with very littlo correc-
ton. She has hundreds Of letters sent
her from young literary aspirants asking
her advice and criticisms Of en-
closed manuscript; IN fact, 90 nu-
morons arc these epistles that
should eho give them the attention
desired 1t would consume large por-
zion of her time. "Iast year / had
over five hundred manuscripts sent mo
for criticism and advice TO young writers
10 which / responded she said to a
friend "but J could not keep It MP. l
have new scheme Of scii-dffence now.
I send all their manuscript to tho Lite
rary Interchange IN New York city aud
ten them 10 collect pay for reading and
crit,cisinR for the authors. 1 believe
this plan VIII soon relieve me. Besides,
10 is oil nonsense for authors TO send
their wares TO older writers. The only
way is 10 trust them at once TO the de-
cislon OF newspaper and magazine
rea lcrs."
Il is ever n subject OF interest TO read
ers to Know how the works Of famous
authors came to be written.
The first verse OF tie beautiful poem
"Soiituje, commencing with
Laugh. and ,bo world inughs with yo1,
Neop, AMI yoI Vaap sl0nc,'
came o. her mind while standing before
her mirror in her chamber, fastening
cluster OF red carnations to her bosom,
in completing % toilet for O bal. On re-
turning from The bah. though the early
dawn OF morning Was glimmcriug in the
East, fUc sat down ia her festive COS
tune and WIots out the entire poem be-
fore seeking her couch. Her reelected
figure iu tine mirror robel in white, in
contrast with the sad face and deep
mourning weeds of a young widow she
hal met on tho street that day, sug-
eested the theme.
TIE nuIH or TIE oPAI.
While a. jewellers orc day the pro-
prietor showed her beautiful opal and
remarked: II wish some one would
wri te q poem on the Origin Of tho opal (;
1t seems 10 mo to be coordination Of
moonlight aud sunlight On reaching
hcr home Alrs. Wilcox sat down at her
Wrillng-desk and wrote The Birth Of
tho opal.
Tho exquisite lit:e poem "'ihe Land
OF Nod was composed while rocking
her brothers baby io sleep, lullaby
which wa ever after tho baby's fayoritc.
"Ibe Disappointed, which sc regard
as one Of her best, so exquisite in scuti-
mcnt and symp thy for human sorrow,
was suggested by one 81 "a1tef SDoFcis.
"ihe Two Sinners Was written on the
occasion Of the marriage Of beautiful
and accomplished rri TO u man Of dis
soIute character who had risen to power
and position in the world. "A Face
"a5 written on seeing q sweet oaoy lace
atthc window opposite that az when sue
vas writing. o. ine scarf was written
Oh board Tire stcen.r Nlatara On inc way
TO Cuba. tr. wilcox called her atten-
ton - q IiS't .eafi tIi"I nUH8 ~ me
window OF the sla,e-room mapping IN 'ne
hree1e, ana had an hoGf later enc pre-
scented tim thc poem ms Ic'uAs remarks
h'd 3nf-,s'ed.
"hnaei or Dem'n was "i'''s" IN T.
spoA 90 % 'r',e' ie,''F'' ~ '''' nor nus
p.ai IL when hc iAl c.'.i'H Der ''' .h e''
onc cd a. i"o ana ~ y essence "'rC
botu teariuI,J |ut.'n on inc occasion Oh
her buso1na5 le"V.nG nome nus Nv we
mfAt 60 on ehuh'eI''-n-. ,ils' w