The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-22

York city, and tell them to collect pay for
the reading and criticising for the authors.
believe this plan will soon relieve me; be-
des 1t is all nonsense for authors to send
their wares to older writers. The only way
is 10 trust them at once to the decision of
news aper aud magazine readers"
1t is ever subject of interest TO readers
TO know how the works of famous authors
came to be written.
The first verse of the beautiful poem
Solitude" commencing with
Laugh, and the world laughs with you;
Weep and you weep alone,
came to her mind while standing before her
mirror in her chamber, fastening IA cluster
OF red carnations to her bosom, in complet-
ing toilet for ball. On returning from
tho ball. though the early dawn of morning
was ghmmering in the east, she sat down
In her festive costume and wrote the entire
poem before seeking her couch. Her re-
Elected figure In the mirror robed in white,
in contrast with the sad face and deep
mourning weeds of young widow she met
on the street that day suggested the theme.
While at a jewelers. one day the proprie-
tor showed her beautiful opal, and re-
marked: II wish some one would write a
poem on the origin of the opal it seems to
be a combination of moonlight and sun
light" On reaching her home Mrs. Wilcox
sat down at her writing desk and wrote
1.-The Birth of the Opal"
The exquisite little poem, "The Land Of
Nod" was composed while rocking her
brothers baby to sleep, lullaby which was
ever after the baby'S favorite. The Dis
appointed" which we regard as one OF her
best, so exquisite in sentiment and sympa-
thy for human sorrow, was suggested by
one of Gauter'S novels "The Two Sin
ners," was written on the occasion
OF the marriage of beautiful and
accomplished girl to a man of dissolute
character, who had risen to power and
position in the world. "a Face" was writ
ten on seeing sweet baby face ut the win
dow opposite that at which she was writing.
The Scarf" was written on board the
steamer Niagara on the way to Cuba. MIR.
Wilcox called her attention to a light scarf
that hung by the window of the stateroom
Tapping i'll the breeze, and half an hour
later she presented him the poem his jesting
remarks had suggested.
Angel or Demon" was written in re-
sponse to a letter received from her hus-
band in which he had called her an angel
''One of Us Twon and Absence were botn
tearfully written on the occasion of her
husbands leaving home. Thus we might
go on enumerating. Mrs. Wilcoxs modesty
with regard TO her genius and the popularity
of her work is fully equal to their merit.
In "NobleSse Oblige" occur these lines,
which are eXqulsltely fine:
Great gifts should be worn with grace betit-
ting.
And not like gems on beggars hands;
And the toll should be constant and unremit-
ting
That lifts the king to the crowns demands.
No doubt she, like every other author,
has written some things in her early expe-
| rience that were crude and unfinished
which she would gladly now recall. but in
| the main her poems are strong, forcible
| sympathetic and intense; hence they toucl
the heart and will live, while those of more
| polished writers may perchance be forgot
| ten. MRS. A. GIDDINGS PARK.