The Arkansaw traveler., 1888-02-04
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX
New York Social science. You cannot with your letters bind The daring Impulse of the mind,

NOT uuenCn lnC ilKnLUlHH bphI hS Ol tnOuRHts
 u C. Cidrk.
 No, not all the cruel criticism of the combined press of America and Europe, can qu .nch the fiery sparks that fall from the pen of one of the most talented and fearless writers this nineteenth century has known. The writer retrains from saying authoress, for there is childish remembrance of teasing brother (Master Eddie Wheeler that makes it very distaste- ful to her.
 Although she writes prose quite as well as poetry, she says she remem- bers many time of having run vail ing into the house from play, and when the origin of her misery was in- quired into, could only reply, "Eddie has called me an authoress."
 the right to be called great never try to impress others with their great ness. Mrs. Wilcox is no exception to this rule. Her simplicity of manner carries real charm with it. When she enters q room, you have the feel ing that by some chance an extra gleam of light has stolen in. She is very girlish, both in looks and man. ner, and laughingly remarked to a lady who expressed her surprise at her youthful appearance: "Oh, no, am not young, l have very deceptive face; claim thirty summers" and indeed, very bright, happy ones they must have been, if one can judge from her manner. She has beautiful pink and white complexion, is of medium height, brown hair, with tint of red in it, that painter would call bur nished gold, laughing blue eyes that look at you with childish trankness, real Frenchwoman in her home toilet. Her pet house dress is an exquisite Kate Greenaway of white satin. For evening it is cut Pompa- dour neck and short sleeves, with a dainty fall of lace. Her street dresses are very plain.
 Mrs. Wilcox is not church mem- bsr, but her whole life has been one long prayer that she might be of use to others. Her heart nor purse are ever closed to worthy charity. She is one of the most active members of the St. Andrews Coffee Mission.
 Every newsboy in New York will tell you that he can get "boss cup ot coffee and plate of beans" for one cent. We feel sure that her friends will tell you that we have drawn a faithful picture. But the one quality that stands out the grandest of her many admirable ones is firm ness. How she chung to the highest impulse in her nature, and bravely fought the battle alone that has won for her place in the literary field that any one might envy. And we may truthfully add it is that little word (envy) that has prompted a good deal of the unjust criticism she has re- ceived.
 It has been said Of her writings, Sentimental trash, nothing more," and that the same poem contained "tro- chee, iambus, dactyl and anapest,'' and so on through the many styles of meter.
 If Mrs. Wilcox had never written anything but Solitude" she would have been a great poet. That beau- tiful little poem alone will make her name live long after she has passed away.
 "Laugh. and the world laughs with you;
 Weep, and you weep alone"
 It has real Longfellow ring. Did ever pen paint human nature more forcibly? There is pathos in it that will strike tender chord in every readers heart.
 "They want full measure of all your pleas
 ure, But they do not want your woe"
 "There is vein of ofsenuousness which characterizes much of her poetry" CD
 Dear reader, can you imagine that any one but @ pure woman can write poem like this?:
 "Come. cuddle your head on my shoulder Your head like the solden.rod.
 And we will go sail.ng away from here
 To tho beautiful Land of Nod.
 Away from life's hurry, and furry, and Away from earth's shadows and gloom, To world of fair weather. we'l noat on to Where roses are always In bloom.
 "Just shut up your eyes, and fold your hand s Your hands like the leaves of . rose. And we will go sailing to those fair lands
 That never an atlas shows.
 On the north and the west they are bounded oa sSs south and the east by dreams: