Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-05-05
A POET WHO DESIRED CRITICISM
WRITTEN FOR THE D1srArcH.i

How strange are the circumstances which
shane mans destiny, that prompt him to
the first move on the line of action that
leads to his ultimate success or failure in
This world. Who can tell which is the Sc
same which shall open up before him his
sphere in the world, for which he is pecu-
liarlv adapted and designed by his Maker
Should many men of prominence tell the
world what led them to start in their pres
ent successful career, the tales woulc indeed
be interesting.
Among the acquaintances Of the writer
is an excellent gentleman, now growing old,
poet, phrenologist and fruit tree agent,
Mr.. A. S. Mccoy, resident of the town Of
Springboro, Crawford county, this State.
As he travels through the country, selling
trees, he combines his poetry and knowledge
of phrenology with his profession as tree
man.
FEELING THEIR BUMPS.
Entering a house, q few words often dis
closes his identity as phrenologist, and the
whole family have TO have their heads
bumped" maybe, and their future
told. In his travels be has had
many strange experiences and has
bumped" many prominent mems heads,
among them being that of Will Carleton, the
farmer poet. He not only examined his
head, but advised him to write poetry and
what kind to write and even wrote his hrst
poem of note, "Betsy and I Are Out, at
his dictation and criticised it for him. The
story in his own words is given below, with
many other interesting facts about Poet
Carleton:
"It was in the summer of 1870 that I first
met Carleton at Hillsdale, Mich. l was
there with Mr.. Joseph Soper canvasslng
trees will tell you what can remember
OF him from so long ago.
''Mr. Carleton had Just been graduated
from the college at Hillsdale the summer be-
fore, and was at the time that first saw
him acting as editor, or connected with the
Hillsdale Standard. What opened an
intimacy with him then was this: One day,
while cauvassing l found on the street a
beautiful lady's knit nightcap. 1t struck me
as being so comical that the rhyming in
spiration Immediately took possession of me.
1 went to the Smith Bros. hotel, where 1
was boarding, and composed a poem from
the incident and took it to Mr.. Carleton for
publication, which he did gladly.
CARLEToN's PARENTS.
"After making his acquaintance and before
examining his head, made the Acquaint-
ance of his parents, in Hudson, Lenawee
county, Mich.-a worthy couple-the father
a sturdy practical farmer, but the mother,
whom Will strongly resembles physically
and mentally, found an original lady, de-
cidedly full of strong, practical common
sense; comical, witty and full of oddities;
kind hearted, energetic and full of poetical
emotion, and perfect lady. Just the kind
of a mother to produce such genius as Will
Carleton. stopped over night with the old
people once while there.
"Will Carleton was restless and ambitious
at this time. His heart and brain was on
the rack for position, or some chance where
) he might have unfettered freedom to grow
and realize all the intense yearnings OF his
heart. He was dissatisfied with his posi-
ton on the Standard, and while was ex-
amining his head he asked my advice about
himself and the best course for his success
IN the future. answered, You are like
lyour mother in strong common sense, wit,
pathos and originality, and why not
take rural subjects, such as the va
rieties and experiences of farm life;
for, from what / find of your
physical and mental make up, you are uu-
deniably qualified to succeed in that
channel and make a sensation in the world
His eyes and countenance lit up as he said,
Il never thought of that idea. / believe 1
will try it, for I like and am interested in
farmers sndfarming.'
HIS FIRST POEM.
''I left HiIlsdale soon after this and was
gone several weeks. When / returned /
met HIM again and we went together one
evening up to the college to the Alumni
evening exercises, where saw that he was
general favorite. During the progress
of the exercises he was repeatedly
called upon to take part and finally made
q short speech. 1t was witty, eloquent, pa
thetic, alternating from the comical to the
serious, and so original that was strongly
impressed with him. 1t was at this time
that / was at his room, when he said, I
have struck out in a new channel. I have
taken your advice. I have written out an
incident; please read it, criticise it, and tell
me what you think of it, 1t was Betsy
and Are Out, which his poetic brain had
Just manufactured into shape. If I
remember right he had two or three
verses of It written in pencil, but
asked me to write as he dictated, which I
did. Then he asked me to criticise it. Ny
criticism was more praise of its merits than
anything else. He was not above the desire
to have the productions of his brain criti-
cised, but was quite diffdent and modest
about their merits, and yet had firm belief
in himself and his future. Such was my
first and longest intimacy with him, which
was good many years ago; and, if my men,
have nv pleasant remembranees of him as
the long years intervening has left it to me-
A STRIKING APPEARANCE.
''His personal appearance, while young,
was striking and attractive little above
the medium height, slender in build but
sinewy and graceful; head large, forehead
high, and very broad in the region of
idealitv, constructiveness, imitation and
mirthfulness; forehead slightly receding,
with the perceptives as a group leading;
large, thoughtful, expressive eyes, nose in
clined to Roman; large mouth and mobile.
Put your hand over the lower part of his
mouth and chin, and you would say what
an intellectual, beautiful head; take your
hand away and you change your opinion
little for he hasn't a beautiful mouth and
chin, but grand head and face meets you
and you long to know more of them.
"When saw him in Warren, Pa, three
years ago, his physical appearance had
changed good deal. BE had grown stout
and feshy like his mother, and looked
more manly in personal appearance, and
his dark fne hair was sprinkled with gray.
''Of late years have had no intimacy or
association with him, and if 1 have mis-
stated anything to you concerning him it
was not on purpose, but through the failure