The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1890-12-20
rnE CONFESSION or alLL NYE.
being . True Story az Uow This base
Man Came tn Write the Poem OF
.sBeautifut snow"

ayouth did not have 10 do anything
but cut cordwood and clear oil timber
land but in an evil hour Twas tempted
10 90 TO the great city. where folks
did not readily fall into my ways. So
/ left the clearing and. like Cincin-
natus. | also left my steers standing In
the furrow. To strike out for the rip
snoring town. At first | was afraid
of the ears and would shy little when
the band played. but gradually got
used TO II, and IL things sort OF startled
me concealed it. and could almost
fool some people and make them think
was town-brcd. although even yet
| hold cigar like an immigrant aud
dodge when | sit by n car window aud
go past telegraph pole.
had not been in tho city long be-
fore noticed that though l was OBJ
served was not recognized rs n gem
eral thing. Observation without recog-
milton is metropolitan popularity. /
soon grew 10 be more and more vacant
and the different coats OF my stomach
began 10 get out at the elbows for l
had brought my sylvan appetite with
me and also glazed portmanteau,
which would not stay shut except when
i wanted to open ii to see II my new
kip boots were still safc.s
| walked mp and down tho same
street good many times trying to
look like was really going somewhere.
which. rs Heayca is my Judge. was
not. / stopped nov and then 10
scratch my chilblain against the curb
and look at the most expensive dia-
monds in the jcwclry show-windows,
aud. though my taste was pleased aud
gratitied, 1t only annoyed and tanta-
lied my appetite.
For days and nights did this. hop
ing that some kind banker would al
low his team to run away near me, so
that / could save his little daughter
and get "A chance TO wet my, finger on
sponge at his counter and count his
coupons for him. But when YOU come
To consider this in cool. mcthodical
way. YOU viii see that il is Il most un-
certain method for obtaining situa-
ton, for bankers are getting more
careful In selecting their horses and
also the coachman generally takes his
pick OF the daughters. thus leaving
talented but freckled young buck
whcaters TO marry othcrwhere.
was so empty that when buttoned
my vest in the morning could hear ii
echo along down ms corridors.
thought of begging. but could not do
that. So | said | must staryc. II
had not been so hungry would have
gone home. whore IA barrel of picked
pork and bin OF atrophied potatoes,
with pale green sprouts yard long.
just fairly held out their long arms TO
me. But / had put II of too long now.
! must die on the streets Of great
city and be all mussed up by an
autopsy. put on clean shirt so that
| would not shock the authorities too
much. and then | composed myselfand
waited for death. / waited quite awhile
aud thought | was going. Then the
smell of soft-shell crabs came 10 my
surprised and nstonishcd senses. IL
WAS awful. / rose up and tore out
few handsful or handfuls Of hair. for |
could afford IL ut the time.
Suddenly came the temptation 10
lead m immoral life. | did not know
whether to do that or write poem.
saw on every hand how vice throvc,
while agricultural virtue stood around
aud chewcd imaginary victuas
Oh. il was an awful hour? In the
midst OF il all said mt last: No.
will DOT lead life of shameful |
have tried literature anyhow. will
compose poem. for according TO
what have heard am just about hum
CRY enough TO do good literary work"
So | seated myself by the waning light
and on n sheet of brown wrapping
PAPER with piece of keel, wrote the
words of Beautiful Snow
can show you the spot vet. IL 10
between the old Castle Gardens north
west corner and pier l OF the North
River. also have what Is left Of the
piece of keel and my unsoied character.
Oh. how little care for the honor OF
writing Beautiful Snow" when i
think that II saved me. for took II TO
IN editor and was going to read IL 10
him. He was irritated. because il was
Saturday aud the business Office had
expressed wish to usurp the editorial
page for advertising purposes. and he
WAS so hot that he told me 10 90 where
Ii had been the whole aim of my life
thus far 10 avoid and escape. aud no
said also that IL would not read the
poem and would 60 far. far away and
never come back any more he would
give me a dollar. | closed with him
aud with this generous start ] rapidly
rose 10 where | now am, able 10 keep
team aud dawdle through tho day ut
the seaside.
This In brief Is the history OF
beautiful Snow" The idea OF In.
cooperating into II young woman
who had led life OF shame was pure
~ Imagination on my part and not In
any sense a personal experience. The
poem was lost that evening accident