The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1891-07-19
HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD.
A Flaming Fire Lily Among the Pale Bios
SONS of New England.

Flaming Fire Lily Among the Pale Bios
SONS of New England.
Boston Letter to the Worcester Spy.
The coming to the front of new writer's of
short stories like Mary +. Wilkins and
Octave Thanet" has somewhat over
But Elizabeth Stuart Phelps and Harrient
Prescott Spofford have borne q goOdly share
in the evolution of tue short story and its
establishment as literary fact. Surely
the pathos and power of Jack and The
Madonna of the Tubs" or the fascination
of The Amber Coda" The Atlantic Month
ly was part of the mental pabulum of my
youth, and. although most of it was "strong
meat for babes" | found great delight in
Harriet Prescott's stories. reveled in her
sonorOus, burning dictiOn, whose lavish
color and life somebody has described as
1.-The stiff mother tongue molten and fused
in a magic crucible, and turned to liquid
gold and gems" One cannot help wonder
ing whence came this tropical luxurIance
of Imagination in child born among the
lumber forests of Maine. nurtured amid the
prim provincalism Of old Newbury port.
and educated within the austere limita-
tons of Pinkerton Academy. in New Hamp-
shire. But one sometimes finds flaming
fire lily of scarlet among the pale blossoms
of New Englands hillsides.
lectual and high bred, but rather proud
and reserved her father brilliant. tender
and prodigally hospitable and. virtual, de-
scended from what DR.. Holmes calls ''the
Brahmin race of New England" Mr. Whit
tier, many years ago. described Harriet
Prescott to me as delicate and shy as a
wildwood anemone" This was great
shock to the preconceived notions of the
brilliant writer. Like H. H." in her child
hood she induced playmate to start off
with her to find the 'iumDing-off place" of
the world. which her imagination wildly
pictured. Great was her indignation to be
brought back ANONYMOUSLY by q kind
farmer, who found them fOotsOre, but per-
severing. two miles from home. She was
the delight of her girlish friends by
her ability to write dramas for school
exhibitions. many OF them resting on
a historical basis. These dramas
served the purpose of the schools of to-day.
Her first literary success was winning the
prize for an essay on Hamlet" offered to
the pupils of the Newburyport free school.
This attracted the attention of Thomas
Wentworth Higginson, whose keen insight
discerned her ability and encouraged and
developed her genius
Among Harriet Prescott's books are "Sir
Romans Ghost" ''Azarlan." Thief in the
Night" and "The Marquis of Carabas" and
the summer hammock will afford no better
entertainment than the cOmpanionship of
an hour of the admirable stories I'm Gel
lar OF 1.-THE South Breaker" 1t Is some
times objected that Mrs. Spofford's stories
~ true, for most OF the modern writer's not
only have very barefaced moral. but they
too often insist on pounding it III till the
gentle reader rebels.
Prescott and the Hon. Richard s. Spoffofd
ripened into betrOthal and, after many
years, eliminated in marriage. Their only
child dying in infancy left q grief In the
mOther's heart that time has not effaced.
Until Mr.. SpOfford's recent death they
spent part of every winter at the Parker
House, and were beloved by a circle of
Boston friends. Mrs. Spofiord still occu-
pies their unique and exquisltelv beautiful
home at Deer island. pIcturesguely situated
between Newburyport and Amesbury.
Great pine trees on one side and the river
rushing past on the other make the Sc
clusion completes. and yet. few steps
bring them to the bridge. whence the street
Mary \. Prescott. who also has the gift of
story telling, shares her home. Mrs.
SpOfford has written book. Art
Decoration Applied TO Furniture"
who 'A wished to make artistic in.
teriors and didn't know how to do it. Her
short stories are frequently seen in the
various Harper periodicals. aud her last
book vas a juvenile story; The Lost
perfectly lovely"
Names often have q peculiar fitness to
the persons bearing them. as if the good
fairy at the cradle toresaw the future per-
sonality. Again, a name is strangely ILL
adapted to its recipient. Did You ever
know gawky woman named Grace. and
| q dark. muscular one whom fate had I'M
kindly christened Lilyf Mrs. Spofford
tells personal incident in this same line.
One of her cOlored servants in Washington
asked permission to name her baby after
her mistress, but when the little darkey
was brought for inspection its name proved
to be Genevieve. "Obw said Mrs. Spofford.
Il thought she was to be called Harriet
after me-" lob course. Mis- Poffit." said
the mother but You see Genevieve
'spresses you a sight better'n Harriet does.