The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1891-05-06
POETS ARE son, NOT MADE.
Something interesting About the Author OF
"Curf4w Must 70 Ring Tonight"

"Curf-w Must 20 Ring Tonight"
To THE HowARD LITERARY CLUB-Poetd
fasct,tr, non iii, as W all know well, my
literary frieds, thatBnong the stars is one
Rose Hartwick Fhrope- for instance
for illustration. l shll. if can hold your
attention few mintes, give a few incl
dents that surrouned Mrs. Thrope in her
youth and try to rake it as plain as posi-
bic to give the yong readers chance to
read and try to aply it. She is truly an
ideal evercomer Of poverty. Her first
poem gave her fine, while it takes MANY
years for accomplishment of fame. She
did not start 90 soon, but just at the
right time.
You have red her famous production
as she tuned it,u the Tyre, "Curfew Must
Not Ring Tontht," and describing its
features wouldlot be giving the poem, so
] shall not do either, but say it VIII be
pubis ned in a nvised form soon, and that
1t Will produce more music to your heart
than to read the Id one, but the latter
has charmed the ears of two continents,
why not be it tInefui? You know, sew
eral years ago, TINT no last day OF school
program was COMPLETE without 'Curfew."
Many can see some young DemOsthenes,
IN recOl ectiOn OF the past, giving few
climaxes with Eject thrilling, as if the
actual thing wasoccurring.
The story on which the poem was
founded Is an English one. perhaps you
have read it, ane / will give no explans-
tons upon it, only about the inspiration of
the poem. In April, 1867. several copies of
PetersOn's Magazine were loaned her by
e.. al 81 bor
1868, she found the story OF Bessie and Her
Lover The story was well written and
thrilled her IS no story bad ever done be-
fore. She mediately wrote one scene OF
il In poem which was destined, as soon
as mace public, to become famous. Ii was
not pulls bed until the fall of 1870, when
it appeared in the Detroit Commercial Id
uertiSer The editor wrote me long letter
of thanks and predicted the POEMS future
popularity. This was ali the remuneration
ever received for "Curiew."
She is often taken to be an English la
DIV. but she was born in Indiana and spent
her earlier wears in the northern part of
the state. She has spent many years OF
her life IN Michigan. so the authOress is
OF Indiana's claim and must have place
in the galaxy of Hoosier writer's, where is
superiority above allOther states consider
ing its youthful age. Mrs. Thropes receives
many letters every day from autograph
collectors. She never fails to comply when
her health permits.
She was born in Mishawaka, Ind, July
1850. In 1860 her parents removed to
Michigan which has been her home nearly
ever since. She married in 1871 to Ed
ward e.. Tnrope. OF three children born
20 them, only young daughter remains
living, and she Is learning the art which
will develODe TO the illustrating of her
mothers work. is the suppositiOn from
the admirers of the fair daughter. Mrs.
ThrOpe's married life has been uncom-
monty happy, shadowed only by sickness
and death of the dreaded disease con-
sumption, which is hereditary in her hus-
bands family.
AS TO her early educational advantages
she had none, but she managed to over
come al obstacles, by her genius and
ambition. / shall give in her own words
how she strug led with poverty and how
she assisted her father at an early age
She writes in reply:
You ask what my early education was
and under what surroundings those wears
were passed. l answer that of all dull,
prosaIc lives, mine was the dullest and
most commonplace. My father, William
Hartwick. through signing notes andother
business-like methods, lost his entire
property when | was only nine wears of
age. From thence to my marriage was
long, fierce struggle on the part oi NV
parents 10 feed and clo,he FIVE small
children. l was shy and sensitive
In the extreme. My childhood was not a
happy one. No one in that busy, strug-
Cling life seemed to understand what i
needed. On extraordinary occasions all
OF US children sometimes were presented
with cent to spend as we pleased. Mine
always procured sheet of fOolscap paper
upon which to write the thoughts and
rhymes which crowded my brain.
haunted the millinery shops for SCRAPS of
ribbon paper. and the blank leaves of ali
my school books were used for the same
purpose. When all other means failed
me, with long, straight stick l would
write my poems in the white, new-fa.len
snow.
= was about ten years OF age when my
little poems began to attract attention
and as soon as my dear over-burdened
mother realized that | had needs beyond
the others she purchased cheap blank
books for me and did what she could do
10 assist me- The first book, / remember
was purchased with the full understand
ing that it was to be used entirely as a
journal, but after a few DAYS the diary
was discontinued, and the remainder of
the leaves were filed with rhymes. |
had no books other than a few ancient
volumes to dull and uninteresting for
perusal, and scarcely any education until
after my fifteenth year. NV health was
60 poor that IL interfered with my steady
attendance at school.
About the time conceived the idea of
obtaining sufficient education that might
assist father by teaching school, L had no
higher ambition at that time. i applied
myself indnstIiously 10 my books and in
the spring received a third-grade certifi-
cate and obtained my fret school at 8. 30
per week, but was afterward paid 60 per
week Tor the entire term, as, the directors
said, / taught an uncommonly good
school. ] s.udied between times" aud
after school hours and in the fall received
q second-grade certificate. This inspired
me to greater efforts, and during the win
ter alone, unaided and with no Instructor
] took up new studies, and in the spring
attended the county examination of
teachers and received 6rst-frade certiii-
cate.
Poetry as an art, without the natural,
God-given genius or talent, can never be