The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-07-15
HARRIET PRESCOTT spoFFoRo.

A Flaming Fire Lily Among the Pale
Blossoms of New England.
The coming to the front of new writers
OF short stories, like Mary e. Wilkins and
Octave Thanet," has somewhat over
Swallowed the fame of the older writer's.
But Elizabeth Stuart Phelps and Harriet
Prescott Spoford have borpe goodly
share in the evolution of the short story
and its establishment as a literary fact.
Surely the new aspirants will do well if
they equal the pathos and power of Jack"
and THE Madonna of the Tubs" or the
fascination of The Amber Gods" My
youth found great delight in Harriet Pres
colts stories. reveled in her sonorous,
burning diction, whose lavish color and
life somebody has described as the stiff
mother tongue molten and fused in 3
magic crucible, and turned to liquid gold
and gems" One cannot help wondering
whence came this tropical luXuriance of
imagination in a child born among the
lumber forests of Maine, nurtured amid
the prim provincialism of old Newburyport
and educated within the austere limita-
tions of Pinkerton academy, in New Hamp-
shire But one sometimes finds flaming
fire lily of scarlet among the pale blossoms
Of New England's hillsides.
Her mother is said to have been intel
lectual and high bred, but rather proud
and reserved; her father brilliant, tender,
and prodigally hospitable, and, withal, de-
scended from what Dr. Holmes calls 1.-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 n great
L I
liant writer.
Like H. H." in her childhood, she in
duced playmate TO start off with her TO
find the jumping off place" of the world
which her imagination wildly pictured
Great was her indignation TO he brought
back ANONYMOUSLY by kind farmer who
found them footsore, but persevering, two
miles from home. She was the delight Of
her girlish friends by her ability to write
dramas or school exhibitions. many OF
them resting on historical basis These
dramas have survived their generation,
and also served the purpose of the schools
of today.
Her first literary success was winning
the prize for an essay on Hamlet" Of
fered to the pupils of the Newburyport
free school This attracted the attention
of Thomas Wentworth Higginson, whose
keen insight discerned her ability and en-
couraged and developed her genius.
A childish friendship between Harriet
Prescott and Hon. Richard S. Spofford rip
ened into betrothal. and after many years
eliminated in marriage Their only child
dying in infancy, lefta grief in the mothers
heart that time has not eifaced. Until Mr.
Spoford's death they spent a part of every
winter at the Parker House and were be-
loved 10y circle of Boston friends, Mrs
Spofford still occupies their unique and ex-
quistely beautiful home at Deer Island.
picturesquely situated between Newbury-
port and Amesbury. Great pine trees on
one side and the river rushing past on the
other make the seclusiOu complete, and vet
q few steps bring them 10 the bridge,
whence the street cars lead TO the two
towns. Her sister, Mary \. Prescott, who
also has the gift of story telling shares her
home. Mrs. SpoTord's short stories are
frequently seen in various periodicals. aud
her last book was a juvenile story, The
Lost Jewel" which a little friend pro-
nounces perfectly lovely"
Names often have a peculiar fitness TO
the persons bearing them, rs if the good
fairy at the cradle foresaw the future per
sonallty. Again, u name Is strangely i'll
adapted to its recipient Did you ever
know a gawky woman named Grace, and
a dark muscular Que whom fate had IN
kindly christened Lily? Mrs Spoford
tells personal incident in this same line
One Of her coiored servants in Washing
ton asked permission to name her baby
after her mistress, but when the little
darky was brought for inspection its name
proved 10 be Genevieye. Oh" said Mrs.
SpofTord Il thought she was 10 be called
Harriet after me" cob course. Mis- Pot
fit, said the mother, "but you see Gene
We've 'spresses you a sight better'n Harriet
does "-BOston Cor. Worcester Spy.