Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-08-26

cause she Is talked down, they make
very natural but very big mistake.
She hates 70 have her interest In nature
viewed as Ler reason for being-hates TO
have it assumed that she IS as 1t were
professional lover Of nature-and the
prose she writes about the processes and
pasSingS of the season tS not especially
dear to her.
NO AIRS ABOUT HER.
She writes Il great deal. She asks no
carefully-constructed seclusion for her
work. In familiar circle when others
are talking or singing or playing cards.
she Will b. making notes on the back Of II
letter or bit OF wrapping-paper- what
ever comes handy. She is perfectly free
from any literary Alterations or poses,
unless, indeed il has com. to be little
OF an affectatiOn to assume a prOsaic tone
about her work, and ! refuse TO admit IN
words tho pleasure she takes I'm II. She
would rather tell you what a time she
had STRENGTHENING ont "A line than any
thing about the rapture OF creation. She
Is probably more frequently represented
IN the best periodical literature OF the
country than any Of our writer's. but
there Is nothing about her OF the airs Of
greatness that are so familiar in various
small fry.
Much Of the tribute that Is paid her.
especially when it comes in the form OF
direct face-to-fece compliment, rather
teazes than grauaes her.
And she gets q great deal OF such trl-
butte In New York. She Is very popular;
very much sought after In literary cir
| oles.
Miss Thomas IS of,enest Seen at the
receptions Of Mrs. Richard Watson Glider
and Mrs. James Eaa'Sert Morse.
Though 1t appear but little I'm her
writings, Miss Thomas has a fund Of
small stories with which she points ana
illustrates her talk She delightedly COM
pares some literary verdict to the crown
conferred on hey many years ago by a
country newspaper. who said she was
"tlle best amateur poet fl Northern Ohio"
To this day she refers 10 herself as the
| L. il. L. y. o., and she finds great
many attitudes among the wOuld-be intel
! lectual people that remind her Of the
lady who took her TO view piece Of
| scenery and then asked her grlvely
whether Bke preferred to converse or to
| admire 1t in silence
| Mss Thomas has ceased to consider
| Ohio as IA any sense her home Her
winters are spent IN New York, where
| she has her home IN the family Of Or
| T. r. Elliott and her summers are IL
| yided between New London, with the
| same friends. and cape Cod. where she il
| the guest Of Mrs. James Herbert Morse.
| H. both places she lives the simplest out
| door lie, luvuriating in ola clothes, row.
| ing and swimming. enjoying her own
| peculiarly subtle and fanclful observation
| OF fields ana woods and sea, ana seeing,
| very little OF The considerable literary
colony that gathers in these days at New.
London.
WILD POWERS.
| She writes and reads, but as II seems
ONLY ilcd ntally 10 the real business Of
| life out OF doors. She IS laughed at for
| keeping every available vase and cup and
pitcher IN the house filed with wild
| flowers til her hostess declares il a prob
! lem 10 keep free enough dishes for house
| keeping.
| Miss Thomas begins a good many more
modern novels than she ever finishes. for
she has a desire to see what pl asses other
! people. and to be pleased. too, II posi-
| BE. but tie effort oftcner fails than sue
ce-ds in that field. llazlett offers her
| prose she likes better. and Keats gives
| her the best entertainment she finds In
! the printed page. She started OUT az Il
| deYotee Of Keats. and is st!u constant TO
| him. She has Il taste for scholarship.
and likes 10 translate Horace, or write
/ very respectable Latin prose for Ter own
| pleasure. aud she has a habit Of adding
| TO other peoples pleasure by throwing q
| great many Of the llttlc daily happenings
| about her into very amusing li.tle verses
! that never see the light OF print She
| illustrates them, too. with pen-and-ink
| sketches that add-ln a very small corner
~ the gaie.y OF nations.
VIOLA ROSEBORO.