Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-06-24

he gi'e one look inside an he say
] minow! des So
"This was always given with telling
| effect and gave US children the cold
| sbivers.'
Den she continued, we knowed
death was on de way. An Miss (mis-
tress) she turned whiter'n what she
was already-an' one month f'om dat
day she answered de call.
AUNT Fanny was nothing II not
| dramatic. Her other superstition was
about splitting salt.
"sEf you spills salt she would, say,
'ft's sho' TO make trouble 'less'n you
th'ows a pinch of it in de fire an de
flames II quart an fuss. Dat'll take
de dispute of o. Yo' hands.
"Dld these little superstitions make
an impression upon you personally
Mrs. Stuart?"
"WelI, perhaps so. ! confess have
dropped a pinch down lamp-chimney,
IN lien of fire, since l have come down
10 taking my warmth from the regis
ter. l do not quite believe in 1t, you
know, but when peace is at stake and
salt is cheap-well, l just do II. The
little lamp flares up, and lie moves
easily. II spill salt and do not tnro"
a pinch into the fire, l should have TO
be modifying the fates or the goos Ia
one way or another. But, joking aside,
IL is strange how so slight thing could
impress child'S mind, so that l, Tor
instance, thirty years afterward, laugh
ing while l Go it, actually pour salt on
gas fame-I did that yesterday. How
ever, in is really more sentiment than
superstition. The time | learned this
the air was full of yellow butterflies,
the bees were droning, and everything
was lovely. So, when l do 1t, l realize
once more Aunt Fanny and my child
hood day; 1t seems somehow TO make
communication with the long ago when
we played with the picayune roses In
the old garden.
'Is there not considerable literary
activity in New Orleans al present, Mrs.
Stuart?"
Eyes, the city is quite we'll represent
! ed Just now as regards literary matters
and there has been quite an awakening
within the past few years. Some OF the
| authors down there are Miss Grace King,
Mrs. Mollie Moore Davis, Mrs. Mary
Ashley Townsend aud her daugter, Mrs.
Adele Townsend Stanton, who Is
doing some charming work, and
of course, Mr.. Cable, although
he is no longer resident.
Then we have Judge Gayarre, who
wrote the History of Louisiana, DR..
William II. Malcombe, who has recent
ly died, and his daughter, Mrs. Ada
Holcombs Aiken, who is beginning TO
be known there as one OF tho younger
meets. These writers really have form
ed a literary centre for the South.
| There is, think, more literary activl-
ty in New Orleans than any other point
in the South. There are great many
literary clubs. A few OF them have
been in existence for several years, and
have done good work. The 'Quarant
has a large mem bership, composed
chiefly of society women. Then there
is the Geographic, numbering among
its members good many literary
women; the membership is small, but
they really do serious work.
Mrs. Stuart's first book, "a Golden
| Wedding and Other Tales" was pub
| Iished, as I remember, just year ago.
| II brought the author very high com
mendations from the press, but moth
Ing which pleased her so much as
casual remark made by Herbert Spen'
Ger in regard to one OF the stories, to
the effect that there were touches In II
equal to George Elliott.
ARTHUR STEDMAN.