The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-11-27
4 NOBLE TRIBUTE.

1t has been asserted that Ambrose
Bierce has never a word of praise, of
sympathy or good will for his fellow
creatures-that he is implecably CEN
serious of weak humanity's sins and
shortcomings and unreasonably critical
OF the lightest follies OF mankind. In Q
measure this is true. He has set him.
court, where every turpi.ude is adjudi-
Gated, end having declared the criminal
guilty. as charged, gets down from the
woolsack and proceeds to execute VIII at
ever sentence he may have imposed.
Occasionally, however, he passes iudg-
ment on virtue. and those who admire
the genius of this remarkable man. cay
that whom he finds merit to commend
his splendid sbility is at its bsst-thet
his sympathy, awakened by the voice of
truth and honest deserving, is eager to
stretch forth the helping hand, to lift
the fallen. to pour healing balm upon
the wounds of those who have fought a
good fight and are sore pressed in the
strife.
Out OF Bierce's "Prattle" of last Sun.
day it is a pleasure and a privilege to
reprint this tribute to one well worth y
TO be crowned by the hand of such q
mastor OF art:
For many years it has been my habit when
asked who of us westsraers can w:ite best In
pro and verse TO reply: "Einml France s
Dawson" Miss Dawson has no: published
much recently to justify that iudgme t. but
to the discerning few whose memory is long
enough to reach baez to the second sage of
The Ovecland Monthly and the early days of
The Argonaut no Justification If nee lful. In
.uch stories as lose OF which A Stray heyeler
i "a type, ana such poetry as her bal a 1 of The
Sea Of Sleep, she did work beside which the
best WORK of the rest of us leems a deal
THESE r and coarser than when considered By
IL c I.
In nearly all that Miss Dawson has written
that have seen there Is an elusive something
defying Analysis or even descripuon-tome.
thing that is not in the words. i do not know
how she gets it there; l never could either sur
prise her secret by swift strokes OF attention,
come upon it By patient still hunting, nor In
any way get the trick of II. / can name 1t only
in metaphor as "a light behind the words; a
light like that o: Poe's cred litten eyes," a
marshes, tinying the plumage Of the tall heron
and prolhe ying the ioyless laugh of h, loon.
The self-same light shines from some where
through and under Dores long parallel c.oud-
bands along his horizons and l have Eea an 1t
with an added b!eakness, back grounding the
tall rood on Lone mountain. .. well, dare
say 1t is all very essy-to Miss Dawson; she
simply writes and some "remote, un frien ded,
melancholy" ancestor stands by to ''do the
rest"
All this is suggested by the announce ment
OF q "benef.' to Miss Dawton tomorrow even
ing-at Golden Gate hail If rightly remem ber
l hope it will b, attended by every reader of
those lines who believes them sincere. This
great, strange and unfortunate woman has,
think, never known what poverty was not In
all ths years that /, unnerit ng the benefac-
ZION, have known her the wolf has ever been
within easy visiting distance of the door
through which Gods gres. angels passed to
bless dauxhter's heroic devotion or dry an
orphans tears. Into her unworldly, almost