Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1896-01-30

kindly character is portrayed in the
remark
Il suppose that there are auto
graph angels, as well as autograph
fiends'
Julia Ward Howe"
John Kendrick Bangs was evidently
taken aback by the request for his
autograph but recovered sufficiently TO
say
My dear Sir-The frankness of
your expression entities you to recog-
milton. l should have recognized you
at an earlier date, had I'received your
note but l have been abroad all sum
mer and did not receive your request
until last week. 1t is not usual to
apologize to autograph fiends for de-
lay in answering their requests, and
hope that you will credit me with a
certain amount of originality for this.
Yours faithfully,
John Kendrick Bangs"
Thomas Bailey Aldrich sends a quo
tation from Andromeda with his auto
graph. Thomas Dunn English, au-
thor of Ben Bolt, is nearly blind now
but his secretary sent the desired au-
tograph. Ham1fn Garland is evil
IDENTIFY plugging" for he says:-"The
land question is the basis of our trou-
bles economically. Study the single
tax idea"
Lawrence Hutton sent an autograph
which looks as though he had dipped
his finger in the ink and scrawled it
off with that.
Edward Egglestcn cannot suppress
his humorous vein and says on his
CARD
''The author graph of
Edward Eggleston.''
Dane county has produced a number
of celebrities of whom I wish to write
in another paper at some future date
Perhaps no one of our celebrities has
reached so high a pinnacle of fame in
a literary way as Ella Wheeler Wilcox
She manifested her charming gracious
ness by writing an original poem
which, [ am sure, has not been pub
lished till now
[ have learned here to pray, and toll, and save.
To pray for courage to receive what comes,
Knowing what comes to be divnely sent.
To toll for universal good, since thus
And only thus, can good come unto me:
To save by giving whatsoever I have
To those who have not-this alone is gain.
ELLA WHEELER WILCOX"
Harriet Prescott Spofford also sent a
little poem:
All, happy day refuse to go!
Hang in the heavens forever so!
Forever in mid afternoon.
All, happy day of happy June.
Pour out thy sunshine on the hill,
The pineJ wood with perfume fill,
And breathe across the singing sea,
Land-scented breezes that shall be
Sweet as the gardens that they pass,
Where children tumble in the grass!
HARRIET PRESCOTT SPOFFORD."
Ellen Oiney Kirk writes very
friendly letter.
Dear Sir:-It quite disarms one of
any possible resentment to have an
unknown correspondent proclaim him
self an autograph fiend,' discarding all
batteries and asking for no amenities
except that with all good wishes
should sign myself, Yours most truly,
ELLEN Olney Kirk"
Good-hearted, whole-souled Grace
Greenwood, than whom no one has
written mere wholesome stories, is
pleased to be shown any attention.
Il am glad l have in you an admir-
ing reader. And l wish that there
were about a million more young
Americans Of like old fashioned taste
Sincerely yours,
Grace Greenwood"
One letter in the collection has far
greater value than any CT the others.
This one is from Will H. Low, the art
ist who met Robert Louis Stevenson
iii Paris in their younger days and
who soon became the most intimate
friend of Stevenson. The two names
are so inseparably connected through
this intimacy that even if Low had
done nothing else worthy of note his
name would live and die with that Of
Stevenson. Some of Stevensons
books are dedicated to his bosom
friend Mr.. Lee is a wide reader who
goes deeper than the average person
and who takes a keen interest in
writers personally. Ill response to a
letter regarding Stevenson's height,
Low Replied
My dear Sir-My absence in Eu-
rope is the reason for delay in reply
ing to your question of Sept. p. re-
greet very much that l cannot even
now reply definitely. Stevenson was
tall but his apparent height was in