St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1899-11-15
rlR. STEVENSON'S BIRTHDAY.
Two letters from the Grent NeveIist IN
Miss Ide.

Oldest daughter OF Hon. Henry c. Ide,
and the correspondence relating to the
willing Of Robert Louis Stevenson
birthday to Miss Ide. The letter con.
tanning the bequest was published in St.
Johnsbury illustrated 10 years ago, but
the reply to Miss Ides clever &C.
acknowledgement (which we wish had also
appeared in Harper's Bazar) has never
been published before. Our readers will
be interested in the whole article from
the Bazaar which follows herewith.
Letters of Robert Louis Stevenson (iust
published), in two volumes, are to be
issued on the anniversary of the authors
birthday, the 18th of November. That
day now belongs to Miss Annie Louisa
Ide, formerly Miss Annie H. Ide, by deed
OF gilt, therefore the announcement should
have read, 1.-THE Letters of Robert Louis
Stevenson are to appear upon Miss Ides
birthday"
In letter to Henry c. Ide, ex.Chiel
Justice OF Samoa, dated Tune 10. 1891.
Mr.. Stevenson writes:
Dear Mr.. 1de, Herewith please find the
document, which l trust will prove
sufficient in law. 1t seems to me very at
tractive in its eclecticsm Scots, English.
and Roman law phrases are all lndlffer-
emily introduced, and quotation from
the works of Haynes Bailey can hardly
fail to attract the indulgence the Bench.
Yours very truly,
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
l, Robert Louis Stevenson, Advocate
OF the Scots Bar, author of The Master
ofBaHantrae and Moral Emblems, stuck
civil engineer, sole owner and patentee OF
the Palace and Plantation known as
Vailima, in the island OF Upolu, Samoa, a
British subject, being sound in mind, and
pretty well. thank you, in body;
In consideration that Miss Annie H.
lde, daughter OF Fl. {. Ide, in the town
of Saint Johnsbury, in the county of Cal
edonia, IN the State OF Vermont, United
States OF America, was born, out of all
reason, upon Christmas Day, and is
therefore out of all justice denied the con-
ISOLATION and profit OF proper birthday
And considering that |, the said Robert
Louis Stevenson. have attained an age
when 0, we never mention it, and that
have now no further use for a birthday
of any description;
And in consideration that | have met
II. c. Ide, the father OF the said Annie H
Ide, and found him about as white land
commissioner as require:
10 IL. H. l. L
to the said Annie H. Ide all and whole
my rights and priviegesin the thirteenth
day Of November, formerly my birthday,
now hereby and henceiorth, the birthday
Of the said Annie II. Ide, to have, hold,
exercise, and enjoy the same in the Gus
tomary manner, by sporting OF fine
raiment, eating of rich n eats, and receipt
of gifts, compliments, and copies Of verse,
according to the manner of our ancestors;
And / direct the said Annie H. Ide to
add to the said name of Annie II. Ide the
name Louisa-at least in private; and |
charge her to use my said birthday with
moderation and humanity, ct tamquan
bona fila familia, the said birthday not
being so young as it once was, and hav-
ing carried me in very satisfactory
manner since can remember,
And in case the said Annie II. Ide shall
neglect or contravene either OF the above
conditions hereby revoke the donation,
and transfer my rights in the said birth
day to the President of the United States
OF America for the time being:
In witness whereof | have hereto set
my hand and seal this nineteenth day OF
June, in the year OF grace eighteen hun
dred and ninety-one.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON. seal]
Witness, Lloyd Osborne.
Witness, Harold Watts.
The little girl in Vermont received her
somewhat unusual gift in the same spirit
with which it was given. She instantly
dropped the middle letter OF OF her name
and substituted that of Louisa, and
wrote letter of thanks to Mr.. Steven.
son, including her photograph and a
pencil drawing. The answer to this ran
as follows:
Vailima, Samoa, Nov. 1891.
My Dear Louisa Your picture OF the
church, and the photograph of yourself
and your sister, and your very witty and
pleasing letter, came all in a bundle, and
made me feel had my money Us worth ior
that birthday. am now. must be, one
of your nearest relatives; exactly what
we are to each other, do not know.
doubt if the case has ever happened be
fore-your papa ought to know, and
don't believe he does; but think ought
to call you in the meanwhile, and unit
we get the advice of counsel learned il
the law, my granddaughter. Well Twas
extremely pleased to see by the church
that my name daughter could draw; by
the letter, that she was no fool and by
the photograph, that she was pretty
girl, which hurts nothing. See how
virtues are rewarded My first idea Of
adopting you was entirely charitable
and here l find that am quite proud Of
it, and OF you, and that chose just the
kind of granddaughter that / wanted
For can draw, too, or rather, | mean
to say, could before forgot how; and
am very lar from being fool myself
however much / may look it; and am
as beautiful as the day. or at least once
hoped that perhaps | might be going to
be. And so | might. So thatyou see we
are well met, and peers on these impor'
tant points. am very glad, also, that
YOU are older thanyour sister So should
have been il had had one. So that
the number of points and virtues which
YOU have inherited from your ame.fathet
is already quite surprising. You are
quite wrong as to the effect of the birth
.day on your age. From the moment the
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