The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-12-17
A Poet at Home,
BY He.en Leah Reed.

When Julia asked Brenda one ter
noon if she would not ike TO go W tn her
TO call on Dr.. Holmes, she declined with
thanks, and left Julia free to invite
Edith
As the two friends walked up the short
flight of stone steps to the front door,
their hearts sank q little. To make
call on the poet was really rather for
midable thing, and they pressed ea<l
others hands as they heard the maid
opening the door to admit them.
Just wait here for a moment" said
the maid, after they had inquired for the
master of the house, and she showed
them into a small room at the left Of the
entrance. II seemed to be mercy a r C p
ton room, but it was very pretty with
its white woodwork and large-fowercd
yellow paper. There was carved table
in the center, with writing materials and
inkstand, and little other furn' ture be-
sides a few handsome chairs. Tall book
cases matching the woodwork occupied
the recesses, and they were filed with
books in substantial bindings.
In a moment the maid had returned
and asked them to follow her. At the
head of the broad stairs they saw the
poet himself standing to meet them with
Outstretchcd hand. When Julia men
toned Edith's name, All, he said that
is good old Boston name, and, if
mistake not | used toe know your grand
father and then when Edith had salts
fed him on this point he turned to Julia,
and, in a bantering way, spoke of the
services she had done him that windy
Gay. Then he made them sit down be-
side MIN, one on each side, while he oc-
cupied a large leather armchair drawn
up before his open fire, and asked them
one or two questions about their studies
and their taste in literature AS he talk
ed. .Iulla - VVan6pra6 70 fha
figure of Father Time on the mautelp' ece
and then to the little revolving bookcase
on which she could not help noticing a.
number of volumes of DR.. Holmes own
works. The old gentleman following her
glance, said:
They make a pretty fair showing for
one man, but my publishers are getting
ready to bring outea complete edition of
my works, and that-well that makes
me realize my age After a moment, as
II rejecting, he asked quickly, Does
either of you write poetry?"
On no. sir, answered Edith, quickly,
I'VE couldn't"
Why, it isn't so very hard" he said;
at least / should Judge not by the n,,n1
bers of copies of verses that are sent To
me to examine Poetry deals with com
mon human emotion, and almost any
one with a lair vocabulary thinks thai
ne can express himself in verse. Rrr
nearly everything worth saying has been
SAID. Words and expressions seem very
fellcltous to the writer, but he cannot
expect other persons to set his work as
he sees it..
1T depends suppose" said Edith.
shyly ION whose work it is"
am afraid replied the poet THAI
mere is no absolute standard for verse
makers. 1t has always seemed to mo
that the writer of verse is almost in the
position of man who makes a mold for
= piaster cast or something of that kind.
whatever liquid mixture he puts into
mat mold will surely fit it. So the verse
Is the mold into which the poet puts his
thought, and from his point of view it is
sure to fit - -
Though Edith may not have Crashed
me 1ull force of the poets meaning.
Jula was sure that She understood him.
10 you really have a great deal OF
poetry sent You to read?" she asked.
Every mall he answered 'ebrfngs
me letters from strangers-from every
corner OF the globe. Some contain poems
III my honor, as specimens of what the
poet can do. Others are accomnanied
.Ay long manuscripts on which nv opin-
ION IS asked. | am chary now about ex-
pressing any opinion, for publishers have
way OF quoting very unfairly in their
advertisements. If I write your hook
would be very charming were if NOT 90
CaFeIessiy written the publisher Quotes
merely very charming and prints This
in large type" lilo
Both girls smiled at the expression of
ofolI sorrow that came over the poet's
lace as be spoke
ana am SO very unfortunate nv
sell he added, when / try TO eet n
autograph of any consequence, Nov, T
sent Gladstone a copy of a work ON treas
~ winch l thought he was interested.
lie returned the compliment with 2 cony
OF one Of his books. But here he
paused he wrote his thanks on a post
care: Again the girls laughed. Dear
me! he concluded, this cannot interest,"
for poery?' N1-0
oh, yes, indeed We do" cried Jul;a
and we Just love poetry
wen, we'll" said the poet with a
twlnhe IN his eye, perhaps you would
me 10 near me read something's
Inc beam1ng faces that met his glance
were sufficient answer and. taking
Noiume from the table, he began in a
voice mat was trife husky, though
full of expression.
This IS the ship of nearI which 49,
feign, F'0''
Sails the unshadowed main
he Yenturous bark that filings
On the sweet summer wind its venturo1,c
wings
In CULTS enchanted. where the Siren
sings,
And coral reefs lie bare,
"heie the cold sea maids raise to sun
their streaming hair -
When he had finished the stanzo ha
looked up inquiringly.
The Chambered Nautilus rn,r,,,,raa
Julia iUA III III ca
All, you know 1t tben?" said tho
poet. '-'0
"Oh, yes. I love it." she answered.
Ihen with smile of appreciation. ad-
justing his glasses, DR.. Holmes read IN
the END of the poem in his wonderfully
musical voice. When it was finished
the girls would have liked to ask for
more, but the poet rose to replace the
volume. Come, he said, you have lis
tened to the poem which of all I have
written ! like the best. now I wish to
show you my favOrite view" Follow
ing him TO the deep bay window. they
looked out across the river. It was
much the same view to which JuIfa
was accustomed in her uncles house
and yet 1t was looking at the river with
new eyes TO have the poet pointing out
all the towns, seven or eight in num-
Der, which he could see from that win
dow Somerville, Medford, Belmont. Ar
Angton, Charlestown, Brool1line, and one
or two others, Perhaps, besides Cam
bridge with its spires and chimneys.
In winter" said Dr. Holmes. 'thera
is not much to see besides the tug boats
and the Gulls. But in the early spring II
is delight to me to watch the crews
rowing by, and an occasional pleasure
boat. All! L remember" but what it
was he did not say, for as Edith turned
her eyes toward an oil painting on the
wall near by, he said, "Of course, you
am ~1,fN I1,,% t..
nlze the famous Dorothy c. Now, look
ut Tho portrait closely and tell-me ,vhai