Northern Wisconsin advertiser. [volume] (Wabeno, Wis.) 1898-1925, 1901-11-14

fledSdnt EDITORS nave Shlu m31y tnlrSS
of me since then, but nothin which
ever gave me such a sense OF being
superior being as that To look like
a city girl!-what Joy! Yet had
never seen city girl then, am sure.
Her First Triumph.
During my thirteenth year the New
York Mercury ceased to come to us. |
missed its weekly visits with an inten-
sity scarcely to be understood by one
who has not known the same lonely
SURF bindings and possessed the same
temperament. There was not money
enough floating about in those times
to permit a subscription to the Mer-
curry, and if / were to possess it
knew l must either obtain a long list
of subscribers, which would be a diff
ficult and laborious Undertaking, or
earn it by my pen.
l resolved to try. But, fearing fail
ure, | did not want the family to
know of my venture. l wrote two es-
says-just what the subjects were l
have forgotten and the clippings were
lost years since. regret TO say How
to post my letter was the next ques-
ion. often acted as mail-carrier to
the postoffiee, Ave miles distant, riding
across fields and over fences on my
graceful single-footer, Kitty, in COM
pany with schoolmate, Alice Ellis,
who possessed a Shetland pony. We
rode without saddles, blanketing and
bridling our own steeds--and it Is
fortunate did not live in Buffalo Bits
vicinity or my career might have ter
minated in the wild west show.
While l could post a letter unknown
to my family, the stamp had first to
be obtained. Finally l decided on a
stratagem. | was corresponding with
young girl, several years my senior,
who was in the freshman class at Mad
ison university. | confided in her,
inclosed the Mercury letter and as
sured her she would be reimbursed for
the stamp when we next met. would
save my pennies for that purpose.
Jean posted my letter and watched
the newsstand for results. Two months
later, long after l had relinquished all
hope, she wrote me that my essays
had appeared; whereupon I wrote a
stern reproof to the editor for not
sending me the paper, "at least, as pay
for my work." if he could afford no
other remuneration. Shortly after
ward a large package of back numbers
of the New York Mercury came adj
dressed to me through the country
postoffice.
Even at that immature period I.had
a wooer-a young man past voting age,
possessed of mustache, tenor voice
and no visible means of support. He
played the violin and sang This Night
or Never My Bride Thou Shalt Be in
a truly fascinating manner. He had
been given to understand by the family
that his room was preferable to his
company, however, and had ceased to
call. When the enormous roll of news
papers direct from the editors Office
came to me a stern senior member
of the household at once concluded
that the lovelorn swain had subscribed
to win new favor in my eyes. This ac-
cusation was made before / was ques-
toned on the subject. Perhaps the
most triumphant and dramatic hour
of my life was when I stepped forth,
in short skirts and long ringlets, and
announced to the family that not my
would-be lover, but my literary work,
had procured the coveted Mercury for
our united enjoyment.
The world seemed to grow larger
and life more wonderful from that
hour. was then IA.
Prizes for Contributions.
I wrote to Jean and asked her to
monthlies she could find in the book
stands, and to each and every one /
sent essays, stories and poems with
enthusiasm and persistency. Every
penny was saved for postage and the
family entered into my ambitions with
faith in my success.
soon filed the house with all the
periodicals we had time to read, and
in addition the editors sent me books
and pictures and bric-a-brac and table
ware-articles from their prize lists,
which were more precious than gems
would have been to me. They served
to relieve the bare and commonplace
aspect of the home, and the happiness
felt in earning these things with my
pen is beyond words to describe. 1t is
curious incident that the first bit Of
silverware which came into the home
was manufactured by the house with
which the man whose name | am for
tunate in bearing today was afterward
associated.
The very first verses sent for pub
LEGATION were numerically "guyed" by
my beloved Mercury. The editor urged
me to keep to prose and to avoid any
further attempts at rhyme. He said
that, while this criticism would wound
me temporarily, it would eventually
confer a favor on me and the world
at large.
| recall only two stanzas of that I'M
fortunate poem. 1t related the woes oil
a lovelorn maiden, and l described her
as
She few to her room, locked and
4 bolted the door.