New-York tribune., 1901-12-29
A STORY OF JENNY JUNE.v
HOW SHE CAME To ADOPT HER NOM DE
PLUME

HOW SHE CAME To ADOPT HER NOM DE
PLUME.
To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: The sad announcement of the d..,, =, xs--
Jenny C. Croiy recalls delightful incident OF svAr
summers ago. when had the pleasure of meeting
her at Long Branch. In the course OF a most IN
terest'ng conversation to ask her TO give
me the true origin of her we'll known nom de pl1na
OF Jenny June OF which several versions ho7
long been current. In her bright and sympatbatic
way, which all who have seen her know but mona
can describe. she said: Yes. will tell you. In nv
early girlhood L knew young minister who was
In the habit OF visiting occasionally at our house
One day he bid US goodby saving that he
was going 10 a Western State to reside AS he bads
me goodby he gave little book. tt was a
volume OF B. F. Taylor,s poems called January
and June The little book opened Of itself at the
page containing the verses entitled The Beautiful
River An Introductory paragraph in prose read
thus:
"On such night, in such June who has not sat
side by side with somebody for all the world like
some time. Maybe you had quite forgotten it; but
you will be the better for remembering. Maybe
sne mas gone on before. where IT is June all the
year. and never January at ALL; but God forbid!
There 1T was. and then IT was and thus IL was.
This stanza OF the poem marked in pencil:
Jenny June. then 1 said let us Hnger no more
On the banks of the beautiful river;
Let tne boat be unmoored, and muffied the oar.
IL the angel ON duty coming descries.
You have nothing to do but throw of the disguise
And the sentry shall say Welcome back 70 the
We have long been awaiting for thee"
I'm the margin. opposite this stanza. was PEN
ciled these words. You are the Juniest Jenny I
knowr
THE years of my young girIhood passed and
with their passing faded away all memory OF the
young minister. Later there came TO me, as sup
pose there to all girls. the impulse TO write
and when some partial friends urged that certain
little skit should be sent the press I was con-
fronted for the first time with the question Of
signature. Shrinking from the thought or seeing
my own in type. by some strange witchery
of memory the words Jenny June suddenly oc-
Cured to me. and that. you know. has been my
name ever since -
After a little pause. with a faraway look ana n
a lower voice. Mrs. Croly said: Now. l have an
swered your question. but l must tell You some
thing more. Thirty years after had assumed ny
nom de plume a gray haired stranger caHeo a.
my house one day. and asked 10 see me Ihe n1a
on his card recalled no l had ever known Az
on meeting there was no recognlton on eltnet s AZ.
plain the object of his visit. v
For the last thirty years. said he slhcS Nsas =;
Naturally have been constant reader OF hase,s hs,s
papers. and in particular have / read every SL..
| have ever bearing the signature OF !enn: m
June. have made many efforts. but wlth2ut sJe ~
cess to ascertain who she is. and whether .r u.r
is real or fictitious Somehow have lev. nes..
forgotten little girl knew before went Wrs- rss
thing scribbled page that contained Sedi- sars
which greatly admired. about Jenny June nav
famous writer. and now on my return 10 my nasa ,,,
city after so long absence. have sougnJ ys svs
simply to ask II you are that little ssTirrrrNoRE ssirrr
Rochester. N. Y. Dec. s5. 1901