The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-08-24

should be formal or familiar according to
the relationship existing between writer
and reader. stranger calling on a
stranger must not act as an individual
addressing y friend, whether 1t be in
person or by letter. Honor to whom
honor. custom to whom custom, tribute
10 whom tribute. avoiding the extremes
Of unjustihable familiarity and utter
GOODNESS and stiffness on the one hand.
and stited praise and absolute disregard
OF real or seeming merit, on the other.
Correspondence solicited.
Lena NJ. Tyner, Americus. Ga-Dear
Junior: | have thought for some time
L would ASK permission to join your
bright and CHEEKY band. but have never
mustered up sufficient courage to do
SO until now.
l have just finished reading Lowell's
Vision of Sir Lannfal. l wonder how
many OF the cousins have read it? Those
of you who haven't let me advise to do
at once. for there is a great treat In
store for you.
The poem is peculiar In purpose, form
and structure, and is said to have been
composed almost at one sitting.
The story tells of the young knight
who, before setting out on his search for
the Holy Land prays for a vision to
guide him. Tic vision is granted In Ii
full, exultant in the JOY Of summer At
the gate of his castle a lcper asks an
aims In disgust the young knight losses
him a piece of gold. The leper refuses
the gift, for it IS offered in the wrong
spirit. Then his dream changes. He
sees himself, long years after returning
in poverty and old age, in the dead Of
winter to Il castle no longer his. He
is driven from its doors, and, as he sits
in the cold. the leper appears once
more. Sir Lannfal has now no gold to
give. but ne shares with the beggar
his single crust and gives him water
from his wooden bowl. Then the beg
gar casts off his disguise; he is trans
formed into the Christ, who tells Sir
Lannfal that this is the true spirit OF
charity. 1t is not what we give, but
what we share, that is welcome to the
needy and of blessing to ourselves. The
young knight awakens. He hangs up
his armOr and devotes himself to char
ity and hospitality.
He has learned his lesson well. and
would that we all could learn the CEN
trail lesson of this poem that ut is not
what we give. but what we share not
Wat we do but the spirit in which we do
it that tells in our own hearts ana In
the eye of heaven
In the second part the description of
winter is fine but be sure 10 read his
rhapsody over June. beginning, And
what is 50 rare as Il day in June?" This
seems to have been LowelIs favorite
month. His letters are full of raptures
over it, In Under the Willows" we
find him representing the bobolink as
singing In his ecstacy: June, Dear
June, Now God be praised for June!"
The cousins should read this rhapsody.
for it is said to be the best passage in
literature descriptive of American
summer.
It's better to be brief than tedious"
SO | viii desist for this time. With Aunt
Susies permission I'll come again and
tell you about some other nice books
I've read, my visit to the Alamo ana
missions in San Antonio, etc. What has
become of our gallant Sergeant Can
trell? Come again and tell us more or
your experience in the Philippines. And
the Arkansas laddie, Barlow Smith come
again with one Of your delightfully."- re-
treshing letters. Correspondence solic-
ited.