Evening journal., 1912-05-30
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Poems That Fascinated
a Young Printer
By Holland

One OF the first women in America
70 plan for the higher education of
her sex was Lydia Huntley. a native
Of Norwich, Conn. who Is known in
the literary history Of the new world
as Lydia sigourney, and who was
born within a stones throw OF the
birthpIaces Of two men who became
famous in American letters-D Donald
G. Mitchell and Edmund Clarence
stedman AS Lydia Huntley, when she
was running select school for young
ladies in Norwich. Mrs. Sigourney had
already become known as a writer OF
poetry. and that was when Donald G..
Mitchell was little boy and before
the birth Of Mr. Stedman. But it was
not until after her marriage to
Charles Sigourney Of Hartford, Conn ,
that her name became prominent
one in American letters during the
first half Of the nineteenth century.
Mrs. Seourney's poems for a good
many years first appeared in the Hart
ford Coursnt, and they we're widely
copied said the late stephen r. Hub
bard, who was for many years manag-
ing editor Of that paper and joint own
er Of II with General Joseph r. Haw-
ley and Charles Dudley Warner When
| General Hawley and Mr.. Warner and
] bought the Courant we came to
know many interesting stories relat-
ing TO Mrs. Sigourney's Connection with
the paper and the one that has al
ways interested me most I will tell
you.
"One day young printer in the
composing room of the Courant made
the special request of the editor that
whenever a poem OF Mrs. Sigourney's
was sent TO the composing room. he be
allowed to put II in type When he was
asked why he made the request, he
replied that IL was because he was
very fond OF Mrs. Sigourney's poems
and that he was in the habit Of com
hitting them TO heart a custom that
he had fallen into when, on several
occasions. he had been called upon to
put her poems in type -.'.t
Quite naturally. Mrs. Sigourney
heard from the editor OF the Courant
that there was a young printer in his
office who wanted to set up her
poems She felt that that was a great
compliment. and one day when she
was in the office OF the Courant, she
asked II the young printer might be
brought to her so that she could have
a little talk with him. This was done
and the young printer was greatly
pleased to think that so famous q
writer as Mrs. Sigourney had asked to
chat with him. This young mans
name was Robert Bonner, and he af-
terward became the proprietor OF the
New York Ledger.
"A few years after MIR. Bonner hac
made the Ledger an international sue
cess. he heard that Mrs. Sigourney''
husband had met with reverses ir
business and lost nearly all of hi
property. He also heard that Mrs 81
Courtney was trying to earn. something
for the family support
"Thereupon, Robert Bonner wroti
TO Mrs Sigourney, recalling to he
recollection the incident of his meet
ing with her, and telling her anew o
/ the pleasure ne nd0 TAKEN III oeAlihi
up her poems when he was a com
positor on the Hartford Courant HI
then urged her to write one poem
week for the Ledger and anythinl
else that she thought worth while, AM
offered 10 pay for these contribution
at a rate far in excess OF anything sh
had ever received. The offer wa
gratefully accepted. and it was tn
weekly payments which Mrs. Sigour
ney received from Robert Bonne
which made II possible for her practi
cally to support her family"
Copyright, 1912, by r. j. Edwards
All rights reserved)
Tomorrow Mr.. Edwards will tell o
THE Stalled Train That Led to Tw'
Famous Inventions.