Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-18
pup WAS A POET
IN LOVE LETTERS
SENT BY HOLMAN
Master Saddled on Poor Little
FOur-Legged George Verses
about 81 the Stalk, You
the Flower"

Hartford, Conn, June 16.-Mrs. Eliza
beth A. c, Holman and Frederick Ernest
Holman were not the only poets among
the parties to Mrs. Holman's suit for $780,
900 damages against the Rev. DR.. Cranston
Brenton, her former husband, and two
Hartford physicians, whom she charges
with conspiracy to abduct and confne her
in an asylum for the insane. Mrs. Hol-
man says her confinement was for the
purpose of forcing from her a confession
of misconduct with Holman, so that DR..
Brenton might get a divorce.
DIR. a Waterman, one of the defend
ant physicians. was o witness yesterday.
He said that one of the things which made
him question Mrs. Brenton's sanity was
the character of the letters which passed
between her and Holman, who is now an
accountant, but got to know Mrs. Brenton
through his review Of one of her volumes
Of verse.
One of Holman's letters was put in evil
dence and brought to light the fact that
his dog. George. suffered at times from
the divine aff1atus. Tho letter was as fol-
lows:
Lesson on poetry; questions for the
child:
81. Name four contemporaries Of Fran
coils Villon.
20. Give two reasons why you are glad
he is dead.
"3. Write in one paragraph what you
do not know bout Alfred Austin.
az. Is Ella Wheeler Wilcox a poetess or
a rhymestress?
rs. If so, state in ten sentences why.
sc. Was John Milton blinded by his W
| poems?
~. Why was he not?
WHAT THE POETIC PUP SAID.
There is a Council Rock a mile in the
heart of the woods. There your boy goes
with the faithful George and has a little
hours conference in the silence with thee.
Last night the snow was over all; the
spruce branches, laden with its mantle.
seemed ready for the coming of the Christ
King.
And George made up some verses which
| put down for your edifcation. Cod
blessed incongruity-George Is a rattle
headed little beast, and he Is going to send
you his picture some time, cause you are
his mistress.
I was the stalk, you should have beer the
flower.
The maple I, you should have been the
sap.
I. great oak, whose strength should, hour
by hour,
Have guarded it's leaves against mishap.
O, insenate nothing, Was so great our
sin
1t may not be effaced with bitter tears?
Or is It necessary that you rub 1t in
And keep us guessing for a term of years?
I tell thee, No I'm captain OF this ship,
And Babe and | will voyage far DER the
seas,
There, heart to heart and crimson lip to
lip
Wen live alone, and do as we damn
please
90, dearest, laugh at me and with me,
thanking God that this Christmas we are
able to laugh at all the world. \ long,
long, tender kiss, Littlekins, a never-end-
ing kiss of tender love.
ERNEST HUSBAND-BOY."
AND THE WHEELS WENT AROUND
Another of Holman's letters began:
20, Child. Child of Mine: The boy sal
in the Pullman smoker to-day speeding
from Maine to New York, thinking, al,
ways of thee, o, dear. dear Bess O. mine
/ feel that the big power project will soor
be a reality, and then, Besskins, the boy
will be free from the nerve-racking detail:
Of expert ac~countancy.
And all the way, Babe. dear. the wheels
talked. They said: Worcester, Worces
ter. Worcester and then they sang
Springfield, Springfield. Springfield Blu
lloudest they said: Hartford, Hartford
Hartford And finally they said nothini
but only Hartford" all the time. The!
never said New Haven, and wonder WON
an. don't YOU think 1t didn't take all thu
boys strength to turn back 10 Main
when. dear God, | was so near thee2
But. Babe, You know our dear, dea
love is as nothing without strength.
don't have to tell you It Is ethics and no
morals. Soon. dear, I shall be master o
your heart and soul, as God planned |
long ago. Your cry is always Ernest" 1
ii not, dearest? And my own everlastin,
cry Is 'Bess, Best
Your sixth sense has guided you 4
your perfect, sweet surrender of yourself
Can you wait seven years, dear, withou
letters? Can YOU wait seven years, eve,
with letters? Hasn't It become a question
OF how long our strength can waltz Oh
Bess BELOVED! oh, beloved Bess; neithe
God, man or devil can hold us apart! oh
Bess. Bess, I love you. darling, With
thousand kisses.
J, YOUR ERNEsTKINs."
HIS LOVE ONE GLAD SONG.
Still another letter from Holman read;
Throw back your aristocratic littl
head and let me look into your eyes, an,
) through them into your soul. Bess, Bess
5 child dear. so long az your boys eyes hav
, Gods gift Of seeing, so long shall I Sc
you as l saw you there in our woods.
shut my eyes. even IN the busiest hours
J and there comes to my inner sight tn
, vision of you as you were there in tn
quiet woods,
30, dearest mistress that you are
! How may I tell you of the love of min
for you that surges through my hear
. in one glad, sweet, perfect song? HOY
may I tell you (when even the though
is so pure, so sacred) of the dearness O
you as you knelt at my feet and toll
= me that you loved me all? ! think l Low
you most for the right you have give
me to tell you just such things.
90, understandings one, 1t was all s
perfect, so dear, | said, You will com
here sometimes, sweet, Will you not
= And a heartbroken child replied: Yes
Z Babe, the dearness of that word Babe
. If I can, If can and the littl
throaty catch in her dear voice told m
- that at last had found my mate. An