The Washington herald., 1915-10-17

~ NE picks mp most any present
day magazine and opens ii to a
featured poem or article by
Ella Wheeler Wilcox. The sub
1ect is usually something OF vital interest
at the moment: child labor, divorce. the
war. The viewpoint is humanitarian,
yet not propaganda. 1t tells the other
side Of the story so simply and straight
torwardly as to carry absolute conviction.
The daily newspaper somewhere with
in its pages carries similar poems ana
articles. Sometimes they set forth ne"
thought and sometimes they are Just
help and encouragement, meant to iltt
heavy hearts above the din Of strife.
Whatever the subject, it is impossible
70 estimate the influence that the author
is welding. 1t is impossible to be thor
ouehIy in earnest and not convince
Therefore il is as though she spoke per-
sonally into thousands of ears every day.
Which privilege is the ambitions of years
and years ago fulfilled No life could
have been more circumscribed, no limits
narrower than we're hers in the begin
ming
TLLA WHEELER WILCOX, first
II called the ''Poetess of Passion and
IL later. by her friends, the ''Poetess
of Purpose" was born in a little home on
the Wisconsin prairie. dozen miles
from a town and five miles from post
office Most of her early education was
picked up from stray books, with the
help Of her mother and older sisters Inc
i'm mportant part of her training, however,
was ACQUIRED alone from the wind as 1t
sang over the rolling spaces. the light TN
the evening sky. the rain. marching ike
a gray army before her eyes. And hers
was the miracle OF expression "heh
she was little girl of eight she wrote
stories and verses. She seemed glften
with a natural sense of rhythm and word
values. 1t was inevitable that she shouiu
write for the JOY OF writing
When she was fourteen she saw her
name in print for the first time. little
local fame came her way then, bringing
pain rather than happiness. For il meant
criticism. and the least unfaTorahi" com
ment always plunged her into depths or
darkest despondonCy. Praise accordingly
lifted her to the heights. so sh" heCan TO
live an existence of moods and hCHtnl!
devplOped emotionalsm. She greeted
every new day with eXhilaratinC expect
ancy: a peculiar spiritual eF 'tism led her
to look for special dispensati0ns OF ProVi-
dpnce in her bchalf-a sort Of setting
aside of natures laws and a violating of
reasons codes that she might he cared
for All about her was the deadly mo-
notony of the commonplace. yet She ever
looked for the romantic to occur. This
exalted state of the Imagination cast
glow around time that otherwise would
have been lonely. troubled and difficult.
Such concentration Of anticipation
brought result. Unusual things did
happen. And the imagination magnifed
them and made them seem Ike so many
shining crowns of happiness. Every com
NOR nlace thing took on q Euisn Of rare
lovelinoss; between what was happening.
what she believed had hanprned. and
what she exncctcd to harnen. the world
wl1oned. Md through all pulsed the
derp consrirrsrosS Of The wonder of life
and the en- n"mcnt of it.
Years aft"rward Mrs Wilcox said that
tho versatile quality Of her mind which
made Il possible for her mood to shift
Suddenly from gloom to glory was better
THAI a million dollar dnwcr. even though
Il caused her to nlaC" exaggerated values
on 6NgS ann pNp!tS-tO WAIpr npl own
ste, X and find il worthless when offered
to rer later Judgment for sale.
At the University Of Wisconsin
new aspect of life opened She began to
earn money, and the satisfaction of be-
ing helpful to tho family brought her
new happiness she was the youngest
Of four. and there we're norhews and
nieces to assist. as well as need of money
In the homes of brothers and sisters
Perhaps there was just bit of vanity in
her unselfshness: a pride in being looked
upon as an equal by her elders. II there
we're vanity 1t brought its own punish
n'ent. for her nature was of the type to
be- wounded by any suggestion of lack Of
When she had become
more balanced by experience she wrote:
To look for any return-even gratitude
from another-changes benevolence to
Na rter and sale. To do good for goods
sake and to think no more about IT, be-
ieving the seed will grow into a harvest
,f goodness for the world-that alone
brings happiness"
90 sss
THEN came the hour which brought
Mrs. Wilcox the conviction that her
talent meant influence and respon-
'ihility. 1t suddenly became dignifed
Is she reasoned that instead of being
merely a helper in the home she must
become a helper in the world To mold
hought. guide conduct, and sustain pur-
,ose-these were to be her duties: hu-
nanity was to be her family and all men
md women her kin.
About this time she began to be sought
~ lion-hunters from Madison, Mflwau-
zee. ST. Louis, and Chicago The lure Of
ity life and its pleasures threatened to
lrown the voice of ambition. But after
aking stock Of the situation she decided
hat there were three ways out: to cur
all her enjoyment of city lffe lessen
Ter helpfulness to others, or increase her
ncome. The latter course seemed the
ogical one. permitting her to follow in
lination as well as duty. Accordingly