The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-23

rians told her that the inhabitants a
the old town thought in Dutch even
If they spoke in English.
Like Mrs. Trollope, most Of these
tireless women Of the pen first found
time for the prodigious labor. and then,
in later life, time in which to write OUT
the account Of how the labor was aoS
complished Better than any comment
quotations from Mrs. Bars diary tel
Of the industry of the years Of achieves
ment. Here, for example, are the en-,
tries for few weeks Of the spring Of
1888:
March 24-Finished my long
paper on famous Irish women ana
began my novel. 'Cluny MacPher-
son. March 26-At home all day
writing on 'Cluny MACPHERSON
March 27-Ditto. March 2S-writ-
Ing on 'Cluny' all morning. Went to
several offices in afternoon. DID
nothing in the evening. Had q
bad headache. March 29-very
sick headache. but wrote 'Cato's
Song. March S0-At the last hour
wrote Two Workers for Bonner,
and he praised 1t very much, b
great thing for him to do. March
3l-Very sick. Went to the dentist,
but could not have anything done.
April 1-Wgote An April Wedding
and worked on 'Cluny' April a.
Still sick. but on 'Cluny,' and wrote
The Reconciliation April s-All
day on 'Cluny': in the evening
wrote lending a Hand April 49,
All day on 'Cluny.' April 5-An
day on 'Cluny,' April ALI day
on 'Cluny,' but am feeling very tired.
April 7--On 'Cluny'; very tired A
wet day and Peter Cooper's funeral.
April Son 'Cluny.' and wrote a
poem called % Mollie. How I Love
You April 9-On my novel nine
hours. April 10--On my novel eight
hours April lion my novel
eight hours. April 12-On my novel
eight hours and wrote Two Shipa'
April 13-On my novel nine hourA
April 14-On my novel eight hours.
April 10, 16 and 17-Nine hours
each. April 1S-Very sick. April
19-Wrote My Pretty Canary and -
The Little Evangel' April 90
Wrote nine hours on 'C1uny' April
2l to 2S-I wrote all day long on
'Cluny,' but managed to write for
Harper's a poem called "A Tap at
the Door, April 29-On 'Cluny.'
and wrote for Bonner a poem called
Take Care April 30-Wrote "A
Birthday finished 'Cluny' and took
1t to Mr.. Rand of the Tract House.
TuCnuacioua of Are
Nor was this merely the record Of
q period OF unusual activity. The quo-
tations from the diary are for 1889,
when Mrs. Barr was 62 years old,
Looking back at It twenty years later
Is seemed TO her almost like lost youth.
On the eve Of her eighty-second births
day she was still unconscious OF being
old. MY days work is as long az II
was twenty years ago and l have
quite as much pleasure in IL now N
l -triad then. I have rarely a ffeadaons
now. ] was rarely without one then,
l have made my living for forty-twu
years in a STOPPING posture, but arm
perfectly erect, and ascend the stairs
as rapidly as I ever did Life is stilI
sweet and busy, and my children tsll<
OF what l am going to do in the fu-
ture as IL / was immortal. And
hope and pray when the Master comes
He will find me at my desk writing
such words as IT will please Him ia
see. For to literature. humanity speaks
ing, ! am indebted not only for my
living, but also for every blessing
enJoy-Aealth of body. activity or
mind, cheerfulness, contentment and
continual employment. therefore con-
tinual happiness"
About Amelia Barr, as about Harriet
Stowe and Harriet Martineau ana
Louisa Alcott and Mrs. Oliphant and
half dozen more OF those indomitabls
women OF the pen, there was a rugged
sturdiness OF soul that dwarfs by CONS
parison the industry OF the average
man OF letters and puts Bohemia to
open shame. Theirs was not always
a native talent of the first order But
such as it was they made the most of
ii. The lash OF circumstance falling
stung and spurred them. But It was
not 10 the gigantic effort of tbs mos
meht, the thirty-hour sitting with the
danpened towel bound round the brow,
but TO that well ordered precision o.
endeavor that maintained throughou,
the years works for the full measure
Of achievement