Southern Literature From 1579-1895 Part 46

Alone.

Moss Side.

Nemesis.

Husbands and Homes.

Helen Gardner's Wedding-Day.

Ruby's Husband.

At Last.

Empty Heart.

Judith, a Chronicle of Old Virginia.

Hidden Path.

Miriam.

Husks.

Sunnybank.

Christmas Holly.

Phemie's Temptation.

Common Sense in the Household.

Eve's Daughters.

A Gallant Fight.

Story of Mary Was.h.i.+ngton.

LETTER DESCRIBING MARY [BALL] WAs.h.i.+NGTON WHEN A YOUNG GIRL.

(_From Story of Mary Was.h.i.+ngton._[35])

"WMSBURG, _ye 7th of Octr, 1722_.

"_Dear Sukey_, Madam Ball of Lancaster and Her Sweet Molly have gone Hom. Mamma thinks Molly the Comliest Maiden She Knows. She is about 16 yrs old, is taller than Me, is very Sensable, Modest and Loving. Her Hair is like unto Flax, Her Eyes are the color of Yours, and her Chekes are like May blossoms. I wish you could see her."

We do seem to see her in lingering over the portrait done in miniature in colors that are fresh to this day. It is, as if in exploring a catacomb, we had happened upon a fair chamber adorned with a frescoed portrait of a girl-princess of a legendary age. Romancist and biographer are one as we study the picture line by line. The brush was dipped in the limner's heart and wrought pa.s.sing well.

MADAM WAs.h.i.+NGTON AT THE PEACE BALL.

(_From the Same._)

Her only public appearance as the hero's mother was at the Peace Ball given in Fredericksburg during the visit of Was.h.i.+ngton to that town.

With all her majestic self-command, she did not disguise the pleasure with which she received the special request of the managers that she would honor the occasion with her presence. There was even a happy flutter in the playful rejoinder that "her dancing days were pretty well over, but that if her coming would contribute to the general pleasure she would attend."

. . . A path was opened from the foot to the top of the hall as they appeared in the doorway, and "every head was bowed in reverence." It must have been the proudest moment of her life, but she bore herself with perfect composure then, and after her son, seating her in an armchair upon the das reserved for distinguished guests, faced the crowd in prideful expectancy that all his friends would seek to know his mother. She had entered the hall at eight o'clock, and for two hours held court, the most distinguished people there pressing eagerly forward to be presented to her. . . . From her slightly elevated position, she could, without rising, overlook the floor, and watched with quiet pleasure the dancers, among them the kingly figure of the Commander-in-Chief, who led a Fredericksburg matron through a minuet.

At ten o'clock, she signed to him to approach, and rose to take his arm, saying in her clear soft voice, "Come, George, it is time for old folks to be at home." Smiling a good-night to all, she walked down the room, as erect in form and as steady in gait as any dancer there.

One of the French officers exclaimed aloud, as she disappeared:

"If such are the matrons of America, she may well boast of ill.u.s.trious sons!" . . . . .

Lafayette's report of his interview to his friends at Mt. Vernon was: "I have seen the only Roman matron living at this day!"

FOOTNOTE:

[35] By permission of author and publishers, Houghton, Mifflin & Co., Boston.

AUGUSTA EVANS WILSON.

~1835=----.~

MRS. WILSON was born at Columbus, Georgia, but early removed to Mobile, Alabama. Her first novel was "Inez: a Tale of the Alamo,"

published in 1855. She was married to Mr. L. M. Wilson of Mobile in 1868, and they had a delightful suburban home at Spring Hill. Since Mr. Wilson's death, she resides in Mobile. Her novels, especially "St.

Elmo," have made a great sensation in the reading world: they evince great ability and learning. See Miss Rutherford's "American Authors."

WORKS.

Inez: a Tale of the Alamo.

Macaria.

Vashti.

At the Mercy of Tiberius.

Beulah.

St. Elmo.

Infelice.

"_St. Elmo_ contains a description of that marvel of oriental architecture, the Taj Mahal at Agra in India,--a marble tomb erected to perpetuate the name of Noormahal, whom Tom Moore has immortalized in his 'Lalla Rookh.' A recent traveller visiting Agra in 1891 writes that he was surprised to find a Pa.r.s.ee boy almost in the shadow of the Taj Mahal reading a copy of the London edition of Mrs. Wilson's _Vashti_. . . . Her style has been severely criticised as pedantic, but certainly this charge may with equal justice be brought against George Meredith, Bulwer, and George Eliot, and it is well established that Mrs. Wilson's books have in many instances stimulated her young readers to study history, mythology, and the sciences, from which she so frequently draws her ill.u.s.trations."--Miss Rutherford.

A LEARNED AND INTERESTING CONVERSATION.

(_From St. Elmo._[36])

Edna had risen to leave the room when the master of the house entered, but at his request resumed her seat and continued reading.

After searching the shelves unavailingly, he glanced over his shoulder and asked:

"Have you seen my copy of De Guerin's Centaur anywhere about the house? I had it a week ago."

"I beg your pardon, sir, for causing such a fruitless search; here is the book. I picked it up on the front steps where you were reading a few evenings since, and it opened at a pa.s.sage that attracted my attention."

She closed the volume and held it toward him, but he waved it back.

"Keep it if it interests you. I have read it once, and merely wished to refer to a particular pa.s.sage. Can you guess what sentence most frequently recurs to me? If so, read it to me."

He drew a chair close to the hearth and lighted his cigar.

Hesitatingly Edna turned the leaves.