Part 6 (1/2)

She preserved, however, a long list of the various solicitations sent her to furnish poems for special occasions, and I think this shows that she possessed a sense of humor. Let me quote a few:

”Some verses were desired as an elegy on a pet canary accidentally drowned in a barrel of swine's food.

”A poem requested on the dog-star Sirius.

”To write an ode for the wedding of people in Maine, of whom I had never heard.

”To punctuate a three-volume novel for an author who complained that the work of punctuating always brought on a pain in the small of his back.

”Asked to a.s.sist a servant-man not very well able to read in getting his Sunday-school lessons, and to write out all the answers for him clear through the book--to save his time.

”A lady whose husband expects to be absent on a journey for a month or two wishes I would write a poem to testify her joy at his return.

”An elegy on a young man, one of the nine children of a judge of probate.”

Miss Sedgwick, in her letters, occasionally showed a keen sense of humor, as, when speaking of a certain novel, she said:

”There is too much force for the subject. It is as if a railroad should be built and a locomotive started to transport skeletons, specimens, and one bird of Paradise.”

Mrs. Caroline Gilman, born in 1794, and still living, author of ”Recollections of a Southern Matron,” etc., will be represented by one playful poem, which has a veritable New England flavor:

JOSHUA'S COURTs.h.i.+P.

A NEW ENGLAND BALLAD.

Stout Joshua was a farmer's son, And a pondering he sat One night when the f.a.gots crackling burned, And purred the tabby cat.

Joshua was a well-grown youth, As one might plainly see By the sleeves that vainly tried to reach His hands upon his knee.

His splay-feet stood all parrot-toed In cowhide shoes arrayed, And his hair seemed cut across his brow By rule and plummet laid.

And what was Joshua pondering on, With his widely staring eyes, And his nostrils opening sensibly To ease his frequent sighs?

Not often will a lover's lips The tender secret tell, But out he spoke before he thought, ”My gracious! Nancy Bell!”

His mother at her spinning-wheel, Good woman, stood and spun, ”And what,” says she, ”is come o'er you, Is't _airnest_ or is't fun?”

Then Joshua gave a cunning look, Half bashful and half sporting, ”Now what did father do,” says he, ”When first he came a courting?”

”Why, Josh, the first thing that he did,”

With a knowing wink, said she, ”He dressed up of a Sunday night, And _cast sheep's eyes_ at me.”

Josh said no more, but straight went out And sought a butcher's pen, Where twelve fat sheep, for market bound, Had lately slaughtered been.

He bargained with a lover's zeal, Obtained the wished-for prize, And filled his pockets fore and aft With twice twelve b.l.o.o.d.y eyes.