Page:Famous Single Poems (1924).djvu/196

 came out on Sunday morning, the body of the victim had not yet received burial. The attention of Thomas Buchanan Read, one of the first American poets, was so taken with its stirring pathos that he immediately followed the corpse to its final resting place, and reverently placed upon the grave a wreath of laurel.

Such are the plain facts concerning her whose “Beautiful Snow” will long be remembered as one of the brightest gems in American literature. No doubt that sentimental journey gave Mr. Read a good feeling at the heart, which amply repaid him for the cost of the laurel-wreath, but the unfortunate girl whom he thus honored was not the author of “Beautiful Snow.” It is strange how many people consider the possession of a manuscript poem to be prima facie evidence that the possessor is its author. If it shows one or two corrections, the case is popularly regarded as absolutely settled! It is sometimes very difficult to untangle such a controversy and to get at the truth, but in this case it is easy, for “Beautiful Snow” was published by Harper’s Weekly in its issue for November 27, 1858, some years before the death of the beautiful unknown.

Anonymity was the rule and the curse of the early American magazine. Just what useful end was supposed to be served by suppressing an author’s name is difficult to guess, but very few names were ever published. “Beautiful Snow”