Page:History of Oregon Literature.djvu/471

 When the Birds Go North Again. New York. The Macmillan Company. 1898.

A book of poems. Mrs. Higginson asks:

Do you still have skylarks in Oregon? When I was a small child some German residents imported several pairs from Germany, placing them upon the Ladd estate. They lived and for many years were seen “soaring and singing.” When my book, When the Birds Go North Again,” was published I included a sonnet “Dawn on the Willamette” in which was a line about “a pilgrim skylark.” Jeannette Gilder, editor of the Critic, highly praised the book, but added: “A careful nature observer, like Burroughs, would not have made the fatal mistake of placing skylarks on the Willamette.” I wrote her the story and added that I thought the word “pilgrim” would mean something to a careful critic. She never published the explanation.

In this book is another poem, “Hate,” which Mrs. Higginson has explained at some length for reasons contained in the explanation:

I have never publicly answered a criticism of my work; but I wish now to answer many bitter and ignorant criticisms of one of my poems—“Hate”—in my volume When the Birds Go North Again. How anyone could read into that poem that it is I speaking, is entirely beyond my understanding.

Many years ago, in Chicago, I saw Fanny Davenport play “Cleopatra.”. . . Her portrayal of a woman consumed with jealousy was so powerful that I was deeply impressed thereby, and the poem formed itself in my mind; and, upon my return to my hotel, I made the first rough draft of it at once. It was first published under the title of “Cleopatra.” I believe in “foreordination,” and I think it was that which made me keep that first draft, bearing that title—and which has long been in the possession of Edith B. Carhart, head of the Bellingham Public Library.

When it was included in my book, a critic advised me to name it “Hate,” because it was the most powerful description of that devastating passion he had ever read.

I wrote a “murder” story once, also a “murder” poem; but have not, as yet, been accused of that crime!

The Snow Pearls. New York. The Macmillan Company. 1897. A book of poems.

Mariella; of Out-West. The Macmillan Company. 1904.

This is her only novel. After being long out of print, it