Page:Over the river, and other poems.djvu/27

Rh 1864, by which time our poetess had become widely and favorably known to the public, she was requested to write a hymn to be sung on the occasion. It is repub- lished here in the " Miscellaneous " division. As she felt a deep interest in the event, the request was readily com plied with ; and the citizens were more than satisfied with the production. When I took the poem, after looking it over, I gave her two dollars as compensation, but with a sense of mortification that I was not able to give a larger sum. But she was surprised at the liberality of the offer, and, with difficulty, was induced to accept the money. She blushed like a child at the thought that her trifle was so highly appreciated. The occurrence, which I have often recalled with amused interest, was recently confirmed by her mother, after eighteen years have inter vened, by informing me how surprised Nancy was at receiving such compensation for what she had scribbled off at a sitting.

A writer in "The Springfield Republican," soon after the decease of Mrs. Wakefield, recalled a scene in the girl hood of one whom so many had learned to love, through her writtings, who had never seen her face. He says,

" I was more than sorry to hear that the gifted author of 'Over the River ' had passed