Page:The Southern Literary Messenger - Minor.djvu/25

Rh a gentleman of literary culture and a pleasing and graceful writer. He once published a novel entitled "Edge Hill," descriptive of Virginia scenes and manners, and aided everything that was calculated to promote the interests and honor of his native State. He was, for many years, her efficient First Auditor and was thus enabled to give so much assistance to Mr. White; who, however, never interrupted him during business hours. Young Fergusson was often his messenger to Mr. Heath's residence. One stormy night, to enable this messsenger to make his trip, he presented him a pair of overshoes. But they turned out to be the wrong sort of snow shoes; for Fergusson lost one in the snow and was not much, if any, better off than if he had had none. But Mr. White used to go frequently to Mr. Heath's, with letters and contributions, over which they spent nearly the whole night. One stormy evening, Mr. Heath admitted him all buttoned up and muffled, and when he loosened his overcoat he placed upon a table a large bottle of champagne, which by no means checked their ardor in that night's work.

In this first number are poems by Mrs. Sigourney and Hon. R. H. Wilde, who afterwards avouched that he was the author of "My Life is Like the Summer Rose." There are also notices of Mr. Kennedy's eulogy of Wirt and of Rev.