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Page 4
I may say that there is an old meeting-house in Hollis in which she has
been interested since her childhood. Each succeeding summer the whole
countryside within a radius of many miles gathers there to hear her
bright, sympathetic readings of her manuscript stories, sometimes
before even her publishers have a peep at them. These occasions are
rare events that are much talked over and planned for, as I learned
soon after reaching that neighborhood. During the summer of 1895 she
read one of her manuscript stories--_The Ride of the Midnight Cry_ (now
published in _The Village Watch Tower_)--to a group of elderly ladies
in the neighborhood of Quillcote, who are deeply interested in all she
writes. The story takes its title from an ancient stage-coach well
known throughout that region in its day, and known only by the
suggestive if not euphonious name of "The Midnight Cry."
Mrs. Wiggin possesses rare musical taste and ability, and
enthusiastically loves music as an art. It is simply a recreation and
delight to her to compose and adapt whatever pleases her fancy to her
own flow of harmony. She is the possessor of some very rare and
interesting foreign instruments; among this collection is a Hawaiian
guitar, the tiniest of stringed instruments, and also one of curious
Portuguese workmanship.
In the early months of 1895 she was married to George C. Riggs, of New
York, but she prefers to retain in literature the name with which she
first won distinction. I will speak of her New York winter home only
to say that it is the gathering-place of some of the most eminent
authors and artists in the country. She goes abroad yearly, and Maine
levies a heavy claim on her by right of home ties and affection, for
the 'Pine Tree State' is proud to claim this gifted daughter, not only
for her genius but her beauty of character and true womanliness.
Mrs. Wiggin's work is characterized by a delicious flow of humor, depth
of pathos, and a delicate play of fancy. Her greatest charm as a
writer is simplicity of style. It enables us to come in perfect touch
with her characterizations, which are so full of human nature that, as
some one has said, "we feel them made of good flesh and blood like
ourselves, with whom we have something, be it ever so little, that
keeps us from being alien one to another." Her keen but sympathetic
penetration attains some of the happiest results in the wholesome
realism of her child characters; her children become real to us, creep
into our hearts, and we love them, and in sympathy with this sentiment
springs up a spontaneous reawakening of interest in the child-world
about us.
EMMA SHERMAN ECHOLS.
POLLY OLIVER'S PROBLEM
A STORY FOR GIRLS
"_What you can do, or dream you can, begin it.
Boldness has genius, power, and magic in it_."
GOETHE.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER
I. A DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE
II. FORECASTING THE FUTURE
III. THE DOCTOR GIVES POLLY A PRESCRIPTION
IV. THE BOARDERS STAY, AND THE OLIVERS GO
V. TOLD IN LETTERS
VI. POLLY TRIES A LITTLE MISSIONARY WORK
VII. "WHERE IGNORANCE IS BLISS"
VIII. TWO FIRESIDE CHATS
IX. HARD TIMES
X. EDGAR GOES TO CONFESSION
XI. THE LADY IN BLACK
XII. THE GREAT SILENCE
XIII. A GARDEN FLOWER, OR A BANIAN-TREE
XIV. EDGAR DISCOURSES OF SCARLET RUNNERS
XV. LIFE IN THE BIRDS' NEST
XVI. THE CANDLE CALLED PATIENCE
XVII. POLLY LAUNCHES HER SHIPS
XVIII. THE CHILDREN'S HOUR: REPORTED IN A
LETTER BY AN EYE-WITNESS
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