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TrHE coiLUMIBAN.
Pennsylvanian Freeman, "his office was burned
by a mob, he narrowly escaped death. In his
.Ballads and Sketches of New England life, Whit-
tier was most successful. He wrote of the familiar
scenes of bloyhood, and was not ashamed to intro-
duce his humble home to the world in "Snow-
bound."
Lowell, like Whittier, was an advoca'e of anti-
slaverv. He not only attacked slavery by politi-
cal satire, but introduced the Slavery question
into his best works.
In his works, Lowell has brought forth the
charateritics of. the New England people, both
in language and in manner.
His descriptions of the Yankee character are
humorously brought forth in the Bigelow Papers,
making them very amusing and interesting.
Next comes Curtis, who was a warm friend of
Whittier, and but a week intervened between
their deaths. He also spent his early days upon a
farm.
Curtis early showed a talent for writing, sending
his articles to different magazines and papers.
He soon became a celebrated author, and was for
many years editor of the "Easy Chair" depart-
ment of the Harper's Monthly."
One of the most recent losses in the Literary
World was occasioned by the death of Lord
Tennysmn, for forty-two years Poet Laureate of
England.    _
At an early age Tennyson showed a love for the
.poetical. He had hardly reached his fifth year
when he wrote some verses' about his grand-
mother, his grandfather giving him ten shillings for
the same. Quietness ruled in the household of
'Tennyson and his life was almost one of seclusion.
his friends were few, but dear. He was loved by
"Sunset and evening star,
And one clear call for me;
And may there be no moaning of the bar
When I put out to sea."
"There was no- moaning of the bar
Oh, singer lost from sight,
When out beyond our evening star
Death drifted thee to light."
"'Black was the pilot at the helm;
Dark gloQmed the hither shore;
But never wave could overwhelm
The land that gleamed before."
"Beyond these voiteH there is peace!
Life fills thy cup today!
From pain Rnd wearineiss surcesse
They find who pass this way'"
"Oh, laureled at the head and feet!
We cannot call thee dead!
Our hearts repeat thy music sweet,
And we mre comforted."
O. R.
Miss Biackwood's Tea.
It was in the"witching time of night, when soli
tu6e reigns supreme, when grlve yards yawn," that
the city librar' was suddenly lighted up, and the
stately Mi,s Bflackwood mighlt have been seen
standing at a well prepared supper table, and say-
ing. in her calm, even manner, "Good sirs and
ladies, I have a small surprise in store for you, in
the form of a good supper."
- At these words, the illustrious literary person-
ages who held courts in the city library, camoe
forward from their shelves, and took thei places
at the table; but just as they were about to sit
down, Miss Bazaar, who is a good judge on points
or etiquette, remarked that St. Nicholas was
sent. Hereupon Master Harper's Young People
was dispatched to wake him up.   He yawned
lazily, but catching the odor of hot coffee, came
forward with a skip that showed how little age
had done to stiffen his joints.
"Why Uncle," said Miss Blackwood, "how
young you have become in the presence ofgoo
victuals." "Yes," said Mr. Punch with a sly wink
at Miss Puck, "ambition often makes us old peo-
ple forget our age."
Now Miss Blackwood, being an elderly maiden,
displayed great presence of mind as she only
blushed slightly, while Miss Puck laughed aloud
in the most disgraceful manner.
During the supper, Mr. North American Review
and Mr. Forum entered into a conversation on
politics, religion, science, and other mighty sub-
jects, interrupted now and then by a learned dis-
course from Mr. Arena on the Baconian-Shakes-
peare controversy, or a terse remark from the
observing Mr. Review of Reviews.
Mrs. Frank Leslie, Miss Bazaar and the artistic
Mr. Cosmopolitan, bored by the dryness of the
sub.jects, found a corner for themselves, to discuss
the fashions, incidents and characters of the day.
Poor old St. Nicholas, tired of their learned
chatter, retired to another corner to pour his
wonderful stories into the ears of Master Harper's
Young People.
Tha Judge and Miss Puck considered the whole
aflair a good joke, and laughed so often that the
soher Miss Blackwood felt obliged to utter a plea
for seriousness, which only caused the aforesaid
persons to laugh all the harder behind her back.
And so the evening wore away, until Dr. Po-
lar Science Monthly arose, and said in his learned
manner, "As the human being is capable of sus-
taining only a certain amount of exertion, I will
now retire.'  This was a signal for the party to
break up, and soon the room was deserted and
each magazine was lying in its usual place.
J. S.