do for Mr. Greeley to go to Congress, he would make such a
slitter-slatter of the place."

Miss Proctor published _A Russian Journey_ after travelling through
that country; has published a volume of poems, and has made several
appeals in prose and verse for the adoption of the Indian corn as our
national emblem. She is also desirous to have the name of Mount
Rainier changed to Tacoma, its original Indian name, and has a second
book of poems ready for the press.

When I first met her at the home of Mrs. Storrs, I thought her one of
the most beautiful women I had ever seen--of the Andalusian type--dark
hair and lustrous starry eyes, beautiful features, perfect teeth, a
slender, willowy figure, and a voice so musical that it would lure a
bird from the bough. She had a way all her own of "telling" you a
poem. She was perfectly natural about it, a recitative semi-tone yet
full of expression and dramatic breadth, at times almost a chant. With
those dark and glowing eyes looking into mine, I have listened until
I forgot everything about me, and was simply spellbound. Mr. Fields
described Tennyson's reciting his own poems in much the same way.
Whittier once said to a friend, "I consider Miss Proctor one of the
best woman poets of the day," and then added, "But why do I say _one_
of the best; why not _the_ best?"

Miss Proctor has always been glad to assist any plan of mine, and
wrote a poem especially for my Christmas book, _Purple and Gold_. Mr.
Osgood, the publisher, when I showed him the poem, said, "But how do I
know that the public will care for your weeds?" (referring to the
asters and goldenrod). He said later: "The instant popularity and
large sale of that booklet attested the happiness of Miss Sanborn's