... A set of papers for
the next year to be called 'Christopher's Evenings,' which will allow
great freedom and latitude; a capacity of striking anywhere when a
topic seems to be in the public mind and that will comprise a little
series of sketches or rather little groups of sketches out of which
books may be made. You understand Christopher writes these for the
winter-evening amusement of his family. One set will be entitled 'An
Account of the Seven Little Foxes that spoil the Vines.' This will
cover seven sketches of certain domestic troubles. Another set is the
'Cathedral; or, the Shrines of Home Saints,' under which I shall give
certain sketches of home characters contrasting with that of the
legends of the saints: the shirt-making, knitting, whooping-cough-
tending saints, the Aunt Esthers and Aunt Marias.... Hum (her humming
bird) is well--notwithstanding the dull weather; we keep him in a
sunny upper chamber and feed him daily on sugar and water, and he
catches his own mutton."
Thus in swift succession we find, not only charming little idylls here
and there like her story of "Hum the Son of Buzz" in the "Young Folks
Magazine," being the tale of her captured and tamed humming-bird, but
also "Little Foxes," "The Chimney-Corner," a volume of collected
Poems, "Oldtown Folks," "Sam Lawson's Fireside Tales" and others,
following with tireless rapidity, bearing the same stamp of living
sympathy with difficulties of the time and breathing a spirit of
helpfulness and faith.
Pages:
152
153
154
155
156
157
158
159
160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176