Image provided by: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries, Lincoln, NE
About The Hesperian / (Lincoln, Neb.) 1885-1899 | View Entire Issue (April 11, 1896)
THE HESPERIAN lnrgo, very largo, mid atout. Hor ftico is broud and ilabby and hor features aro almoBt lost in it, yet alio is not lacking in forehead, which is rondorod all tho moro conspicuous by tho way alio combs hor light hair back sovorely smooth. Hor head is thou sot off by a Grecian knot bound by a gold band. In dross sho is a classic Grook, but oh, sho Badly lacks in form and foatnro? My duties aro various. As soon as I got up, which ib ovory morning at six, I join my mistress in tho obsorvatory, a small room at tho top of tho houso. From this placo wo "oontomplato," as sho says, tho boauty and strangoncss of nature; this nature is a sky often cloudod with smoke, a limitod viow of houso tops and chimnoys and, in tho distance, a btroak of dark wulur. YoL she is always inspired and speaks in a manner wildly poetic. After wo have breakfasted on a meal which is, in my opinion, too mortally sub stantial to bo associatod with tho idea of litorary productions, sho attonds to hor housohold duties I am sure that I do not know what they can bo and I go to feod tho pots, my lady's dearest friouds. Hamlet muBt be pettod, a horrid little monkoy. 1 must soothe and humor him, and this is tho most disagrooablo of all my duties. Then, thoro is tho crow, Long fellow. Ho and 1 aro very good friends. 1 am fond of tho birds, too, ton pretty yellow canaries and livo Chinese finches. All tho rest of tho forenoon I have to myself. At noon wo lunch on a dinner. Then wo retire to the darkened study. Sho dictatos to me, sometimes poetry, but oftonor wo spend tho afternoon upon a story. I think that sho muBt finish thorn sometime when sho is alone for I never hoar tho end of them. I cannot judge of tho worth of hor writings. Sho may bo some famous author writing id'idor a nom do plumo. Wo gonorally pass tho ovoning roading. I often play on the piano for her. Sho is an excellent player horsolf, sho Bays, but hor soul responds most naturally to tho strains of others, and so sho profors to liston to mo. To-night wo aro going to havo a rocoption to which a number of distinguished ladios and gentleman aro invited. Tho groator numbor of thorn aro authors of noto. I addrcsaod tho onvolopos and doing bo I discovorod how really ignorant and Bimple I am, for I found that I had novor hoard of any of tho porsons. Do not worry about mo, mothor. For tho most part, 1 like my position. I am getting now idoas and broader viowB about somo subjocts and, too, 1 am associating with a woman of rarely gifted mind. It cannot but make a change in me, and I think it will be for the boiler. Bui in Iho short time that 1'vo boon horo I'm deter mined firmly that I shall novor turn my attention to litorary work. I can hardly toll why l'vo come to this decision. 1 must closo my letter now for it will soon bo time for us to receive our guoBts. With much lovo from your daughter, Helen Zane . 1. S: I forgot to montion that Mrs. VanHouson has a husband. Ho is tho oiio that pays mo my salary. Ho is a pale, un offending sort of a person and I seldom' seo him. H. Z. Wodnosday ovoning, March 25, tho mom bors of tho Young Men's and Young Women's Christian Associations spent a vory pleasant social ovoning at tho homo of Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Wilson. About 150 of the students and members of tho faculty were prosent. Refreshments wore sorved during tho evening. A short program was given consisting of a recitation by J. T. Boomor, vocal solo by J. P. Cameron music by Y. M. C. A. quartette, and vocal solo by Miss Davisson. Professor Barbour gave a vory interesting and instructive talk at the Congregational church Sunday ovoning, March 29. . His subject was "How tho Earth was Found."