"Earnest Willie," or, Echoes from a recluse : containing the letters, poems, addresses and sketches -- chiefly moral and religious -- with bits of laughing humor, smiling fancy and tender sentiment -- everywhere / the earnest heart-throbs of William D. Upshaw, during this more than sixteen years of invalid life -- (seven years spent on a bed).

  • Upshaw, Willie D. (William David), 1866-1952.
Date:
1903
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: "Earnest Willie," or, Echoes from a recluse : containing the letters, poems, addresses and sketches -- chiefly moral and religious -- with bits of laughing humor, smiling fancy and tender sentiment -- everywhere / the earnest heart-throbs of William D. Upshaw, during this more than sixteen years of invalid life -- (seven years spent on a bed). Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, through the Medical Heritage Library. The original may be consulted at the Francis A. Countway Library of Medicine, Harvard Medical School.

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    everywhere with loftier thought and aspiration, the wonderful possibilities of earnest, undying effort, and lead them to no- bler, grander, more useful lives—this is the heartfelt mission oi EARNEST WILLIE.'^ Please pass these echoes among your young friends, and thus widen, as much as possible, its circle of usefulness. Before I lay down my pen, I can but think of, and give here, the beautiful, yearning words of the gifted Virginia author,. Miss Fannie H. Marr. My own heart lovingly speaks them. now: LONGINGS. Will any being treasure up A single line that I have sung ? Will words that I have breathed dwell oft And lingering]y on lip and tongue? Will book of mine be studied much. And soiled with frequent finger touch? Shall I from quiet loneliness, In distant households dare to claim An honored place ?—Will strangers learn To breathe in tenderness my name ? And shall I speak to them when Death Hath stilled my heart and stopped my breath ? Throughout my book I have rarely taken courage to allude to jnyseU as'^ The Author. It has seemed almost too preten- tious a title to assume. And now with a natural shrinking from all the responsibilities which the title may require, 1 breathe an earnest, longing prayer to Heaven, as I take you, my reader, frankly by the hand, and trust you for a living place in your thoughts and in your heart. Earnestly, happily and hopefully yours, The Author. Notes of Explanation : The reader will notice a rather - copious use of explanatory notes throughout this volume. Special attention is directed to them, since they will always add to the interest of the piece to which they refer. I have • often thought that if authors would always give the circum- stances connected with the composition of a poem or article of any kind, whenever those circumstances are at all out of the ordinary, it would serve as a window of insight into the heart: and soul of the surroundings of which the piece was born, and thus prepare the reader to enjoy it as otherwise he could not- possibly do. ' The Author.