gazine. The two Everetts, Powell, William Story, and my brother, who
was the editor, were the principal contributors. And I am tempted to say
that I think they all put some of their best work upon this magazine.

The misfortune of the Miscellany, I suppose, was that its publishers had
no capital. They had to resort to the claptraps of fashion-plates and
other engravings, in the hope of forcing an immediate sale upon persons
who, caring for fashion-plates, did not care for the literary character
of the enterprise. It gave a very happy escape-pipe, however, for the
high spirits of some of us who had just left college, and, through my
brother's kindness, I was sometimes permitted to contribute to the
journal. In memory of those early days of authorship, I select "The
South American Editor" to publish here. For the benefit of the New York
Observer, I will state that the story is not true. And lest any should
complain that it advocates elopements, I beg to observe, in the
seriousness of mature life, that the proposed elopement did not succeed,
and that the parties who proposed it are represented as having no
guardians or keepers but themselves. The article was first published in
1842.]

* * * * *

It is now more than six years since I received the following letter from
an old classmate of mine, Harry Barry, who had been studying divinity,
and was then a settled minister. It was an answer to a communication I
had sent him the week before.

"TOPSHAM, R.I. January 22, 1836.

"To say the truth, my dear George, your letter startled me a
little. To think that I, scarcely six months settled in the
profession, should be admitted so far into the romance of it as to
unite forever two young runaways like yourself and Miss Julia
What's-her-name is at least curious. But, to give you your due,
you have made a strong case of it, and as Miss ---- (what is her
name, I have not yours at hand) is not under any real
guardianship, I do not see but I am perfectly justified in
complying with your rather odd request. You see I make a
conscientious matter of it.

"Write me word when it shall be, and I will be sure to be ready.
Jane is of course in my counsels, and she will make your little
wife feel as much at home as in her father's parlor. Trust us for
secrecy.

"I met her last week--"

But the rest of the letter has nothing to do with the stor