Show 11KET HARTE Robnons Story of HOp Hsirte Felt His Oats i Bret Harte told me a characteristic story once of his first meeting with I I Emerson said Stuart Robson in the course of some random reminiscences over an after breakfast cigar at the I Auditorium Harte had made his first great hIt1 and as a consequence received a number num-ber of very friendly and compllmentaiy I letters from prominent literary people I in the east among them Bryant and Emerson Emerson invited him to come I and see him the next time he visited I the east Mr Harte gladly accepted I the invitation although he felt rather j i I nervous not to say apprehensive as to i i the impression he would be able to make Mr Emerson soon put him at his ease however and they were soon chatting together like old friends MI Emerson suggested a stroll along the banks of the Charles As f they walked Mr Emerson Inquired If he was not frequently embairassed for I want of a word or phrase In writing Oh no replied the young Cali foinia phenomenon not at all Writ I 1ns Is nerfectlv easy for mp The gieat philosopher looked at I Jiis young friend for a moment i thoughtfully and said that he was I somewhat surprised to hear him say CO i You are extremely fortunate hi added T have great dIfficulty at times in expressing myself and from what other writers have told mo I was led to believe that this was a common if not a universal experience I may inay that every sentence almost every word I write is is the result of severe mental effort T lie awake for hours i trying to master some elusive phrase Mr Harte realized In later years even more than he did at the time that his reply had been unfortunate |