LADY MORGAN. 389 of sentiment, after the manner of "Werter. But, unfor- tunately, Mr. Smith had never heard of " Werter," and, moreover, he was not a publisher at all. He told her so very good-naturedly, and the young authoress, " hot, . hungry, flurried, and mortified," as she says in describing the incident, began to tie up her manuscript with unsteady fingers. She tried to meet the blow bravely, but tears came into her eyes in spite of herself, and kind-hearted Mr. Smith melted at once. " Don't cry, dear — don't cry," he said consolingly. " There's money bid for you yet ! But you're very young to turn author, and what's your name, dear ? " " Owenson, sir," she replied. The name acted like an charm. Mr. Smith, who was an old friend of her father, asked her into the parlor and wrote a letter recommending her to Mr. Brown, a noted publisher of novels. So, courtesying, blushing, and wiping her eyes, she took her leave and set forth in search of Mr. Brown. She found him without much trouble — a little old man in a bob-wig, looking over papers at a counter — and pre- sented her letter, which he seemed by no means pleased to receive. He was still frowning at it when his wife entered from an inner room where breakfast was prepared, exclaiming : " Mr. Brown, your tea is as cold as ice ! " Then, taking possession of the note, she asked what that was. " A young lady who wants me to publish her novel, which I can't do," was the discouraging reply ; " my hands are full already." Poor Miss Owenson raised her handkerchief to her eyes ; but Mrs. Brown, pitying her distress, told her to leave the book and she would see that it was carefully read. St. Clair, pink ribbons and all, remained on Mr.
