"
But the sound of the name brought no response from the eyes.
"Please write out the name you want," he said finally, "and I will copy
it for you if I can."
It was hard for the boy to believe his own senses. But picking up a
pen he wrote: "Ralph Waldo Emerson, Concord; November 22, 1881."
Emerson looked at it, and said mournfully: "Thank you." Then he picked
up the pen, and writing the single letter "R" stopped, followed his
finger until it reached the "W" of Waldo, and studiously copied letter
by letter! At the word "Concord" he seemed to hesitate, as if the task
were too great, but finally copied again, letter by letter, until the
second "c" was reached. "Another 'o,'" he said, and interpolated an
extra letter in the name of the town which he had done so much to make
famous the world over. When he had finished he handed back the book,
in which there was written:
[Illustration: Ralph Waldo Emerson's signature.]
The boy put the book into his pocket; and as he did so Emerson's eye
caught the slip on his desk, in the boy's handwriting, and, with a
smile of absolute enlightenment, he turned and said;
"You wish me to write my name? With pleasure.
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