A Sappho of Green Springs

"A Sappho of Green Springs" by Bret Harte is a story set in the late 1800s, revolving around the pursuit of artistry and the bonds between people. It all kicks off with a lumberman named Jim Bowers talking to a magazine editor because he’s hooked on the poetry of a mysterious writer called "White Violet." The story sets the scene for a search into who people really are and what drives them to create, mixed with a bit of romance. When the editor of "Excelsior Magazine" gets a visit from Jim Bowers, who is dying to know who this "White Violet" is, we learn that Bowers thinks the poetry is amazing and must be written by a nature-loving woman, which sets up the editor to have his own incorrect assumptions about who she is. As we read further, we meet other characters like Jack Hamlin and even "White Violet" herself, revealing the complications of figuring out who you are, finding your creative voice, and dealing with relationships, all against the backdrop of California.