Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1870-02-09
Rarard TAYLOR at Home.

Bayard Taylor almost Tires in his
{ library. He sits at long desk table,
covered with books, papers and man.
uscripts, and writes, writes, writes all
: day, varying the occupation from time
to time by reading, and very often
smoking as he reads or writes: but the
cigars of his smoking are of such an
ethereal sort that you wouldn't know
he was smoking one if you did not see
it between his lips. The chair in
which he sits is covered over with
chimeras in tapestry, by fingers which
are as deft with the pen as with the
needle. They are the same that trans
lated 1.-The Story of Kennel into
German. People will think of her by
and by, when they read the marie
intercaved with that of ''Bayard" " over
the free portals of Cedarcroft, long
after host and hostess shall have
passed away from the mansion which
the united head and heart of those
Z two has rendered happy and hGrmO-
nious in its appointments.
The change from an exceedingly ac-
tive life to one which is essentially Sc
dentary has had the effect of causing
BayaTd TaylOr-in his younger days
as lean as an .Arab-tO grow almost
suddenly stout. Nature will have her
compensation.
He looks the farmer that he declares
himself TO be when he goes out for a
tramp over his farm-whieh, by the
way, is quite separate from the home
stead-as far as his large figure and
Tuddy complexion go. But fingers
that have held pen and pencil the
greater part of a lifetime will always
take on a literary and artistic shaping;
and eyes that have for so long been
busy in looking out fOI strange sights
in strange lands must have light in
them very different from the dull
gleam in the eyes of the sturdy plod-
der who seldom goes beyond the
boundary fence of his own acres; and
brOws are always chiseled into shape
by the character of the FRAMEWORK 60
/ ing on behind them.
There is a portrait of Bayard Taylor
in the sitting-Toom opposite the libra
~, by Hicks, representing him in
I oriental costume. and in the midst OF
: oriental surroundings. 1t was taken
when he was all spirit and youthful
! impulse, and nerve, and muscle; and
I his features strongly become the OTi-
entail garb. Doubtless, however, had
he been painted in the costume of
Norwegian, during his soiourn in Nor
way, he would have looked the char
aoter with equal vividness. This
would be due to the temporarily
losing his own identity in the life and
I habits of the people among whom he
might for time be sojOurning, which
/ is the great distinguishing trait of this
successful traveller, and the chief i'm
| sigma of the order.
| He never shuts himself up to write.
The library doors stand open all day,
and the feet of the household are free
to come and go as their various own
ers will-if only there be not too much
chattering, or the sojOurn be not toe
long drawn out. The unbidden as
well as the invited guest may enter
| if he he of the right stamp; and Bay
ard Taylor will cheerfully rise from
the composition of a poem, or the ella
| bOratiOn of some idea into prose, tC
to show his grounds to the chance visi
tor, returning to his work at the earli
estpossible moment, but with unshak
en- equanimity.