The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1872-01-05

FenInore Cooper.

ResigniAg his position in the navy
Mr.. Cooper, at the age of twenty tive
married Miss Susan De Laney. sister
of ths Bishop Of Western New York
and now that twenty years have pass
ed since the graves OF husband and
wife were made in the little church.
yard andeF the pines, comment may
be permitted, and with the more free.
! dom since, sooner or later, the lives
/ sf eminent men must necessarily be-
come the property of the public
! Among the ead heart histories which
! the Biographies of men of genius are
/ almost sure to reveal, the charming
/ story of Fenimore Cooper and his
/ wife shines out with pure radiance
an ideal picture of happy marriage
! A lovely, accomplished woman, Mrs
! Cooper was blessed with the un-
/ changing, tender devotion of heI
husband through forty long wears
and even in death they were not sep
arated, for within four months after
the husbands departure his gentle
wife followed him, fit resident fos
that heaven for which her whole life
had been one of constant separation.
N :s. Cooper was retiring and femi-
nine in every movement, word and
action. Her strong, impetuous hUs-
band-massive and vigorous in frame,
decided and independent in action
Yielded to her q chivalrOus devotion
most beautiful and rare. She was
his preferred comp 1nion above all
others, and in his daily drives to his
mountain farm, called the Chalet, he
always wanted her by his side, while
in the evening his favorite amuse-
ment was a game of chess with his
wife as antagonist. Although chill
dren grew up and around them; al
though the hOspitabic mansion was
often filled with distinguished and
delightful guests, although time pass
ed and they grew old, the husband
and wife never sank into the mere
father and mother, but to the last
day they cherished for each other that
fresh affection which is 30 seldom
seen after the bloom of youth and the
charm of novelty have passed away.
The fair, gentle women who hover
over C0Oper's pages were patterned
after his beloved wife, who, happily
occupied in her own quiet sphere,
was content to follow the old-fash-
toned rule Of the Bible, that "the hus-
band is the head Of the wife, even as
Christ is the head of the Church, in
every thing"
After his marriage, Mr.. Cooper
lived for long time at Scarsdale, In
WestchesteF county, New I Ork, and
here he wrote his frat story, "Pre-
caution" tale of Bnghsh life. He
was reading TN English novel aloud
to his wife, when suddenly he threw
down the book and exclaimed, Il be-
Iieve I could write better myself"
Following the impulse, he immedi-
atcly composed 9 few chapters and
read them to Ars. Cooper, who en-
couraged him in the work, and urged
him to publish it when completed,
although at this time he had no in
tention of appearing before the pub
lie. The manuscript, however, was
at length submitted 10 the late Chas.
Hilkea, and meeting viii his apprO-
val, was published in 1920, whining
favorable notice both in this country
and England. and showing the germs
of that genius which, when employed
upon & more Cougenial and original
subject, gained for the author such
triumphant success. in 1891, Mr..
Cooper published the "Spy," which
was Immediately and brilliantly sue
cessful, being the first spirited story
of our Revolutionary war, and thus
opened d new era in American liter
ature. The "Spy" has been translat-
ed into the languages Of Europe, and
even crossed the borders into Asia,
a Persian version having appeared in
l847 at Ispahan.
From 1921 until his death, period
Of thirty years, MIR. Cooper published
no less than thirtY-nine volumes,
thirty-two being nOyeis-an amount
of mental and physical labor which
! Justly entities him to be called hard
working man for although he some
times employed his daughters as
amenuenses, still the work of COM
posing and preparing even one book
| for the press is aTduOu9, as any doubt
er will find if he tries il.
/ In recalling the number of volumes
| that the authors pen produced, it
might naturally be supposed that his
whole tine was devoted TO writing
but, instead of this, he had many
! other occupations. Rising early in
the morning, he generally accom-
plished all his writing before break
! fast, which took place at nine, devot-
! ing the hours in the middle of the
day to his mountain farm, the Chalet,
where he found outdoor recreation
in an obstinate contest with the stony
soil, he being determined that the
| crops should grow, and the mountain
being determined that they should
not it is said that the mountain won
the day, since, during all the years ol
| the contest, the farm only paid It's
expenses once, The relaxation OBJ.
tanned in this way, however, was
heartily enjoyed By Mr.. Cooper and
no donbt this constant cOmmuniou
with nature and this vigorous open
air exercise contributed to preserve
the healthy, manly tone so cOnspicu.
GUS in his writings.s Your morbid
unnatural authors are generally hot.
house dyspeptics.-I CONSTANCE FBSE
MORE, in Harpe-'s Magazine for De,
cemkeF.