New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-01-06
THE AUTHOR OF "VAGABOND ADVEN
TURES"

SIR: The mystery which surrounds the last hours
Of Ralph Keeler-suggesting every kind OF tragic
hypothesis but leaving the tragedy, if there were
any, untold-has touched the sympathies of many
who were not perhaps, familiar with the man or
his writings 1t may not be out OF place here Tor me
to speak briefly of both. At all events, l would
like for the sake Of old comradeship, to say few
words about Ralph Keller in these columns, to
which he gave the last labors of his pen.
1t was in the Summer of 1868, if l remember. that
Mr. Keller came to with letter of Introduction
from friend in California. He was at that time
very slight and boyish Of figure with that flourish
in manner and conversation with which a certain
kind of shy man always fails to blind one to his
syness. He was in fact, at once curiously shy and
aggressive. HIS instantaneous assumption that l
was deeply interested in all his affairs was so fresh
trait of character to me that lacked the heart to
dspel his illusion until it was too late; for ended
by becoming very deeply interested.
After remaining in Boston three or four weeks Mr..
Keller departed abruptly. Iheard of him from time
to time delivering lectures in various towns East and
West but did not see him again until the following
year, when he returned to Boston, and finally made
his home in Cambridge-if it can be said of Keller
that he made his home anywhere. To state it cor
recty he secured room in the old University
town. and occupied it at irregular intervals during
the next five or six years. 1t was at this period
that professional work and inclination brought US
frequently in company,
Keller came of an excellent family believe In
one of the early chapters Of his "Vagabond Adven-
lures, he hints az much in half deprecatory way
as if it were not becoming in vagabond to have too
respectable antecedents. He hints at it darkly so
to speak. or his early life, which was singularly
sad one. this book appears to be faithful account
The story have heard from his lips, does not diff
fer in essentials from the printed narrative. 1t can
there be seen that Keller. who was born In Ohio,
lost both his parents in his infancy, aud at his
tenth or eleventh year found his surroundings so
intoerable that he ran away from the home pro-
vided for him. and never returned to it, gave
up.r he used to say, what have ever since been
struggling to gain" Not that he regretted this
particular home. 1t is DUE" he writes, " to both
of us-the home and myself-to observe that it was
not a very attractive hearth ran from. My father
and mother were dead, and brothers sisters of
mine were there-nothing at ALL indeed, like affec-
ton. but something very much like its opposite"
This is the only bitter passage in the book through
out which the light -heartedness is pathetic He
escaped from the house in Buffalo at night, and
secreted himself in neighbonng stable until he
obtained place as stewards assistant on board the
steamboat Diamond. Then began the little vaga-
bonds adventures,-a squalid life among wharves.
and steamboats,, and railway stations.
First he is cabnboy on board the Baltic; then
train-boy on the Michigan Southern and Northern
Indiana Railroad, selling conomically-composed and
fatal lemonade now he is the infant phenomenon of
Kunkeps Band of negro mnstrels; now he is end
man in Johnny Booker's Ethiopian Troupe; now he
is drifting down the Mississippi, with sacred wax
statuary and stuffed animals, in DR.. Spsulding's
Floating Palace; now we find him with that burnt
cork washed off-miraculous transformation! study
ing the classics in st. Vncents College, at Cape Girar
deau, where he remains sixteen happy months, and
picks I'D enough pure French to last him lifetime
Now he is clerk in the Toledo PostO fice-somaih
of come-down we should say, though still man OF
letters-and now he is Storage passenger on an En-
glish steamer, heading for Queenstown. From Lon
don he goes to Paris; thence to Heidelberg. He is
a student in the famous Karl Rupert University.
and wins his diploma, too, this end man, making
pedestrian tours meanwhile through Italy the Tyrol,
Switzerland, France and Bavaria, wearing the cos
tune and speaking with the accent of veritable
Handwerksbursch.
All this Mr. Keller has related himself with
fidelity which suspected at first Especially did
suspect the negro minstrel portions OF bis auto
biography until one OF two of those same old min
strels turned up in my presence and hailed with
decorous and subdued joy the infant phenomenon OF
other DAYS. How many'boys. wonder, placed in
Keeler's circumstances, would have graduated at
Heidelberg Fate evidently intended to make
worthless fellow of him he scorned Fate and made
a gentleman and scholar of himself.
On returning from Europe. Keller went to Cali
fornia Of his career there know nothing. l be-
lieve he wrote for the San Francisco press, and
think he told me he taught French and German for
while in some academy. In 1853 he came to Bos-
ton as have stated. He went abroad again in 1872
remaining about eight or ten months.
In spite of his varied knowledge Of lfe-gained in
those long and curious plgrimages beyond the sea,
as well as by extensive travel in his own land-Mr.
Keller retained in many things the innocence and
simplicity Of inexperience. His unworldliness and
want of tact socially often led conventional people
to underrate his sterling qualities. He had hun
bred small faults in this sort. but looking back upon
them now. sec how they more than atOned
for by On amiability enforced and sweet that it
could have flowed only from loyal aud generous
heart.
Inever knew man with so little bitterness in his
nature. His childhood, we have seen, was marked
by neglect and cruelty; adverse fates must have
rocked his cradle; he was adrift upon the world
when he was only ten years old. The world Is
hard step-mother for strong men and women-but
for little child He suffered cold and hunger, aud
knew none of the pleasures OF boyhood; he had no
boyhood. He was a little sharp-iaced old man from
the frst: it was onlv afterward that he grew s"nns