The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1880-02-04

Warrington correspondence Philadelphia Times.
Every now and then questioning par
agraph pops up in one of the papers, and
makes the round, as to who is the author
Of "a FOOLS Errand, by the Fool" saw
the query repeated in the Tribune, where,
Of all places else, knowledge should be
current and positive, for, less than two
years ago, "a Fools Errand," then exist
ing in manuscript, was sent to that news
paper Office and offered for sale there for
81 900. It was sent back to North Caroli-
ma, marked "Thanks" and respectfully
declined" Subsequently it was published
by Ford's house, and in less than year
second edition OF 10000 was demanded.
1t is the fashion, is that same GRAND Of
document IL is for the Republican side OF
the house. But about the author.
His name is Judge Tourgee, former
ly OF Ashtabula, Ohio, a soldier for
the Federal cause and settler
subsequently in North Carolina, in the vi.
cinity OF Raleigh. He himself Is the fool
OF his story, and the picture is drawn from
life, as indeed are oil the characters in the
tale. Imbued with wild enthusiasm, he
came to North Carolina to carry on the
fight for the negro, for whose freedom and
advancement he had avowdly shouldered
tho musket in the bloody time. He put
up his sign as lawyer, and at once began
to tell the negro he was free. He orga.
nized meetings and clubs, and OF neces-
sity in those peculiar state OF affairs no
one was more unpopular than he. Ere.
QuentlY his meetings were dispersed. Once
he was haranguing lot OF negroes in a
court house square, when the sheriff came
down with orders from the Judge to move
that idiot on. He moved on out OF the
immediate neighborhood, but he took his
audience with him. He became Judge OF
the Supreme Court, and occupied the
bench for four years, displaying in
a considerable degree the judicial quality.
Aiterward, as a lawyer, he was not sue
cessful. His first novel was "Toinette,"
written under the nom de plume OF Henry
Church. or Churchill. Then followed az
FOOLS Errand," and now Gigs and This
ties" is offered. Judge Tourgee was final
ly induced 10 leave North Carolina, and
now he makes Denver, Col, his home. l
am reminded in this connection Of an in
cident Of him, related to me by Colonel
Keogh, his friend, now OF the Republican |
National Committee. Keogh had read all |
his books in the proof, but Figs and
Thistles" had missed him. The Judge |
sent to Mr.. Keogh for his opinion on the
work, and Keogh replying, explained
that the proof sheets had no. reached him,
but he would very much like to have an
autograph copy OF the book. To
this came back this answer: "When
published loinette l wrote in it To
my friend, and, signing my name, sent 1t
to a prominent gentleman in Raleigh.
From his possession it driited TO o place
more notorious than respectable, where it
was displayed in a prominent place, so
that everybody who came there saw 1t,
and read: To my friend.". The times
have heard where that book is would set
an ordinary man crazy. Had | been in
clined l could have made up list Of hun
dreds whose knowledge Of the where
abouts OF that book led me to believe they
knew class OF society in Raleigh in which
l had never mingled. will therefore
give away no more autograph copies"