The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-02-09
WILLIAM DEAN HOWELLS.
New York Home Journal.

William Dean HowellS is descended from an old Welsh Quaker family, and his father was born at The Hay. m Breeon. His grandfather emigra,ed to Amenea early in the present century. The subject of this sketch was born at Martins Ferry. a small town on the Ohio river, in I83-. His father was edi. tor and publisher of a small country newspaper, though he occupied at differ ent times the post of consul at Toronto, Quebec. and other places. The son early acquired practical knowledge of print ing. and was accustomed to set up in type his own youthful poetical effusions.
 The Howeils family was poor, and the future novelist was permanently occupied as an assistant at his fathers printing office when most lads of his age are at school. In fact. he received little or no education oi a formal kind but his own s,udiousnoss and passion for books effect ually remedied this drawback. In his leisure moments he taught himself Latin, learn. a smagtering of Greek, became fairly proficient in several modern lan- guages and made the acquaintance of d large ana varied assortment of literature of al countries His father, from whom he irhented his studious habits. aided and encouraged him in his efforts. so ,ha, the process of self-educAtion did not iI- voIve either hardship or isolation. as IS often .he case.
 Al length NIT. Howells. senior. being a strong and consistent advocate of the un- popular cause of the abolition of slavery found that his liberal views were SD little appreciated in his own district tha, he was compelled 10 dispose of his paper and for some years he and his family drif,ed abou, 10 difieien, places in the state of Ohio. Mr. w. D Howells was thrown upon his osn resources, and a. nineteen he wen, down to Columbus. as legislative reporter. Whlie employed in this capacity he had 'o wrlte two letters daily 10 Cincinnati and Cleveland papers, the work being ou: of all proportion 10 the remuneration he received But he was presently promoted 10 he post of news editor 70 neS republican journal" He was connected with this paper for three years, and during this period he began 10 be known as writer of verses and short poems. Al the age of t~enty-one he made h,s tirs, bow 10 the public as the joint author of small AOiuIEG, CNtuGQ IVCutS Ot Wo his associate being Mir. l. l. Platt, who st present occupies the post of American consul at Cork The venture met with very encouraging success, and a, that time MT Howells aspired to be poet rather than prose writer, taking Heinrich Heine as his suiie. philosopher and friend
 A, the epoch of the candida,ure of NIT Lincoln for the presidency, Mir. W. D Howells wrote campaign life of ;he distin suished patriot, which being Inter pretee. means popular biography de signed for eiectioneeriag purposes Whether ,his e.iort attracted the favorable notice of MT Lincoln is no; an ascer- tained lac, b.. a; all events. ;he author was unexpectedly appointed to the con salate Al Venice
 MT. Il owells continued 70 a.: Is consul at Nen,ce during the American war. ard remained there altogether four years. He had rus, previously married. and he and his wife SC, up Housekeeping ID Casa Faler Mrs. Ho~ells IS cousin oi ex-Presiden, Hayes. and cousin of Larkin c. Mead. the celebrated American sculp- tor. On reaching the scene of his duties, Mir Howells discovered ,ha, the pos, was almos, a sinecure, and consequently he was enabled to devote his wh ole time 10 study or literary pursuits He made himself master of the Italian language and became thoroughly acquainted with the literature of the country. The result of his studies. and also Of his travels throughout Italy, he communicated in the form of articles. essays and sketches to American periodicals Some oi these were collected and published in two small volumes, one called Venetian Life.r which. as before mentioned, was published in London. and the other Italian Journeys-T Both are very pleas ant reading, and abound in humorou. touches and evidences of keen observa- ton.
 At the termination of the var he paid visit to AmencA, intending to return to