The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1885-08-20

we are indebted to the author Tor
copy Of his latest work BY-WAYs AND
BIRD NOTES." by Maurice Thompson,
published by John b. Alden, 1913 Pearl
street, New York; price IS cents. In
this beautifully printed volume of nearly
two hundred pages, the author of a
TALLAHASSEE GIRL revisits the scene of
that charming story, and traverses its by
ways and those OF other sections of the
Southern country in loving studies Of the
song birds and of the beauties of nature
amid which they inhabit. His capacity
Of close and comprehensive "b>crl alton
has its equivalent in such rare descriptive
power that for the many it is better to
see with his eyes than with their own,
for what they might scarcely notice in
the book OF nature enchains their atten-
ton in his pages-they learn from him
what they but saw and heard.
In the chapter of this book entitled
Haunts ct'the Mocki"g BIRD" We find
the following paragraph: L" Bird fanri"rs
and bird-buyers may profit by what |
now whisper to them, to wit: the best
voiced hooking birds, without doubt,
are those bred in Middle Florida and
Southern Alabama. have no theory in
connection with this statement of fact
but it | were going to risk the reputation
e 4 l.
ing bird against a European nightingale,
| should choose my champion from :he
hill country in the neghborhood of ITALIA
hassee, or from the environs of Mobile. :"
Those who have been with the author
in his other books will want to follow
him through this in his wanderings by
flood and field from the Lake States to
the Gulf, and will be interested now in
reading the subjoined sketch of one whose
work has given them pleasure
From the Boston Literary WorldI
Maurice Thompson, is Il native of Indiana,
but WAS reared in the mountain region Of North
crn Georgia. His education was obtained
through private tutors, mainly, and at twenty
four he had fine knowledge OF the ancient
classics, and some acquaintance with Hebrew
and It's Cognate Oriental languages. He
reads five tongues. From his youth up, he has
been in the habit Of making long occasional
excursions into untrcquenied regions to study
nature. He is Il ready and accurate skeIcEcr,
and from every excursion he brings home pen
cillngs OF birds plants, animals bits of land
scape, persons and places that serve to cnilch
his written memoranda Tie is an enthusiast lie
sportsman, crack shot with rifle, pistol and
shotgun, and AS an archer has surpassed every
authentic record in wing shooting. He is also
AN enthusiastic and expert uicyc>t. He has
served as Chief engineer IN the construction of "A
number of railroads and other public works. A
few years ago he abandoned civil engineering and
| opened law Office IN CrawtorlvlIic, Indiana
where he now lives and where he has built NJ
lucrative practice. He is now Stale GculogiSi
and chief OF the department OF Natural Science
| III Indiana. During the civil he
| Confederate scout and won distinction bv hi-
| daring Craftsmanship and hair. breadth escapes
Immediately alter The war he went to Florida
and made two explorations oi Lake Okccchnbc,
and the Everglades returning with mass ("
notes and sketches. HIS books in lhciI chono
| logical order are: W"~tr .W,sdix. THE Ptchrr5
IF .4rchery: 4 1nllrha4~. Giri: his Seam,
Campatgn: Songs of Fatr Wtothtr. ~ Lor,.
! Extremes IA novel issued >imullluc VII "
in London and New York; and Hg way,
and Btrd MITES, II dainty volume maht
up pt papers most oil WhlCh appeared ollIlhallN
III The New York LNrdry NlpI-it" Most /"
his poems are contained in .Song~ IF F"tI
Waiter, published two years ago, though 4
SING Qt Mt Hocktng BDd, notable long poe
and several other pieces OF merit, have since ap
peared in newspaper and magazine form. lie il
now engaged upon novel of western Lille. IL
| i,o'r,n nil Tn,np on Is above medium height
slender, almost Slight, but straight, 1.-the and com
pact slhcWy athlete with large mead, dirh
gray brown ryeS, hr"~", "i"",-i uaCk, hair
dark skin, thin strongly marked tacc, semi
ac1ulllnr nose, and long, very slight mou,tache
He is hard and rapid worker, "a line convcrsa
tionalsl, and, it is said, enjoys the distinction o
not having finished manuscript on hand, an,
OF never having Jailed to nil literary engage
| ment to the letter OF the contract. He has ming
| led much with politicians, has served IN The In
diana Legislature, and is a prominent figure il
Stale Conventions. He invariably visit, An,
infinitely studies The regions in which the scene
OF his stories and poems are laid Before writ
ing 4 .S,ng 1T hockfng Btrd, he made s,vcra
visits 10 The hill country OF Western Florida
wandering from Tallahassee to Pensacola ant
Mobile and thence To- Louisiana studying III,
mocklng bird in IFS native groves, and lrc;lsur
| ing up impressions at what he saw and heard
Tie docs all his writing in the early morning.