The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-08-30
MAURICE THOMPSON.
Sketch of the Indiana NOvelist-Author of
cat Loves Extremes"

st. Louis Republican.
Over at Charlottesville Ind. amid the musty
volumes of law reports and legal commentaries
which fill the shelves of county barristers
Office. sits Maurice Thompson, whom the literary
world is busly talking about just now For
Mr. Thompson has risen triumphant before the
public eye and is filing the scope of vision as a
novelist. He is not new to the literary world
itself. Critics have closely observed his career
for ten years. have watched his patient researches
his conscientious work, his painstaking labor;
have seen him tramping all over the hill country
of western Florida, wandering from Tallahassee
to Pensacola and Mobile, and thence to Louisi-
ana studying the mockng bird in its native
groves, and treasurlng up the Impressions of
what he saw and heard for the single purpose
or writing poem, "A Song of the Mocking
Bird Poets and painters made thus. To
the average critic, therefore, the seemingly sud
den success Of Mr. Thompson is no surprise. He
has been creeping across the praries for years,
hidden from the general view by intervening
knobs, but in plain sight of the watchers on the
! towers His first venture was called "Hooser
Mosaics" Then came The Witchery OF Arch
cry" followed by "A Tallahassee Girl" and His
Second Campaign" After these he published a
volume of poems, entitled. ''Songs of Fair
Weather" which appeared two years ago from
the press of j. r. Osgood g. Co, Boston. His
latest latest novel A. a.. Loves E1trcmes,' Just
York and London, is already in its
second edition and creating a vertable literary
sensation. although it can hardly be reckoned a
perfect work. Mr.. Thompson has been likened
to our own Miss Murfree, but while he makes a
study OF the same class Of mountain and back
woods characters, his treatment of them is not so
finished and dramatic The hero of this latest
novel is in reality ''at loves extremes" First he
is in sort of love with Mile White, the rough
unkempt daughter of the cracker in whose
cabin, In the Sand mountain country in Alabama
he has fitted up retreat; then he is in love with
Widow Ransom, in the city, whittier he some
times bends his steps in search of social ex-
element. There is mystery about this Colonel
Reynolds which is cleared up by the revelation
that, as is supposed he has killed his man in a
duel, but the reader is hardly prepared
for the later disclosure that his victim was
the man with whose widow he has fallen
desperately in love. Reynolds declares his love
and is accepted, but before the bridal arrange
ments complete Ransome himself turns up
alive and claims his wife who flies to his arms,
leaving Reynolds to return to the childish,
ignorant affection of Milly, the crackers daugh-
ter 1t is not the plot SO much the treatment
of it which has made this new book deseryedly
famous.
Mr.. Thompson was born in Indiana, but reared
in the mountain region of northern Georgia His
education was obtained through private tutors
and at twenty-fOur ne had fine knowledge of
the acient classics, some acquaintance with He
brew and its coguate oriental languages and
could read Ave tongues He is ready and accurate
sketcher, and from his long excursions into I'm
frequented regions he brings back pencilings of
birds, plants, animals bits Of landscape, persons
and places which serve to enrich his written
memoranda. He is an enthusiastic sportsman,
crack shot with rife, pistol and shot gun, and
as an archer has surpassed every authentic
record in wing shooting. He is also an expert
tricycfist During the late war Mr.. Thompson
was confederate scout and won distinction by
his daring horsemanship and hairbreadth
escapes. When the war closed he went to
Florida, and made two explorations of Lake
Okeechobee and the Everglades, returning with
mass of notes and sketches. Then he served
as chief engineer in the construction of a num-
Der of railroads and other public works, and
finally married Miss Alice Lee daughter of the
we'll known railway president
Several years ago Mr. Thompson abandoned
civil engineering. and opened law Office in
Charlottesville, Ind where he has built up a
lucrative practice. He has mingled much with
politicians has served in the Indiana Leesla
ture is a prominent figure in State conventions,
and now holds the offices of State Geologist and
Chief of the Department of Natural Science in
Indiana. In person he is above medium height.
slender, almost slight, but straight 1.-the and
compact; a sinewy athlete. with a large head,
dark brown eyes, black hair, dark skin, a thin,
strong ly- marked face semi-aquiline nose, and a
long, very slight mustache he is a hard and
rapid worker. fine conversationalist, and, 1t is
said, enjoys the distinction of not having a
finished manuscript on hand, and Of never hay