The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-06-26
THE AUTHOR OF UNCLE REMUs.
joel Chandler Harris and His West
End Home.

Joel Chandler Harris and His West
End Home.
Critic.
Joel Chandler Harris is at home in
a neat cottage Of the familiar southern
type. which nestles near the bosom Of a
grove of sweet-gum and pine trees in the
little village of West End, about three
miles from the heart Of the Southern
Chicago" as Georgians delight to call
Atlanta. In the grove the knocking
bird family sings. Around the house
are a few acres of ground which are
carefully cultivated. In one corner
grazed a groupof beautiful Minerva-eyed
Jerseys. At one side of the house hives
of bees are placed near a fower-g garden
aloping down to the street, which passes
in front Of the house several rods distant.
At the foot of the road is bubbling
mineral spring, whose sparkling water
supplies the needs Of the household. a
superb English mastiff eyes with digni-
ffeI glance the causual visitor whose
coming is apt to be announced by the
bark of two of the finest dogs in the
country, one a bulldog, the other a
white English bull-terrier. The interior
of the cottage is simple and unassum-
ing. Bric-a-brack and trumpery ''arti-
cles of bigotry and virtue" are absent.
The places they generally occupy are
taken up with wide windows and gencr-
GUS hearths OF literary litter there is
none. There is a few books, but they
have been reed and re-rcad. and they
are the best of books. The house is not
library, museum, nor an art gallery,
but is evidently a home in which chill
dren take the place of inanimate objects
Of devotion.
In person Mr.. Harris has few peculiar
tiles. In stature hc is of the average
height of the people Of his section, rath-
or under the average height Of the peo-
pie Of the eastern and middle states. The
northern papers have spoken of Mr.. Ca
bile as little man. lie and Mr.. Harris
are about of size, which is not eXcelIed
in their section except by the lank giants
of the mountains. His feature are small.
His face is tanned and freclllcd. His
mouth is covered by a stubbIy red nous
tache, and his eyes are small and blue.
Both his eyes and mouth are extremely
mobile, sensitive and expressive There
is probably no living man more truly
difident but his dillilencc is the result
Of excessive sympathy and tenderness,
which cause the bright blue eyes to well
up at any bit of pathos just as they fam
ly sparkle with humor. His amusements
and tastes are few and simple. His
constant companions are Shakcsppar.
Job, st. Paul and Ecclesiastes. He is
devoted 10 his family, which consists of
his mother, his wife, four exceedingly
bright boys and girl, and the flock OF
mockirg birds that winter in his garden
He never goes into society or to the the
alter. He once acted as dramatic critic.
but his misery at being obliged to see
and Criticise duh actors was SO acute
that he soon resigned the position. The
small talk of society has no attractions
for him. His home is enough. When
children are tired and sleepy and are put
to bed, he writes at the Gresilr where
thay have been sitting. 1t is warm in
winter and cool in summer. and never
lonely; and so strong is his domestic in
stinct that, although he had a room built
especially rs a study, he soon deserted
its lonely cheerlessness for the comforts
of his home, where his tender and kind
Iy nature makes him loved by every
one.