The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1886-11-03

Richard Henry Stoddard has but one sur
yiying child, a son, WHO, though bis mother
is poet likewisc, and a woman of rare in
telect, bctrays no sympathy with literature.
He nanifests, however, considerable artistic
taste, especially in the line of decoration, but
he is not disposed to develop it, His bias is in
favor Of the stage, albeit be has shown no
histrionic ability whatever He has been for
two seasons with Lawrence BalTetts COM
pany, though wholly in subordinate capac-
ity, seldom having any words TO speak. He
seems 10 be indolent, and Incidence frequently
goes with the artistic temperament
Louisa NJ. Alcott as an instance, is strictly
domestic. The eldest of number Of daugh-
ters with a transcendental father-A. BrOn-
son Alcott-irremedially impractical, an in
cessaut dreamer and an invalid mother, the
care of the household even TO the earning Of
money for its daily needs, devoived on her.
He had no sons, but he impaired to his daugh-
ter Louisa some OF the qualities of his mind,
balanced by common sense and an under
standing of the world For her to have mar
ried when she was young-she is 53-would
have been to desert her family, to leave her
father either 10 starve on TO the charity Of
few admiring and sympathetic souls.
LONGFELLOW'S CHILDREN.
One Of his friends was Longfellow, also a
genial student, a man of constant meditation.
almost clustered spirit, but one who know
that money is essential to existence, and be-
lieved that the laborer is worthy Of his hire.
He had three daughters and two sons, among
whom there is not an author or poet Of any
hind Ernest w, is an artist OF repute; and
the other, Charles, was an officer in the
Union army 1Iring the civil war, and has
since been a gentleman of leisure, living on
his income The sole unmarried daughter,
Miss Alice Longfellow, is decidedly of a schol-
arly turn pursuing at home and abroad vari-
Gus advanced studies.
Bret Harte has sons, the eldest of whom is
on the stage, having become enamored OF the
fOotlightS, without any reasonable prospect
of ever shining behind them as they shine be-
fore him. Another has, or had, some kind
of connection with weekly newspaper in
the city, but has come no nearer TO any form
of literature Harte has never, | suspect
tried % cultivate IN his children any DISPOSE
ton toward his own trade, which has not
prevented him, when most actively cult
waited, from mourning a heavy burden of
debt He is not painfully domestic in his
habits.
Thomas Bailey Aldrich has sons, twins, now
about 20 years old. They are said to be intel
lectual and witty, like their father, but, at
latest advices, had exhibited no alarming
tendency TO manuscript making. Their papa
may prefer that they should confine their
writing 70 signatures of checks. They are
not likely to secure, as be has done, rich
patron Henry /. Pierce, OF Boston,, who,
being a bachelor is so munifcent in his gifts
as to furnish a liberal income. But for him
the world would not go 50 pleasantly with the
Aldriches.
f. c. STEDMAN's TWO SONS.
Edmund c. Stedman has, also, two sons.
One of them, Frederick, through the imprud-
ence and overconfdence OF a young man adj
mitted to partnership with his father, was in
strumental in getting the brokerage firm into
serious trouble three years ago. Since then
he has retired from Wall street, pursuing an
other sort of business His nearest approach
TO literature was acting for a brief time as
salesman in a Broadway bookstore. His bent
is financial, and authorship surely has but a
slender relation to finance. The younger son,
Arthur, graduate of Yale, has been for sew
eral years his fathers private secretary and
literary assistant, and is understood to have
aspirations in the paternal direction.
William d. Howells has, believe, one son,
who may be induced to make writing pro-
fession in due time by the remembrance that
at present his papa earns not far from $4,000,
at least five-lOid what most clever and noted
authors can earn by the greatest diligence
and determination.
joaquin Miller has two daughters by two
wives, bat no son on whom he may practice,
as he has tried to practice on the general
public, the transparent sham of being gifted
barbarian, all genius and no kind of educa-
ton lie is really shrewd and very practical,
and his atfectation of popularity, with his
perpetual insiStence on his assumed idiosyn-
crasies DO not add TO his attractions.
Mark Twain Clemens has sons who will
be more likely to initiate him in his love of
money getting by mercantile methods than
III being funny at the highest prices.
Among all the authors l am acquainted
with Henry James and Julian Hawthorne
are among the very few who have inherited
literary talents from their fathers. Julian has
made more in year than Nathaniel Haw-
thorne made in his whole life, and yet. he has
never been able TO meet his expenses without
depending on a very elastic credit system.
He has six or eight children, mostly girls
Pessimo in Chicago Times.
Sleeping on the Roof.