Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1886-10-07
family, who suffered none Of the

family, who suffered none Of the
bhghts that fell upon poor Silas."
"Oh," said, looking about, "how
could you burn up such home as
this, even on paperP"
81 didn't" said Mr.. Howells with q
laugh. 81 only burned an unfinished
house before the family moved in or
any home been really formed. am
very comfortable here" continued Mr..
Howells, and do not care to 90 out
OF town particularly. l can sit here
and write without interruption; my
family are at Sharon, and | join them
frequently for few days"
Then we talked of his books and
other things, and he was amused at
criticism on "Silas Lapham' which
had heard and related. 1t was that of
young lady who after finishing it
said: well, these people are not bit
IKE characters In novel; why, they
are just like any of us. I've known
just such folks as these always"
In regard to the play written by Mr..
Howells in conjunction with Mark
Twain. that was to have been pro
duced at the Lyceum Theater in New
York, he said: ".The Claimant may
yet be brought out. There was
much to be done to it to
fit it for the stage and the
time never seems to come in which
to attend to it. / like best to sit here
by myself and write in my own way.
| enjoy writing here especially" he
said, after pause; sit seems just the
place like the water; it is restful.
! was very fond of Venice; perhaps my
life there made me so fond of watery
view. At night, when the lights
twinkle all along the river front, one
can quite imagine ones self in Venice,
except for the massive buildings and
palaces at the waters edge. The
boats splash along, and sometimes
parties of Harvard students row by
singing to the accompaniment of a
guitar or mandolin played by one of
their number. The river gives much
that is varied. In the winter there is
skating, and in front of the house
sleighs fly by at furious speed
sometimes. One has plenty of amuse-
ment watching them. RI
The ''milldam'' is the famous drive
for all Bostonians during the sleigh
ing carnival, which lasts from six to
eight weeks. On either side of the
street are fine sleighs drawn by several
plumed horses, while in the center the
racing goes on with the occupants OF
the other sleighs and residents along
the course for spectators. Mr.. Howells
took me back to the window and
pointed out many places of interest to
be seen on the other side of the river
the towns of Somervilla, Belmont,
Arlington, and even as far as Lexing-
ton. Bunker Hill monument stood gu,
boldly against the sky, forming part OF
the picture. II am fond of those tall,
smoking chimneys of the factories, "
he said, ''they look like hustle,
civilization and life. They are
not near enough to be in any way
Objectionable. At night they are
like so many giant torches" Then
looked down again in the flower gar.
den and noticed it was the only yard in
the long row of houses which contained
any attempt at ornament. On my
mentioning this Mr.. Howells said: 81
lived in Cambridge for some time, then
| moved to Belmont and then here. Al
both the former places l had extensive
flower beds, and ] didn't like to give
them up; they are my diversion" ]
learned afterward from a friend that
these flowers and their cultivation are
q pet hobby with Mr.. Howells, that
several times day he is seen Out
among them with green tin watering.
pot carefully tending them. This
spring he spent nearly day running
wires up to the top of the fence fol
morning-glories to trail upon. Among
the photographs scattered about / no
ticed one of Mr. Howells and Mr.,
Clemens mark Twain) taken togetA.
err; also pictures of Mrs. Howehs and
their children. Mrs. Howells is very
charming and a great admirer of hel
husbands work. Nothing delights hel
more than her friends praise of them
The eldest child is now almost WON
supposedly fifteen years Of age. Sh'
i is said to be clever with her pen, anC
may have inherited much of he,
fathers talent. Johnnie, about thir
teen, is bright little fellow, and Mil
| dred, aged eleven, is an artist of pre-
coeious gieverness. Not long ago wa
published a book, entitled IA Lttti,
Girl Among the Old Masters" Mr.
Howells wrote it, but the illustration
are by little Mildred. Her father i
very proud of her, as he may well be
| Getting at last to the great question
of realism versus romance, Mr.. How
ellis remarked that he thought peopl
fonder of details in every thing thai
formerly; that this is really charac
teristic of the time in which we live
we see this in journalism--in ever,
thing, in fact. "The style of literatur
is changing" he continued. 1T mus
change, as we change; if one depict
life as it is to-day, it will, of course
differ from life that existed a centpr
ago, because the circumstances ar
different AS for school-well, eacl
one of us writes as he can, in his owl
mulVluual style.
"What do you think of the fiction o
the future?" asked.
''Just what think of the fiction O
the present and the pas" he answered
ut will always be the lives of humal
beings, and the nearest it approache
human emotions, real people, tn
greater will be the success. You see,
he added, II think just as every on
! else does who thinks of it at all. On
books are ourselves written down; "
do not write of troubadours an
knights. because we do not have ther
now"
As l left the house, Mr.. Howell
came downstairs and babe me good
bye, standing IN the doorway.-Co'
Chicago Inter Ocean.
Thirsting for Satisfaction.