The Cecil Whig., 1886-03-06
5'na.,. H. i,t"at"rs and i'os'..Ae.
hn Original WING Feature.
Francis Parkman IN Jamaica Plain and
Boston.
EY ",E.TIC' WRITER
EY \ "cE.TiC" WRITER.

aims and achievements and in other re-
spccts as unfortunate as one could imag- |
inc. lis home in childhood was near the |
torrs' of the Mlidlescx Fclis, Massachu-
S"tJ,: and his wanderingS and shoUtingS |
in those woods early developed the two |
leading interests OF his youth-the woods !
and the Indian. When his literary taste |
and ambition were aroused, i'll Harvard,
h chose as his topic the French aud In
dian or Seven Years War, because it
dealt with these fayorite subjects, and
moreover appealed to his strong sense
OF the picturesque. The die was thus
east: and thereafter, through college.
through the lAH-sehool, indeed through
life, it moulded his existence. For some
years his reading, study, and vacation
journeys all had bearing on that par
ticular subject Ga leaving college he
was troubled with an abnormal sensbiity
OF the retina, which restricted the use of
his eyes within narrow limits. AS it was
apparent, therefore, that he could not
required for the history of that war; he
concluded to take up, as d preparatory
work in the same direction, the conspir-
acy of Pontiac. Ia accordance with his
plan pursued III studying all Of his topics,
he visited the localities concerned. and,
where it was possible, saw the descend
ants OF the people to he described. Not
content with seeing the sem!-civiliZed
Indians, he went to the Rocky Mountains
in 1916, lived while with the Ogillallah
Sioux, visited some other tribes, and
studied the character. manners, customs
and Traditions of the widest of the Iu-
dians. But he bought this Invaluable
experience at a dear price; for while with
these tribes on the hunt and the war-path
he was attacked by an acute disorder,
aud being unable to rest and cure him
self, his constitution was nearly ruined
as well as his eyeSight. However, he re
turned safe il not sound from his perilous
journey. and wrote The Oregon Trail
G>lD ana The Conspiracy of Pontiac
GSj) by the help of readers and an
amanuenSiS. lie had now tn settle him.
self iii the prospect Of years of i'll health
and perhaps blindness. In 1854 he bought
a property Oh the shore of Jamaica Pond,
and established himself and his family
there IN the weeds and on the shole OF
beautiful sheet of water-Surroundings
congerlal To his fancy and his restrained
ambition. About ten years of his life in
periods of two or three years; have passed
as a blank in literary labor; and during
the remainder of the time, frequent and
long interruptions have broken III, line
Of his efforts. Such an experience at the
opening OF his career would have been
uuendurahln without some absorbing
pur>uit; and having a favorab BILE site for
gardening and an uufailing love of nature,
lie took up the study of horticulture. By
1893 it had become his chief 'ccupation
one that filled happily several years,
an still occupies more or less time ac-
cording to the amount of literary wora
he can do. His labors were made fruit.
full to the public in a professorship at the
Bussey Institution, the publication of
The Book of Roses in 1866, the Presi
deucy of the Massachusetts, Horticultural
Society, and in careful experiments ex-
tending over ten or twelve years in the
by brid'z ltion of lilies and other flowers
Among the most noted of his floral crea
tipnS is the magnificent Wtnm P,rkH3auni
named by the Englisn horticulturist who
purchased the stock. Mr. Parkman's
Summer home, at the Pond, is a plain
but sunny and cheerful house, in the
mi list of his garden sloping down to the
water: his study window looks to the
month, the lis hit least trying to sensitive
eyes. The ch .rmng site, the landscapes
about, the greenhouse and grounds III
summer full o. rare flowers, are the chief
interests of the place; for his library and
pIiucpal workshop are in Boston. AS
much exercise is necessary to him, he is
familiar figure in this pretty suburb OF
the city, either riding on horseback, row
inr on the Pond, or walking in the fields
and woods. Bat in the midst of these
di>cour&ginT delays and extraueouS oc-
cupltioas, his literary aims were not for
gotten: lie pushed ON, when he could his
Investigations and composition by the
help of readers and an amanuens;s.
hose who are unacquainttd with the
labor OF hist oric research can scarcely
imagine the difficulty, extent and tedium
of bis Investigations. The reader can
glance over book and pick cut the
needle he seeks in the haystack; but he
who uses another's eyes must examine
carefully the entire stack in order not to
miss possible needle. Mr. Parkman's
ground has been won inch by iuch On
fn>hirg The Conspiracy Of Pontiac,
he had extended his first of writing the
Seven Years War, and detelmin to
take up the entire su' ',jact of French col.
onization IN North America: and instead
of making a continuous history, to write
series of connected narratives. He had
t'utiuitu, therefore, ana extended MS
journeys for investigation, in this coun-
try, Ill Canada and in Europe; and by the
help Of readers and copysts he had
selected and acquired the necessary doc
umehtS. But even with all the aid DOS
sIble. the preparation of the first volume
Of the series consumed fourteen years:
'i'he Pioneers of France in the New
Word q peared in 1860, The .Tesuts
in y nth America, i'll 1867, La Sale
agd the Discovery of the Great West in
1869. The Old Regime in Canada in
1874, 'Frontenac aud New France under
Louis NV in 1871, 'Montcalm and
Wolfe in l>,4. There remains one vol
ume still to be written, on the period be-
tween Frontenac and Montcalm. Mr..
Parkm III $ winter home, where he does
the most of his work, is in the house of
his sister, Miss Parkman, No. 80 Chest
nut street, B BDston-a quiet locality on
the western slope of Beacon Hill. His |
study is "A plain comfortable front room
at the tcp of the house, with an open
fire, Z. small writing table beside the win. |
wall. The most valuable part of his |
treasures are manuscript copies Of both |
public and private documents. For the |
sake of greater safety and more general