The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-12-27
STEvENSON's WEIRD LIFE.
A Courtship, Divorce and Marriage
Rivaling Fiction.
From the New York World

FROM Ue AeU YORK WOftd
SAN Francisco, Dec. 24.-Robert Louis
Stevenson, the novelist, who is soon ex-
pected back from his unsuccessful cruise
for health among the South Sea Islands,
has been discussed a good deal by the critics,
but many facts in regard to his personal
history have never been published. Steven
son first came here about eight years ago to
get married. His bride he had met in
France when she was the wife of a
Californian. When Stevenson was TAX
ing that trip that bore fruit in his
book, IAN Inland Voyage" he met in
Paris Mrs Samuel Osborne of San Fran
cisco. She came of Dutch parentlge, her
maiden name being Van Degrifft, but she
had married young Sam Osborne, who was
private secretary to Senator Stanford and
somewhat of protege of the railroad million
aire. She was brilliant brunette with the
vivid coloring and many of the tastes of a
gypsy. Her husband had gone with her on
a vacation, but he had been recalled on
business, and she was IN staying with
friends In the French capital. She and
Stevenson fell in love at first sight. Their
literary and personal tastes ran in the same
channels, and the author spent much time
in her company.
When she left for home it was under stood
band by means of the easy processes of the
California courts, and when this was ac-
complIshed Stevenson would come out to
the Golden State and make her his wife.
Everything was carried out according to
this programme. When Sam Osborne was
told of the desire of his wife he made no OBJ
lection, but. like model American hus-
band, gave his wife all the aid in his power.
The result was that she obtained her
Thar, bo TO l,a
distant lover, and he prepared to come tout
into the west" for his inamorata.
Original in everything, Stevenson deter
mined to take this trip in novel fashion. So
he engaged passage in the Storage of one
of the great ocean lines with the design of
writing up his experiences. He secured
plenty of material, for the voyage was
rough and he had sorry time among the
emigrants, who were herded together like
cure him, as he took passage in an emlgrant
car and crossed the plains in that fashion.
This was worse than the steerage trip, as
the people were packed closer, and the
Journey owing to the many delays and
slow time, consumed two weeks.
When Stevenson reached San Francisco
he was a sorry object. He had hacking
cough, spat blood, and had contracted a
troublesome skin disease from herding with
pnclean emigrants. Foul air and poor food
had reduced his strength. and he was semi
invalid. He was received, however, with
open arms. As soon as he was cleaned up
by series of sulphur baths and a trifle r =
covered from the fatigue of the lo &
journey the wedd ng wss held. The remar, :
able feature of it was that Sam Osborne " S
pre- sent and gave away the bride, his ex-
wife, with the heartiness Of manner THAI
might have been expected in the most disln-
terested person, while tie capped the climax
of his performances by introducing 10 the
bride and groom handsome and st, lishy
dressed young womal as his affianced wife.
The marriage feast was very gay, and
soon after it was over Stevenson went with
his bride to a deserted mining camp on
Howell mountain in Napa county, to recu-
perate his health. There he wrote the book
which he called 1.-THE Silverado Squatters. {"
He was then financially reduced and he had
no reputation in this country. His book on
his California experiences went a-begging,
and finally the Century editors published
il in several instruments IL is a curious
fact that Osborne, to whose good nature
Stevenson was indebted for his wife, dis
appeared shortly after his second marriage.
He dropped out OF his old life and bis old
haunts here between two days, and no one
ever learned any trace Of him. What the
cause was also remained a mystery. The
dashing young woman whom he welded
remained here for several months after
Sam deserted her, when she, too, packed up
her belongings and departed as suddenly
and as mysteriously as her spouse. To
this day neither of them has ever been seen
or heard of by then. old friends.
Here's a Christmas romance from real
life, with not one word OF fiction.