Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-09-14

emitted "a Native Author Called Roe"
which will appear in Ltppincotts for
October, "the editor of Ltpptnc0tcs Mag
azine asked me, with many others,
to take part in the very interesting 'exper-
ieuce meeting begun in the pages of that
enterprising periodical. gave my con
sent without much thought of the effort
involved, but, as time passed, felt slight
inclination to comply with the request
There seemed little to say Of interest to
the general public, and | was distinctly
conscious of certain sense of awkward
ness in writing about myself at all. The
q l4stion way shoull 1? always confront
! ell me-.
| When this request was again repeated
! early in tue current year, | resolved at
/ least to keep my promise. That is done
with less reluctance now, for the reason
that floating through the press | meet
with paragraphs concerning myself that
are incorrect, and often absurdly untrue.
These literary and personal notes, to
gether with many questioning letters, in
dictate a certain amount of public interest,
and have concluded that it may be well
to give the facts to those who care to
know them.
And 50 the autobiography came to be
written, III the very shadows of death, as
it were, the last words were penned only
four days before the death of the author.
IRE lovers of E. p Roe will be thankful
for 1t, while even these who have not been
numbered among MIR. Roe's admirers will
gain some Insight into an exceptionally
, charming and generous character, and
feel their hearts warmed toward the dead
novelist.
The title is quotation from Matthew
Aruold, who in hts article on Civilization
la America" had written this sentence {:
THE Western States are at his moment
being nourished aud formed, We hear, on
the novels OF 4 native author called Roe"
Roe Insists that Arnold was ridiculous
Is unjust to the Western States, where
the works of Scott and Dickens are more
literally purchased and generally read
than ia his own land of distinction" and
where tons of pirated works are sold an
nually, "a thousand to one of the author
called Roe"
"rhe simple truth in the case is that, in
4 spite OF this immense AMI cheap compel
ton, my novels have made their way, and
are being read among mu!titudes ot others.
No one buys or reads BOOK under com-
puslou, and if any one thinks that the
D poorer the book the better the chance OF
t Its being read by the American peupit,
t let him Try the experiment w men critic
Il coat!, INNS my books, accept that Al the
= OF men aI.u women, the peers OF tas III s.
d IL cultivation AMI Intelligence, commend
t the book | do not charge Laeln VIII
Y gratuituus lying. Ny one aim bias BECOME
TO do my work cUnscientlOuSly anu icste
} the Il al verdict TO time aid the public.
:. l wish no oturr estimate than correct
one; and wheh the pubic indicates thsG
/ thrS hs7e mad enough of Roe l shall
ne Their whine nor wife"
This * simple truth, rs all who knew
= Il
e W 10 accused him lac had nelttCr nrklhdly
$ Thoughts nor harsh words. He w;ts snX-
# ious To nave them say exactly what they
l. thought
n A story ia point vas told me by Roe
y himself. He mad invited well known
d critic to partake OF the hospitelities of his
d nolne. A. the critic vas thuiOuGhly con
z scientious, he wrote IN answer that ne
IS had often a! tackled Roe's books, that he
n did not like them, and that he proposed
to continue his attacks in the future
Al Consequently he did not know that II
%ould be right for him to partake of the
n authors salt, although he expressed the
i greatest friendllness for the man:
ct Il wrote back" said Roe, simply, THAT
10 critics were always entitled to express
n their opinions, that wnat one man honest
ly liked another may honestly dislike, an(
that, although | was human enough t.
prefer praise to blame, | was always will
ing and Glad to be blamed by q man Wh(
learn even more from honest blame thar
from honest praise, but that neither prais,
or blame could make any difference il
10 my liking or respect for the man wh'
OF penned it,"
as believe the critic concluded to accep
nc the invitation, and | am quite sure tina
~ two persons OF such unaffected manlnes
70 and truthtulnesl must have found son'
at common ground on which they coult
e, meet and recognize each others worth.
a. L far bar nd m M n Sra1ke in
a his autobiography with the ten ierest af
ne fiction. The latter died some years be
III fore attained my majority and l canno
remember when she was not an invalid
Such literary tendencies rs | have ar
derived from her, but DO not possess
us 1.-THE of her intellectual power" Hi
at father on the contrary was Il sturdy ma
I'd OF actiou," whose love for the country wa
az so strong that he retired from business IL
New York as coon as he had won modes
=, - competence. "My fathers interest In hi
-, garden and farm never tagged thu
y, proving that in them Is found Il pleasur
~, which does not pail with age. During tn
't,o last summer of his life, when in his SIT
~ year, hs had the delight of child i
Nv Nv driving over to my home in the earl
a. morning, long before | WAS up. and i
e,u leaving u basket of sweet corn or som
NC other vegetable which he knew woul
-, prove in his garden TO be ahead {
80 mine.
IN his beliefs. always openly foremost i
tie reform movements If his day and |
a MS neIgnDornood, Yet never, 10 my know
:" edge, seeking or taking any office. Iii
We house often became Il station OF the "uI
as derground railroad" in slavery times, au
on one night in the depth OF winter
took hotly-pursued fugitive in his slei Z
tic aud drove him five miles on the ice, diaG
w onally across the Hudson, 10 Fishkl
us thence putting the brave aspraut fc
oil freedom on the way TO other friends. Ii
re- incurred several risks in this act lt
In rarely safe to drive on the river OF tn
tn beaten tracks at night, for there ar
ce- usually air holes, and the strong tides al
in continually making changes IN the icI
ar. When told that he might be sent TO ja
les for his dc iiauce OF the fugitive slave Law
to ha quietly answered, y Caa 20 10 jail
ed ILc tuIng he could not do was u deny tn
ge mans appeal to him for help. Before tn
err war he was known rs an aOolitionist-
ne after 1t, as conservative, his sympath
/ a with and for tie South being very strong
During the draft riots in 1868 the spirit {
law essneSS WAS on the pOluu OF breaklu