St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-26
The Story Of Robert Louis
Steyenson's Career Itself
Reads Like Fiction.
How He Won q Brilliant
Brunette, the Wife Of
Another Man,
Who Helped Her Secure a
Divorce and Gave Her
Away Himself,
Introducing to the Bride and
Groom Another Woman
AS His Affianced.

SAN FRANCISCO, Dec. %. Robert
Louis Stevenson, the novelist, who IS
expected back here from his cruise
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.
These facts will interest, as they reflect
the character of the man-hiS Bohe-
mianism aud his complete disregard OF
public opinion or ordinary convention
aities OF society. A clever critic has
said that Stevenson always struck him
as a man who could commit murder II
he took fancy TO DO it, and who would
have none OF the ordinary commonplace
morse over it. Indeed, something OF
this is shown in that remarkable sketch
called ''Markheim,'' in which the muir
derpr Of the Old dealer in antiquities de-
bates with the devil whether he shall
give himself up to the law or escape.
Stevenson's face gives some indication
of his character. He was S. Ell SeV-
eral times during his short stay in San
Francisco. None Of the photographs Or
sketches of the man give any correct
idea of his appearance. The marked
feature Is the eyes, which were very
wiue apart and Of Oriental shape,
though they are set sQuarely i'll his
square head, and are covered by very
heavy, straight, black browS, that give
them a certain hercenesS. These eyes
are usually like an opium smoker $
dull, and fixed on some vision that blOtS
out the every day world. The square
ness of Steyenson's upper head is con-
tradicted by the lower face, which hasa
TENDENCY TOWARD EFFEMINACY.
The whole figure, with the Velveteen
Jacket which he ordinarily wears and
the long hair falling over the collar.
might be taken for an art student OF
Munich out for an airing. Stevenson
frs! came here about eight years ago to
get married. His bride he had met in
France when she was the wife Of a Cal
ifornian. When Stevenson was taking
that trip that bore fruit in his delight
full book, IAN Inland Voyage" he met
in Paris Mrs. Samuel Osborne, of San
Francisco. She came Of Dutch parent
age, her maiden name being Van de
Grifft, but she had married young Sam
Osborne, who was private secretary to
Senator Stanford and somewhat Of a
Drotege of the railroad millionaire. She
was a brilliant brunette, with
the vivid coloring and many of
the tastes Of Gypsy. Her husband
had gone with her on a vacation,
but he had been recalled on business
and she WAS then staying with friends
i'll the French capital. She and Steven
son fell in love at first sight. Their lit
erary and personal tastes ran in the
same channels, and the author spent
much time in her company. lie pro-
feSsed to draw inSDiration from her So
ciety, and when she left for home IL was
unders God that she was to get divorce
from her husband by means of the easy
processes of the California courts. and
when this was accomplished that Stew
enS0n would come out to the Golden
state and make heI his wife. Every
thing was carried out according to this
programme. When Sam Osborne was
told of the desire of his wife he
MADE NO OBJECTION,
but, like model American husband,
gave his wife all the aid in his power.
The result was that she secured her
freedom. Then the tidings were sent
10 the distant lover. and he prepared to
come out into the West after his inam-
orata. Original in everything, he de-
termined to take his trip i'll novel fash
ion. SO he engaged passage in the
Steerage OF one OF the great ocean lines,
with the design of writing up his eXper-
FENCES. He secured plenty of material.
for the voyage was rough and he had a
sorry time among the emigrantS, who
were herded together like sheep. This
experience, however, didn't cure him,
as he took passage in an emigrant car
and crossed the plains in that fashion.
This was worse than the steer
age trip; as the people were
packed closer and the journey, owing
to the many delays and slow time.
consumed two weeks. When Steven
son reached San Francisco he was a
sorry object. He had a hacking cough.
spat blood, and had contracted troub-
lesome skin disease from herding with
unclean emigrants. Foul air and poor
food had reduced his strength. and he
was a Semi-iuvalid. He was received
however, with open arms. As soon as
he was cleaned up and tritle recovered
from the fatigueS of the long journey,
the wedding was held. The remarkable
feature of il was that Sam Osborne was
present, and gave away the bride. his
eX-wife, with heartiness of manner
that would have done credit to the most
disinterested person, while he
CAPPED THE CLIMAX
of his performance by introducing to
the bride and groom a handsome and
stylishly-dreSSed Young woman as his
to rise superior to such an American
specimen of elective affinities as this,
but the actors IN this strange scene were
equal to it. The marriage feast was
very gay, and soon after it was over
Stevenson went with his bride to a de-
serted mining camp on Howell mount
ain, in Napa county. to recuperate his
health. There he wrote the book which
he called 1.-The Silyerado SquatterS, =
which is one of his best things. although
Justice has never been done ii by the
reviewers because of their unfamiliarity
with the scenes it describes. Stevenson
lived for several months at the de-
serted mining camp of Silverado,
breathing in health with the balSam of
the pine and the redwood. 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 edi-
tors published it in several INSTALL
mentS. 1t is a curious fact that OS-
borne, to whose good nature Stevenson
was indebted for his wife, disappeared
shortly after his second marriage. He
dropped out of his old life and his old
haunts here between two days, and no
one ever learned any trace of him.
What the cause was also
REMAINED \ 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 aud mySteriously
as her spouse. To this day neither of
them has ever been seen or heard CT by
their Old friends. When Stevenson
came over the ocean tbs last time he
travelled with all the luXu.ieS. On his
former visit his advent was not chron-
cled, and he receivuG no courtesleS
from the literary lights Of New York.