Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1888-03-25

hosts, whom Mr.. Archer thus describes
CHE now sits at the foot of the table
rolling limp cigarette in his long, limp
fingers, and talking earnestly the while,
with just enough trSce of Scot
tish intonstion to remind one that
he is the author of "Thrawn
janet" and the creator of Alan Breck
| Stewart. He has still the air and man
ner of 8 young man, for illness has neither
tanned his mind nor aged his BODY. l.
has left itslmark, however, in the pallor
of his long, oval fsce, with its wide set
eyes, straight nose and thin Tipped seusi-
tive mouth, scarcely shaded by light
moustache, the jest and scorn of his more
ribald intimates. His long dark hair
struggles with an irregular wave down TO
his neck, wisp OF 1t occasionally falling
over his ear, and having to be re-
placed with q light gesture of the hand.
He is dressed in . black velvet j,cket,
showing st the throat the loose rolling COL
lar Of a white flannel shirt; and If it is at
all soiled he has probably thrown ever his
shoulders an ancient msroon-colored
shawl, oraped something after the fash
ion of a Mexican poncho. When he
stands up, you see that he is well above
the middle height, snd Of naturally 1.-the
and agile fgare. He still moves with
freedom and grace, but the stoop CT his
shoulders tells tale Of suffering.
Composite to him sits Mrs. Stevenson,
the tuselary genius of Szerryvore; q
woman lof small physical stature, but
surely Of heroic mould. Her features are
clear cut and delicate, but marked by IN
mistakable strength of character; her
hair of an unglossy black, and her COM
plexion darker than one would expect in
woman of Dutch-Americsn race. Ihave
heard her speak of a Moorish strain in
her ancestry, whether seriously or in jest
know not. Beneath q placid though
always alert and vivacious exterior, Mrs.
Stevenson conceals much personal suffer
log, and continual anxieties under which
many stronger woman might well bre SIX
down. Her personality no less than her
husbands, impresses itself potently on
all who have the good fortune to be wei
coined at SkerryVore."
In the dining room Of this Bournemouth
home hangs the Venitisn mirror, pre-
sented to the poet by that "prince of men,
Henry James," Underneath this mirror
are grouped q number OF buccaneering
weapons, some of which are bestowed OIL
Mr.. Stevenson as having belonged to Lew
and Long John Silver-for the blind
pirate of "Treasure Island" and he Of the
wooden leg, belonged in some degree to
actual history. On the wall are photo
graphs of friends, etchings, ergrSvings,
and some of SteVenson's beloved blue
china.
The drawing room sounds delightfully."-
cosy in Mr.. Archer's description, with its
lounges and cabinets and its picture-hung
walls. John E. Sargent's portrait o.
Stevenson, which has lately been exhib-
tied in Boston, was at Skerrymore when
Mr.. Archer was there. There Is piano
on which our author is capable Of
marvellous performances with one
finger. And II you love
cats IS l do, you would by no means
overlook, in q survey of the apartment,
Mrs. Stevenson's long-hGired, half Per-
sian Cat, "Glnger" by name, who lies
Iuxuriously curled up In a padded basket
on the hearth-rug. l should like to know
of the family, the unquiet seas, and is
dreaming the cold days away st Saranac.
Here, among the Adirondacks, Mr..
Stevenson is as busy as ever. Besides
the brilliant monthly articles which make
Scribner's the envy OF all its contempora
ries, he has completed "The Outlaws OF
Tunstall Forest" tale of adventure
which is to be published in the Fort
Worth GAZETTE.
1 lock forward TO the work Of Robert
Louis Stevenson with more eseerness
taan to that Of any other author of to-day.
l rejoice in the exquisite quality OF his
style. 1 am the captive of his Intimate
and enchanting verse; in his literary es-
says lind az uuf4iling delight, and as
for his stories, which he and both like,
l do not mean that he shall ever write
one which | do not read.
LOUISE CHANDLER MoULTON.