Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1888-05-25
WIVES OF AUTHORS.
Literary Men Who owe Much TO
Their Matrimonial Partners.


moDy have walked hand in hand
adown the path of time, but in some
notorious instances these hands have
not gripped one another as tightly as
might be desired. Almost all the
great poets, novelists. historians, &c.
have been MARI ed men, some of them
having gone through the ordeal more
than once. Ii is question whether
there was Mrs. Homer, and all specu-
lation as 10 her identy and her manner
OF doing up preserves must be left un-
Ill tho probability of her husband ex-
istance has been fully sustaintiated. AS
TO Mrs. Shakespeare, in view OF the
approaching publication of Mr.. /.
Donnelly's book, it is hardly safe to
say that Shakespeare was married to
Anne Hathaway; she may have been
Mrs. Bacon. These doubtful matters
aside. it is an incOntrovertible fact
that literary geniuses do not disdain
marriage. In former centuries they
even went so far rs TO form a love-
making trust" VIII ch served to drive
less eloquent but fully ms respectable
gentlemen from the conjugal field.
Such dOings are happily al an end.
The question naturally arises, what
were lnese wives doing while their
husbands were winning dollars and
press notices in the ring of fame? 1t
Is not probable that they were con-
tent to have no voice in their hus-
bands utterances. no part IN the labor
OF composition and revision, even
though they did not come in for
share of the profits Certainly. the
wives of the authors of our present
time cannot he classed among the
lilies of the Ii erary field, for many of
them % a tol and spin. Their
names may be unknown t. the read
ing world; the dear publ may not be
aware that such persons even exist
Yet in many instances they are res
ponsi lie for portions OF their hus-
bands work, and perhaps for
some of the success. too. Such as
sistance is not confined TO any one de-
partment of literary labors; in his
tory, fiction. in science, even in the
more ephemeral newspaper work, the
iades are there.
William Dean Howells is a short,
thick-set man, with mustache, and
the kind OF eyes styled ''p ercing.' A
lady, well acquainted with the Howells
family was saying recently that in
reading the later works of the novelist
she met passages which had familiar
appearance. She did not believe she
had seen them in print before. but little
bits of description Of dress or scenery.
little remarks. opinions or witty say
ings had a reminiscent quality, not
the language especially. but the
substance. The secret is in Mr..
Howelis powers as quick observer.
and the fact that he is blessed with a
bright, intelligent wife, and she with
bright, intelligent sister Many the
happy thought. the witty comparison,
the picturesque remembrance, is given
expression in the home intercourse of
this family, dallying at the breakfast
table, or at eve, when the two ladies'
and the Boston novelist are seated
comfortably in the best room, with the
light from two student lamps throwing
n shaded radience around them. 1t is
not to be supposed that Mr.. Howells
waits expectantly with note book in
hand. ready to take a shorthand report
of the family conversation. He photo
graphs IT mentally, and its good
things are preserved, to be used in
connection with the romance of his
next hero or heroine. The operation
Is almost unconscious.
The lady above mentioned says that
after she had explained TO herself the
apparent familiarity of parts of Mr..
Howells's books she reread all of
them, trying TO discover TO what extent
Mrs. Howels and her sister had been
made use of in this manner. And now
when she hears either of the ladies say
a particularly good thing she just
makes up her mind that she'll look
out for that in the next volume.
In cosy fiat at Washington Heights
may be found Mr.. and Mrs. William
Henry Bishop engaged in putting the
finishing touches to Mr.. Bishops new
novel. Before this gentleman took
unto himself wife the manuscripts OF
his stories and articles arrived at the
publishing rooms of Messrs. Harper IL
Brothers with all the erasures, inter-
lIneations, changes and additions play
Ing "blindman's buff over the paper.
No attempt was ever made 10 take a
lair copy until the reign OF Mrs.
Bishop; and now every story or maya
zine article is carefully copied before
ii is allowed TO leave the lady's hands.
She also takes part in the cutting and
TT mining operat on whenever it is
necessary. and puts really as much
energy and care into her work as her
husband does into his Together they
read each manuscript over and over
again. until 1t suits the taste of both in
all particulars. 1t onght TO be pretty
good story when it leaves their hands,
and it usually is.
Then. way out in Indiana is BEN
Hur" Wallace and 1.-THE wife of my
youth. who still abides with me-" The
General wrote his great work almost
wholly in the presence OF his wife. She
was his resourse whenever a doubt ex-
listed as 10 any proper adjective to fit
the meaning of the writer; the two de-
Dated for days at time on the merits
and propriety Of some word or phrase.
While the book was in course of writ
Ing it engrossed Mrs. Wallace's whole
attention; she scanned every sentence.
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