The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-06

A Friend of the Novelist Corrects Some Ina
curacies In the Recent Gossip About Him.

A Friend of the Novelist Corrects Some Inac-
curacies In the Recent Gossip About Him.
Boston Globe.
Mrs Williams, widow of Virgil Williams,
the noted California artist, is IN Boston for
the winter. It's to Mr.. and Mrs Williams
that Robert Louis Stevenson's 'Silvered
Squatters" is dedicated. they being dear
friends OF the novelist. Mrs. Williams
read in the newspapers the other day q
story of Stevenson's own romance and mar
riage, said to be published for the hrss
time.
rs it not queer what stories will get into
much mistake. A more noble man thar
Mr.. Stevenson never lived, nor can his wife
be reproached in any way l know the
whole story just as well as i know Mrs.
Stevenson, who is one of my most honored
friends. Mrs. Stevenson, as Mrs. Osborne,
was. with her daughter, a girl of about six
teen, pupil at my husbands art school
She was Miss Van Degrifft before her
She was no older than sixteen when she
was married to Sam Osborne a short hand
reporter, who earned salary of from
$4,000 to $1,000 year at the time l
three children. The oldest son. Lloyd 0s-
borne was the image of his father. and n
young man to be in every way proud OF.
The other son died. Then, there Is the
daughter l have spoken OF.
Osborne was a noted story-teller, and
had always a pleasant way about him that
made him quite generally liked; but finally,
people in San Francisco found out that he
was far from pleasant at home-as know
very well myself. He had $4,000 year. as
l say, but he spent it on any body's family
but his own. At the time when Mrs. os-
borne was in France, Mr.. Osborne was not
with her, as stated. She, like many an
American lady, was in Paris with her
daughter both perfecting, so tar rs they
could with their small means, their knowl-
edge of art. She met Mr.. Stevenson, whose
cousin was an artist there at the time. and
through whom Mr.. Stevenson had become
interested in the studios.
Mrs Osborne and Stevenson were
friends. Whether they fell in love at first
sight or not cannot be told. 1t is an easy
and convenient expression 70 use. and
means nothing whatever. There was no
engagement or thought of engagement, for
when Mrs. Osborne came back TO America.
as she was soon Obliged to, from lack OF
funds she had no intention but TO live with
her husband. Meantime, however, Osborne
had changed, and his wife soon found that
she could no longer live happily with him.
Things went on for some time III n misera-
blo sort of way, while there was talk OF dl-
Norce. Stevenson heard of it. and made his
appearance In San Francisco to see what
could be done. Osborne took it all in good
part. why don't you marry himyD said
he; Il don't care Mrs. Osborne
did not believe that he would wish
the actual causes necessary for legal sepa-
ration to be b ought up against him, but
he made no objection. Well, the divorce
was quickly gran ed; and the wife gwen
the custody of the children. Osborne s9id
that he would support the boy, and Steven
son sent him papers 10 make out, settling
an allowance upon him. But Osborne did
nothing about it in tie end, so that Steven
son assumed the guardianship of the boy.
1T is true that Stevenson was at that
time very i'll; indeed, he had always been
in poor health, and it was best that the
marriage should take place as soon as pos
4. Il. IL %.l~x
care of him. l was at the wedding myself.
No very gay marriage feast was it-and Mr.
Osborne did not give away his ex-wlfe.
He was not present. He and Stevenson
never have me- Inc honeymoon was
spent in min;ng-camp on Howell mount
ain, where Stevenson wrote The Silverade
Squatters.' Stephenson sent young Sam
Lloyd Osborne TO Oxford University, and
thereafter MI. Osborne. travelling In Eu-
rope. had tbs pleasure of telling about Ny
son, WHO is 81 OXfold,' Mr.. Osborne eX-
pressed wish 10 have Lloyd accompany
him on n walking lcur which he proposed
taking IL the south of France. The young
man was allowed TO join his father there
fore, for Stevenson dever found 1T neces-
sary to exercise any restraint over the boy,
the latter being always capable of looking
out for himself if the son had any illu-
sion with regard to his father 1t was dis
PEELED Old this occasion. The walking tour
was the last they ever saw of each other
In less than a year after the divorce Os-
borne married a school teacher, who was
not young, not beautiful, not intellectual.
but who was an example of weak woman's
faith and trust. He lived with her two
years, and then onefine day he disappeared,
leaving her with mortgage on the ranch
on which he had placed her. absolutely
without any means of finding out where he
had gone or whether he would ever come
back, absolutely penniless. 1t was like
Stevenson that when he heard of the
poor woman's plight he sent her a generous
sum of money. There was the natural
nine-days' wonder in San Francisco
as to where Sam Osborne had gone TO,
and then he was forgotten; and nobody
Knows where he is to this day. His daugh-
ter, who lives at Honolulu and who is now
married to a San Franciscan artist, Joseph
| Strong, and of whom Osborne always pro-
fessed to be especially fond, said to me.
when saw her last, that she believed her
| father was dead or he would have COM
municated with her or her brother, but L
| do not think so. 1 think he is congenially
| situated and living under an assumed name.
| His proficiency as stenographer could lind
| him plenty of employment anywhere. I'm
happy mani No, indeed. He was one of
| those men who are incapable of being I'M
| happy. And as for the Stevensons, both
| are better off for the marriage. They were
made for each other, or, as Stevenson used
10 s,,h fsriv ,o1 hQIn NM ad Tn