The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-03-29
A MOST SINGULAR GENIUS.
Lafcadio Hearn. the Student Of the
Tropics, and his Marvellous Word
Pictures.
[Correspondence Of the Press.l

Correspondence of the Press.l
NEW YORK, March GA most ro-
mantle genius has forced its bright light
recently through the thick atmosphere
OF literature. refer to Lafcadio Hearn,
the author of "Chita" and "Youma," the
latter lately published in serial form in
Harpers Magazine This authors tai
ents IN weird romance are universally ac-
knowledged. And l find myself won
derlng how many of his charmed read
ers have any sort of correct conception
OF what the author himself may be. For
Mr.. Hearn as man is as widely distinct
from the other types of mankind with
which he mingles as his romance is pecu-
llarly type of its own among the null
tiplicity of styles in story telling as it
exists and is practiced today.
l am one of three newspaper men now
living in New York who knew Mr.. Hearn
when he struggled as reporter, making
his start in the world Of letters. The
other two are Col. John A. Cockerell,
editor of The New York World, and HI.
e. Krehbiel, the distinguished musical
Vi liit lIlDuue. WI db ueSlTe
herein to say of Mr.. Hearn will no doubt
be concurred in by both the gentlemen I
have named.
First, wish to say that the creator of
"Chita" and "Youma," while mental
Apollo, an intellectual Samson, is and
always has been a pauper in personal en-
dowments, and wholly devoid of any ex-
~, xxrha ho o0,,1l -.
the favor of those with whom he came in
daily contact.
AS knew him fifteen years ago, Mr..
Hearn would attract attention anywhere;
not because of superior presence, but
rather on account of his oddity among
the multitude of the streets. He was a
little man below the medium height,
with a stature still further shortened by
habit of rounding his shoulders and
bending his head forward, whether walk
ing, sitting or standing. He seemed to
be painfully conscious-over conscious,
indeed-of his appearance. The sight Of
one eye was entirely destroyed, and the
glazed surface constantly bespoke the
loss. The other eye was near sighted,
and as a consequence Mr.. Hearn never
read or wrote line which was not within
four inches or less of his face. His
imperfect sight being confined to one eye
caused his head to follow the line from
left to right and back, like the motion of
the typewriter.
have often thought that it was this
compulsory habit which caused Mr..
Hearn's constant curve of the shoulders
and droop of the head. But he disliked
to face his fellow men, and why should
he not? He could not look upon them
to admire their physical projections, and
there was no reason why he should let
those more favored by natural grace look
compassionately upon him. He went
upon the street during the daytime no
more than was necessary, and then chose
the most secluded thoroughfares. But
late at night, when his reportorial duties
were done, when the paper had gone to
press and the city was asleep, this home
iy s1...GE---l.sl- gea.lo souled dreamer
would walk the streets till dawn, weav-
ing in his tropical brain the most fanci-
full pictures a human mind could put to-
gether.
His nature was as timid as a womans;
he had a habit of approaching with a
step as light as felt and ghost like mo-
ton. His words were uttered in low
confidential tone which frequently sunk
to something only few degrees above a
whisper. His habit to approach those
whom he liked, until his face was almost
in contact, while conversing, / doubt not
still clings to this wonderful weaver of
fiction. And while he talked in those
cooling, purring, confidential tones he had
habit of smoothing the nap on your
overcoat, twisting a button gently as if
to test its fastenings or slyly insert fin
ger into button hole, while he as gently
insinuated his confiding soul into the
heart of his vis-a-vis.
His first newspaper triumph was won
in descriptive work upon what is still
known in Cincinnati as ''The Tan Yard
Murder" which occurred in 1874. Pre-.
vious to that time knowledge Of Mr.
Hearn's existence is possession of his
own almost exclusively. Col. Cockerell,
of The World, was at that time manag-
ing editor of The Cincinnati Enquirer.
The Sunday edition was distinctive be-
cause of its sensational feature tenden-
cies. A few weeks previous to 1.-THE Tan
Yard Murder" Mr.. Hearn came to The
Enquirer Office to sell manuscript. He
applied at the counting room, made
known his wants in voice scarcely audi
BILE, and was sent upstairs to see Mr..
Cockerell. Upstairs he ventured, but
there his courage failed him. 1t was not
enough to induce him to brave the awful
editorial presence. The door which sepa-
rated him and the mighty mar of manu-
scripts was to him as the gate which
Cerberus guarded. So he paced up and
down the hall with his velvet, restless
tread until the awful door opened and
the terrible giant came forth. Hearn
would, no doubt, have run away had he
not been at the rear of the hall when
Mr.. Cockerell came out into the other
end and the stairway was between.
Thus it occurred that the author of
"Chita" sold his first manuscript or had
it submitted. He came with more on
future occasions, but never could he per-
suade himself to knock at that editorial
door for admission. Up and down, up
and down the hall he would pace or gliiddss'
until Col. Cockerell came FORTH whether
the time consumed waiting was ten
minutes OF tsEs hours.
HONSver Mr. Hearn finally xroe ,,,,t