Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-03-29
A MOST SINGULAR GENIUS.

LAFcAplo HEARN, THE STUDENT OF
THE TROPICS.
o. r. Cayisr. whe Has Ksewn Hin sse
Many Ysars. Writes Most Esssrsaisi.s,y
- HIN anA Hb Aaarvsieus Word Pic
esrss.
- Especial Corrsspondescel
NEW YoRK, March STA 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 "Yosma," the
latter lately published In serial form In
Harper's Magazine. This authors tai
ents In weird romance are universally &C.
knowledged. And I find myself won
dering how many Of his charmed read.
ers have any sort Of correct conception
of what the author himself may be. For
Mr.. Hearn a. man IL a. widely distinct
from the other types Of mankind with
which he mingles rs his romance Is pecu-
liarly q type Of its own among the mul.
tiplicity Of styles In story telling as Il
exists and is practiced today.
I 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 arc Col. John A. Cockerell,
editor Of The New York World. and II.
L. Krehbiel, the distinguished musical
critic OF The Tribune. What desire
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, il and
always has been pauper in personal'en-
dowments, and wholly devoid OF any ex-
ternal charms wherewith he could win
tho favor of those with whom he came In
daily contact.
As knew him fifteen years ngo, Mr..
Hearn would attract attention anywhere;
not because Of q superior presence, but
rather on account Of his oddity among
tho multitude OF the streets. He was
little man below the medium height,
with stature still further shortened by
q habit Of rounding his shoulders and
bending lis 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 tho
loss. Tho other eye was near sighted,
and as 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 perfections, 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
ly genius and gentle 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 woman's;
ho hod habit ~ opprnncl;ny x.,;th
step as light as felt and ghost like mo-
ton. His words were uttered in q low
confidential tone which frequently sunk
to something only few degrees above
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
q habit Of smoothing the nap on your
overcoat, twisting button gently as If
to test its fastenings or slyly insert fin
ger into q 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 q 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 ''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 a 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 man 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 glide
until Col. Cockerell came. forth, whether
the time consumed in waiting was ten
minutes or two hours.
However, Mr.. Hearn finally was put
upon the regular staff of The Enquirer