The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-10-16
THOMAS BAILEl Z ALDRIcH.
Will He Make EngIan, His Permanent
Abiding p lace?

Especial Corresp 'ndence.l
NEW YORK. Sept. 81 1t is announced
that Mr. Thomas Bailey Aldrich purposes
loug residence IN Engl and, and some OF
dis friends are inclined to think that he
will nuake London his fu ture home, max
ing oc casional visits to tn S country. Thus
another one of the most amous American
writers seems to have 70 und either profit
or fascination in living IN England, and
Mr.. Aldrich will he added to that colony
of self expatriated Amer lean lIterateus
who make London their h' )me, and among
whom are Bret Harte, He nry James, Mrs
Burnett, Harold Frederick and, for time
at least, Mark Twain, ali hough ne IS at
present in France.
TheSe are many good cri tics who regard
Mr.. Al drich as perhaps Il he most accom-
nIished and most deligh tiul writer OF
merican fiction. Yet it is not as writer
Of fc1jou that Mr.. Aldrich desires to win
his highest fame As be is now approach
ms, the Youth of old age, NJ r. Aldrich finds
+be noetic inspiration his strongest i'm
mise Unlike many poets. the divine
sn.r,- in him seems to burn more fiercely
% the, wears advance He has told his
friends that he finds {, he atmosphere of
London. foggy and damp as it is, far more
coroenisI TO linn while hes is com posing his
noams than the east wind of Boston or the
more delightful atmosph, re of New York.
AToreovar Mr. Aldrich f nds that he can
get in London something that is impossi-
6Ia To secure in America, 8 nd that is seclu-
sion.
Mr. A1drich is now past fifty years of
age. and ne Is preba bly, the youngest look
ing man for his yea rs that can be found in
ali the literary rank 5. Unlike many writers
Mr. Aldricil keeps on the most excellent
terms ,vith his tab ors, and for that reason
he ornears in ouiA fash I0nable attire. al
+bongb he never ,overd reSses. He is also
conspicuous in liteI airy gatherings. because
he cnltivates with IA good deal of delight
most delicateIY W aXed mustache. Those
whossee him for tb fist time are inclined
To think that Mr. AldTich is disposed to be
foppish. but this opinion does him an in
iustice He is Equ1slte in all his taste,
and as careful of his personal appearance
as he is of his lite rary compositions. 1t is
q mart of his cree q that of all persons a
writer should be the most careful of the
personal prophetic IS, ana he has no pa
thence with q man who excuses slovenly
attire on the groul Id That he Is TOO busy
with his pen to pay 'any heed to personal
appearance
literary venture He expected to become
merchant, and he VIZ engaged in mercan-
tile pursuits in New York for some time
before he discovered what his gifts were.
One or two little poem Is which he wrote on
sudden impulse an d which were sent to
/ Ifbo Atlantic attract ed the attention of
James r.. Fields and James Russell Low
elT and Mr.. Aldrich was asked to con-
trib,Yee. again. 1t was in a Similar way that
Williams D. IJowens began his literary
period.
soon after THIS Mr.. AlIrich wrote an ex-
ouisite short st. Wy, which gave him imme-
diate repute. an d this effort was followed
nv that fascina ing tale which has been
tbe delight of e, very boy and many a man
whose good fortl me it has been to get
cony. and which, vas entitled, 1.-THE Story
Of a Rad Bow" If its kind, this work is
esteemed a maste. piece, and if Mr.. Al
drich had never ritten anything else it
would have made hl S fame secure.
After the resignat ion of Mr.. Howells of
the editorship of TT e Atlantic Monthly,
Mr.. Aldrich very relI lctantly accepted the
chair He made a rood editor, but the
work was never congo nial to him. In the
first place. he was too ender hearted to re-
fuse manuscript withoU Yt suffering himself
a pang. and, in the ne 1t place, editorial
| drndgery was abhorrent. He therefore re-
stoned his post, and as he is of independent
fortune he was able to G i've himself up to
| q life of literary leisure. He has three or
| four long poems in mind. to the compost
| ton of which he expects to devote as many
| years as may be necessary.
| f. J. EDWARDS