Waterbury evening Democrat., 1891-07-16
LITERARY LEAFLETS.
Copyright 1891. by The United Press.l

Copyright 1891. by The United Pressl
One of the most interesting occurrences
of recent months among prominent liter
airy people in this country was the admis-
sion of George Parsons Lathrop and his
wife, Rose Hawthorne Lathrop, to the
Roman Catholic church. Mrs. Lathrop, as
you know, Is the daughter of the late Ma
thaniel Hawthorne and sister to Julian
Hawthorne. 1t was my pleasure some
time ago to have long talk with this
gifted woman on religious topics. At that
time, If I am not mistaken, she was a
member of the Protestant Episcopal
church and much inclined toward ritual
Ism. In her conversation, as in her poems,
a deeply religious temperament evident.
1t is an interesting fact that the daughter
Of the man who understood and depicted
Puritanism more clearly than any writer
who ever lived should havc become a Ro-
manist
Mr.. and Mrs. Lathrop live In New Lon
don Conn. They offer very marked con-
trast physically. Rose Hawthorne is a
stout woman Of medium height, with q
handsome face and luxuriant reddish hair.
Her husband is ashort, thick-set man with
| very dark hair and beard and an olive COM
! plexion. He looks more like Frenchman
] than an American, while his wife Is thor
oughly English in appearance. They have
no children, their only child having died
some years ago.
Douglas Sladen, the Australian poet,
who has been spending some months in
| this city, has gone to London for the sum-
| mer. He left behind pleasant reminder
| of his literary work while here in the
shape Of an anthology Of recent American
verse, published by Cassell & Co. 1t Is
handsome volume of five hundred pages
| and contains selections from the best
| products Of the younger living rhymesters
| of the New World. The selections have
| been made with wonderful taste ard SYM
| pathy. 1t gave me great pleasure to hear
Mr.. Sladen say that James Whitcomb
Riley's Z" The South Wind and the Sum-"
was one of the most musical and perfect
poems of modern times. 1 was glad to
have my own judgment backed up by q
man who Is both poet and scholar.
Frank Dempster Sherman, the poet, is a
professor in the Columbia School of Mines.
| He Is a slender, rather nervous young man.
| with vast capacity for work and most
earnest way of stating his convictions. He
makes literature pastime as relief from
the routine work Of the classroom. He is
very popular with his students and in
society. He has wife and one child, a
| son. Though not a great poet, he is
among the most polished and acceptable
of our younger versi1ers. What years and
experience will do for his muse is matter
of speculation. 1t is suggestive fact that
his published poems have had very wide
sale.
Marshall P. Wilder, the little joker, has
gone to England to hob-nob with the
Prince of Wales and amuse the lesser
| lights around the court of St. James. He
tells me that his literary career is at an
end, although his book " People I've Smiled
With has had a very large sale. The
merry little chap showed me his account
book and his profits as lecturer for the
month of April. why should write any,
thing but cheques?" he demanded quiz
Eically. 1 glanced at the figures and could
not answer his question. I doubt if there
is more than one author in the country
who makes as much by his pen as Wilder
does by his yarns. 1t can be confidently
announced, therefore, that so far as let
tiers are concerned Marshall P. Wilder and
Ward McAllister will be single speech
| Hamiltons."
| Among the recently elected members Of
the Authors Club of New York, are Presi-
dent Gilman, of Johns Hopkins University;
Isaac Henderson, author of the The Prel-
ate" and Agatha Page;" Horace E. Scud-
der, editor Of The Atlantic; James B. Ken
| yon, poet and George A. Hubbard, author
of Iduna and other Stories" The latter
Is a young man living in Buffalo, N. Y,
whose work in fiction has been highly
praised by leading critics.
| ERNEST P. RoosER.