The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-10-01

SoA"iiS OlS, OUSureperOuS sailors, OIL
clous captains, or more unhearable
lion hunters, he gently opened his
door TO the little closet, donned his
hat and coat noiselessly and disap-
peared through the side door into the
hallway, from thence making his exit
into Back Goree through a narrow
and unfrequented side entrance. When
the coast became clear Wilding al
ways knew his messenger would find
MN, either wandering and musing in
old st. Nicholas churchyard, con-
venlently near, or in a certain bakers
shop, reached through one or two mar
row back streets, "where there was
lunch counter at which one could
stand and eat excellent bread and but
ter and cheese" and where the lad
Julian might usually be found with
his now happy father.
There never could have been more
quaint and tiny room than Haw-
thorne's private office. Honest "Joseph
Corkhill, Tug Owner,n occupies it,
and he is now the proudest man in
England to know that his Mersey
tugs are for hire in place so rife with
associative interest. Above the wide,
low door iron bars stout enough for
Jail run vertically through tran
som so narrow that between its edges
you could scarcely press the fingers OF
your hand. The fireplace is hardly
bigger than a mans hat, but it's fori-
ture, in iron, the holdings and panel
ings of pine, and the fine old escut-
cheon nearly cover the entire side of
the room. Though the latter is
scarcely twelve feet square, stucco
cornice runs around it's ceiling edge
heavy enough for lord mayors ban
quoting hall. Two windows of extra
ordinary size admit light, air and a
rugged sort of perspective of ancient
warehouses and storage buildings on
the opposite side of Back Goree.
l have never found in these old
world countries more characteristic
windows. Their frames are splayed
in the most interesting manner.
When sitting, ones head is below
their lodges. These and their sides
are splayed inward at an extraordi-
nary depth and angle. The side splay-
ing runs through the ceiling cornice,
where the splaying is at once revers-
ed in an outward and upward angle,
window treatment L have never
previously seen, the latter odd ar
rangement having almost the effect of
skylights in admitting to room the
upper, and almost zenith light from
the sky. The glasses are cut in mar
row panes, the sashes are slender and
hung on all but slender hinges, and a
quaint little, cross section, necessary
to the unusual outer opening at the
top, is adapted to both the purposes
of ventilation and antique ornament.
More curious than all else is a pine
cupboard standing between the fire
place and the side wall. It extends
from the floor to the ceiling. In The
top are a few close shelves. In the
bottom is a cubbyhole, formerly used
as temporary safe. just above this
are several secret drawers, their outer
edges made in imitation Of narrow,
molding-ribbed paneling. Above
these is a complex series Of ledger
racks, protected by little falling
doors. And still above are sliding
panels concealing a marvellous nest
of pigeonholes. This was the
author Hawthorne's repository of
manuscripts, OF personal correspon-
dence, Of his quaint, genial and often
grimly satiric "English Notes." and
of countless odds and ends of half
created imageries, observations and
literary suggestions and skeleton
plots; all secret, sacred and priceless
to writer as to maiden are the
sweet, trififng tokens of first roman
tic love This rare old cupboard is
now receptacle for Office sweepings,
ana all 1gnople but useful coal bin.
Innumerable pictures of Hawthorne
in his changeful moods, as he sat at
his desk beneath the windows of this
little office, come involuntarily into
the VISITORS mind. Whether at work
upon many of the most Characteristic
personal lettershe ever penned; romp-
ing with his children, who often de-
scended like three uproarous infant
Graces upon him, in charge of the
bright faced wife OF the uncOmpro-
missing, but every faithful maid,
Fanny; listening demurely to ship
masters yarns, or pretending TO SOL
EMMY inspect sailors broken heads
when his own was turned away; quar-
reling in kindly rivalry of objurga-
ton with his loyal friend, Bright,
over the merits and dement's of the
people, policies and institutions of
their respective countries-for Haw-
thorne was American to the core and
back again-or still brooding alone
with vagarous fancies; the light from
the strange old window-top must
have played about his head there with
an actual Rembrandt effect, bright as
when the spiritual windows of memo
ry open upon the man Hawthorne,
his tender life and his surprising
worth and work.
Hawthorne's genuine haunts in
were few, and he travelled
over old ground with the fondest
tread. st. Nicholas churchyard; the
rare bakers shop, where such excel
lent bread and butter and cheese
could be eaten standing; Sandheys,
where he went to visit Bright; old
but few miles away;
Southport and the outlying SAID
iunes between it and Blundell-sands,
nearer the city; the ancient Liverpool
market, still standing: Chester, which
he revisited frequently; Dingle, ga
domain on the banks Of the
n