The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-06-12
'TUMMAS'ARDY" HOME
HOW THE wEsSBX NOVELIST
LIVES AND WORKS.
He Doesn't Like London But Prefers

He Doesn't Like London But Prefers
the Country Some Interesting
Opinions on Literary Top!cs-Some-
times He Writes 5000 Words a
Day-He Does Not Think Literature
Pays Well-aow Characters Grow
Under His Pen.
(COpyri1ht)
LONDON, May 3O.-You know Thomas
Hardy. of course. He is q Philistine indeed
who does not and sodden is ne who has not
found in this novelists pictures of the "West
Countree" more than common delight.
With London Hardy has nothing in COM
mon. He is of the green fields and far
stretching heath. He loves the smell Of the
hawthorn and Of the fresh sod as it rolls
from the share of Hodges plow beyond any
thing that London can give him.
Indeed one would not expect to find the
author of Far from the Ma lding Crowd"
Under the Greenwood Tree" or THE
Woodlanders' at all partial to smoky, foggy
cities. The man who drew Giles Winter
bourne and Bathsheba Everdene does not
need to go into crowded streets to find char
acters to fill his books. Besides. Thomas
Hardy inherits from his father, and espe-
cially from his ance stor Sir Thomas Hardy,
a sturdy captain under Lord Nelson, a
wholesome love for the open free air of
country and sea as against the city. So, al
though | saw the novelist in London week
or more ago. it was but for moment. Then
it was at the very top of high building in
Manchester square-So high up. indeed,
that the noise of the street. got lost before il
could climb up. Mr. Hardy was In London
on business and would not remain any
longer han was absolutely necessary for its
transaction.
Come down in the west and see me !" he
said cordially enough when l was intro
duced to him. 81 am twice the man there
that am here. Besides, can show you
some spots that may prove interesting to
you"
took him at his word, and 1 am glad
now that | did.
1t was bright and sunny morning that
l found myself at Waterloo station 1t was
one of those mornings when you feel 80
cheerful that you like to take your fellow
man into your confidence. At any rate,
felt that way. SO l confided in the good
natured looking guard at the station aud
told him was going to see Thomas Hardy.
''Tummas 'Ardy, sir" he said, looking
quito knowing; summit in the travelling
public line, isn't e, sir"
This demped my ardor somewhat, but not
for long, for it is a beautiful ride this from
London to the heart of WeSseI, where
Hardy is the reigning monarch. It IS just
about five hours ride through most at
tractive looking country TO where apples
and prinroses are said to excel those of any
other part of England. 1t is after this ride
that you come to Dorchester, where, if YOU
are at all obserVaut, you will see the very
mon and women who look at you out of
Hardy's books. ANY of them will show you
s. .
town the way to quickly reach Max Gate
And it is there that Mr.. Hardy lives and
does his work.
II will not be wise for you e. call there
in morning. That is the time the novelist
works. Later in the day he is at leisure and
inclined to be most agreeable. 1t was in
the middle OF the afternoon when knocked
at the novelist's door and was admitted.
expected to find Mr.. Hardy in some old
fashioned house couple of centuries at
least old. Instead | saw him in house that
is as modern as to everything except its
site. l was still more surprised when l
learned that Mr.. Hardy himself designed
the house. This was so strange in point Of
fact, though, for the novelist began his
career as an architect, and his first attempt
at authorship was a work on the use of
brick and terra Gotta in dwelling houses.
A very comfortable house this, and hav-
ing the designing of it in his own hands he
naturally fixed his work room where no
would have every advantage Of light and
air and view. But it was not hard to get
these. The house stands on a high and
solitary spot on one of those burrows COM
mon in Dorsetshre, and you can see from 1t
over the surrounding country as from a
watch to Ter.
It was here saw the author of that
powerful novel, 1.-THE Mayor of Caster
bridge" end enjoyed a pleasant .nter-
| via 10 aityaH ord,
There is nothing particularly striking
in the outward appearance of this
King of Wessex. Celebrated persons are
Inuch inclined to disapuoint enc in that
way at any time. Mr.. Hardy is of the
middle hight, neither slight nor stout. His
light gray eyes are very keen and quick.
| His manner seems shy, and for that matter
a trlfe nervous, but this may be due to the
fact that this popular writer is at all
times retiring man who lives very much
within himself.
"You may be surprised that do not care
| to work in London, and prefer this compar-
| atlvely deserted place." he said, as | paused
to take in a view of the surrounding coun-
try from his study window.
| | FASTENED to say that if it was in this
deserted place" he found the character Of
| his novels no one would quarrel with him
for remaining always in it.
! ''Well y said he with CHEEKY laugh II
/ lluu nOJulUR Sult5 Inc as well - Il0 country
! here. Here | can work almost at any
time. l usually sit down between 10 and
II o'clock and work until luncheon; and
then if [ have not done much, work per-
haps a couple of hours after up to O'clock
| If | have done we'll in the morning do not
work at all in the afternoon. Sometimes |
do not do anything until night, in which
case have very light dinner"
| saw no typewriting machine and re-
marked that be had not as yet adopted this
assistance in the matter OF speedy work
mo" said MIR. Hardy, II find the old
method rapid enough for my purposes, as
am somewhat methodical. l write with
copying ink and always duplicate my mat
ter off with copying press. So always
have a copy Of my MS. about. l have
never tried the typewriter. But l write
pretty good hand, he continued, and he
showed me some folios in proof of that he
said. His pride was pardonable, for
the Ms. was what an American
printer would call fiat copy" Mr..
| Hardy has the habit of connect
ing one word with another by a sort of loop
all across a line as telegraphers do, but the
chirography is well-nigh perfect. l told him
/ 80 and think he was more pleased than by
my favorable opinions of his novels 1t may
| be that he thought | knew more about
! printers copy than about novels. l noticed
! that he cut his copy quite freely, running
his pen at times through line after line.
| "All this" he said, laughing again in his
] chaerF1l tsTuaV give Won tha idaa that