The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-11

Precipitation to develop Samuel F. B.
Morsets magnetic telegraph. Yes; and
the peolole,of his district We're so pro-
foundly incensed by this IF Gsh en-
couragement of wild, impractical
scheme that they refused to reflect
him.
Charlottesville in June is delight to
the soul, it is so soothingly quiet, so
darkly,cool under the dense foliage of
Its great, clustering trees; SO fresh, SO
fragrant; and Elston grove, in which
Gen. Wallace lives and does his immor-
talizing, is as the concentrated essence
iof the place. The house, which is not
lpretertious, is Set deep in forest of
grand. old beeches and naples and ever
green varieties of trees. Under these
the walks and drives curve through dark
arbors and across bright, well-trimmed
lawns, the whole making picture restful
TO the senses and inspiring to the soul.
Every nowand then somebody who does
mot know or cannot appreciate the
grandeur of this place asks Gen. Wal
lace why he does not remove to one
of the great cities, where he can have
literary environment" Hewas speak
hng of this when he interrupted himself
ITO call my attention to a saucy-looking
robin redbrcast that had hoped down
Ito a strategic point at the junction of
two walks and was standing in an
ferect. military attitude as if he intended
ito dispute any attempt at departure
(which the master might make, and out
rof great beech tree near at hand came
ldripping the fearful, far-away sounding
10000, oo-oS oo-oo' of a mourning
,dove, bewailing the very thought
''See this! Hear thatl' said Gen.
Wallace. "What better environment can
anybody wish?'
And this reminded him of a very i'm
lportant duty he must perform. In
strawberry box snugly tucked under
lthe cornice of the porch, just above the
front door, was a tiny nest in which an
early brood of American sparrows had
been Matched.
Il must clean out that nest" said
Gen Wallace, land make it ready for a
pair of wee passenger birds that come
every year at about this time and set I'D
luOuSehSSElng tHere-
This, mark you, is the man who at
bloody Monocacy led handful of raw
recruits against Jubal Early's over
Iwhelming army-led them to inevitable
defeat, and-saved the city of Washing
ton.
Before we go into his workshop to
pry into his literary methods, let us sit
on the cool porch and question Gen.
Wallace about his literary career, for.
although he was a gallant soldier and
great general, his pen has become a
much more potent influence than his
sword ever was
ut is difficult to saw when / first be-
gan to WRITE" he answers. 81 was a
wild boy and refused in great part all
opportunities for a regular education.
But along with that / was ALWAYS a
reader of everything. My father was
lover of books and had a fine library.
which, OF course, was always open to
me In my truancies was in the habit
OF taking gun, dog, fishing rod and
a book, and so l varied my amusements.
When about sixteen years of age
wrote novel (about three hundred
pages of closely-written manuscript
entitled The Man at Arms-A Tale of
the Tenth Century 1t was my first
work With it used to amuse my young
friends.
I'm my eighteenth year / began a
book which was To be known as The
Fair God From my earliest recollec-
fion Mexico was a country of great in
terest to me, and the episode of the in
vasfon OF Cortez was particularly agree
able My first reading in that line was
Robertson. Southery's 'Thalaba' was
pointer, also, and Prescott furnished me
bread, meat, and wine. | had finished
probably one hundred and fifty pages
when the Mexican war broke out, This
was irresistible to me- got out
drum and fife and Gag. and raised