The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-04-09
his books. rode ont to 80 him. and the two

MS DOCKS, RODE out 20 80 MIN, ana tho TWO
at once came to terms. safe
The boy found everything very pleasant
in his new homo. His work In the printing
Office was not too hard, and his employer
turned him loose in the library with few
]udicious hints to guide him in his course
of reading. Strange taste he had for one
so young-going straight to tho Eliza
bethan writer's first, sitting up night after
night with quaint old Sir Thomas
Browne. Lord Bacon and Shakespeare,
and leaving the authors of his own day to
be read years afterwards. He had no
regular course-he followed tho bent of
his inclination, and tho wonder is that he
selected SO many Of the best books. But
lad starting out with 1.-THE Vicar of
Wakefield" is not likely to waste time on
trash. Little Joe found his college in this
fine library and in the Office Of the
Countryman. Rapidly and in . pleasant
way he acquired fair acquaintance with
bellies lettres. Then came the impulse to
write. With the utmost difidence he sent
in . few anonymous articles. Editor
Turner published them, and spoke so
favorablv of them that his assistant boldly
was frequent contributor to the columns
of the paper.
Naturally, he did not speLd all of his
time in the Office. The life of the planta-
ton and the temptations of the fields and
forests afforded him all the recreation he
could desire. and he missed few fox hunts,
to say nothing Of the sports in which
Brer Postum and Brer Coon were central
figures.
This pleasant life had to como to an end.
Time had glided on 80 quietly that tho
progress of the war attracted little atten-
ton until the editor of the Couafryman
suddenly realized the fact that Atlanta
was in ashes and Sherman was marching
to the sea. The plantation was directly in
the enemy's line of march. Col. Turner
followed the example Of his neighbors and
refugeed with such valuables as he could
carry, leaving Harris. then a stripping of
Is, to take care of the mansion. 1t was
the young printers first glimpse of war.
Day after day he saw the invading hosts
swarming along the roads They covered
the hills and swept the plantation. helping
themselves to everything they wanted, but
they we're in no ugly temper. and the occu-
pants of the mansion found it easy enough
to get along with them. They did not want
books and type, but they did want live
stock and something to eat. Harris had Sc
creted his pony in . swamp. and after the
last squad Of soldiers had disappeared he
recovered his favorite and felt tolerably
we'll satisfied. After the March to the
Sea the Confederacy collapsed in the
course of . few months, and Middle
Georgia was SO thoroughly wrecked that
Harris went to New Orleans where he OBJ
tanned position on the Crescent Monthly.
In . few months he returned to Georgia,
and in . short time was ensaged as an
editorial writer on the Savannah Neus.
at that time edited by Col. w. T. Thomp-
son, the author of the Mai. Jones series
of books. Here he did brilliant work, and
here he married Miss Essie La Rose. of
Canada, who has ever since been his in
spiration IS well IS the queen of his home.
1t will always be said that the real career
of Mr.. Harris began when the yellow fever
caused him to move to Atlanta in 1876 and
accept an editorial position on the Atlanta
Constitution, and the results Of the past
few years undoubtedly sustain this view.
He had been connected with the Constitu-
ton . year or two " hen the ''Uncle Remus"
stories suddenly gave him a worldwide
fame. Only few days ago the writer Of
this sketch asked him how those stories
originated and how he came to write them.
Il thought that ! would write some
thing for our Sunday paper: he replied,
''and so I wrote q negro folk lore story,
bringing in Uncle Remus and the iitsle
boy. l had no idea OF running a series,
but after the thing was printed so many
persons called 10 see me and wrote asking
why / did not give the continuation that
Welded and had another instaIiment the
following Sunday. Then I had more
visitors and more requests. and / fur
nished . story every Sunday for some
time"
but the origin Of these stories?"
"Ah, that il hard question to answer
When Was . boy heard uc0gss Of them