The Helena independent., 1893-12-30
R. |. STEVENS0N'S home.
How The Novelist Lives in His
Island Home, in the Hills
Of Upolu.
A Reporter Visited Him and Tells
What He Saw There and
Hoard.
His Costume Not Extsnsive--A Beautiful
Lawn That Is y Carefully Trimmed
by y Crab.

"Well, no. I'm not passionately fond
Of reporters, particularly tho American
variety, but come on in, and I'll have go
with you anyhow"
Such was the greeting with which Rob
ert Louis Stevenson received the announce
ment Of my name and business as we met
on the broad veranda of his island home,
far back in the hills of Upolu, the land Of
the southern Cross and tho sacred hen.
There was dim suspicion of n smile in
the depths Of his big black eyes as he ex-
tended his hand-a long thin, cool, patri-
clan hand, which futtered for a moment
in the palm of my large, moist paw. Then
he withdrew a step, hitched up his trou-
sers and eyed mo with the air of man
who could read the thoughts of another
better than he could express them himself.
started in to explain that my business
was not to misrepresent or garble the state
ments of earth's greatest living novelist.
s'That's all right" he said, laughing.
"Come in and see what there is to be seen
and ask US all sorts of questions. Then
run riot with your pen, and when the pa
per comes I'll read the article, damn till
the air is blue, and everything will be all
right"
Reassured by this cheerful view of the
future, followed the marvellous man of
letters into the house, where l had what
I've since tried to persuade myself was an
interview with him. But. after carefully
reviewing the hour we spent together,
am impressed with vague, uneasy
suspicion that he interviewed me. How
ever, we exchanged large quantities of
words Of an uncomprising nature, inter
spersed with beer and anecdote. While
extremely cordial in his manner, the nov
elist talked guardedly and was careful
not to commit himself on any vital point.
He stssred wide Of politics and all other
matters pertaining to the islands.
He sat directly in front Of me. viewing
the ceiling in u retrospective manner, and
holding homemade cigarette in his right
hand. On table within easy reach stood
q can of tobacco, from which he rolled q
fresh smoke as soon as the old cne gave
out. His attire consisted simply of a tight
fitting, sleeveless undershirt, cut decolette
and which set off his sparseiy settled fig
ure in startling relief. A pair of black
trousers rolled up half way to the knees,
completed the toilet of this eccentric ge-
MUS Of the south seas. His feet were bare.
While talking he rested his right foot
foot, long and slender, and beautifully
arched, and as he talked he gently toyed
among his shapely toes with his Olsen
gagged hand. Somehow it occurred to me
while noticing these peculiarities that any
man who would describe Robert Louis
Stevenson as half clad when he was fully
two thirds covered was taking q mean ad-
vantage of the authors hospitality.
In stature Stevenson is little above the
medium, but woefully thin and pale. His
face is gaunt and haggard and wears an
expression of continu ual weariness. In fact,
he is i'll most of the time, but is uniformly
good natured in spite of his affections.
Callers are numerous at the big house in
the hills, dropping in at all hours of the
day and on all kinds of business, but the
novelist is always ready to meet these So
cial obligations.
He arises at 6 o'clock in the morning,
eats breakfast shortly after and works till
noon. At 9 O'Clock in the Afternoon he
takes up his pen again and labors diligent-
ly till O'Clock. Sometimes he works too
hard, and nervous prostration follows. 1t
is then he seeks rest and recreation in
sea voyage, generally to Sydney and back,
and the journey does him good.
The Stevenson household consists of the
novelist, his wife, and two stepchildren,
Lloyd Osborne and Mrs. Strong. Osborne
assists Stevenson in his literary Iabors.
rKailima, which in the Samoan tongue
means fine waters" is what the novelist
calls his combination residence and fiction
foundry. 1t is an ideal spot for the dream
er and a home for the poet and student of
nature. In the middle of green plateau,
sloping gently toward the sea, stands the
house, a low, rambling, two story struc-
ture of a dull drab color, and with an iron
roof painted n glaring red. Deep verandas
encompass the building round about, from
the upper one of which the Pacific ocean
can be seen stretching away to the north.
At the back the Green mountains tower
to height of & 600 feet above the sea. Six
hundred feet above the level was high
enough for Stevenson, SO he cleared spot
in the wilderness of palms and tangled
wood, where he pitched his tent and lives
in peace.
The house is nearly four miles from the
beach and is accessible only to birds, foot
passengers and sure footed native horses.
All provisions and supplies are carried
from the beach in huge iron panniers lash
ed to the back of Il gigantic white Per
cheron horse with whiskers on its feet.
The animal was imported expressly for the
purpose for which it is used. One of the
sights OF Apin is to see Stevenson go shop
ping by proxy in the person of a small
kanaka leading the pack horse along the
road with its load. The last lap to Vaili-
ma is a grass grown path twisting between
two rows OF lime trees filled with their acid
fruit No sign of the house appears till
the weary traveller, worn and moist reaches
a red gate hung to wheels overhead. The
gate opens upon Il lawn which is the pride
and joy of its owner and the wonder of
all beholdcrs, SO perfect are its appoint
ments.
There are no ornaments except Il few
cultivated shrubs. The lawn itself is the
feature, being as smooth and even as the
hest kept grass plot on Mob hill This ar
tlstlc landscape effect is due to the untir-
ing efforts of the crustaccous lawnmowerus
l.atin) or land crab of Samoa, one of
which Mr. Stevenson has captured and
trained for that purpose The crabs body
IL about II inches in diameter Its forward
fceiers are nearly2 feet long. tipped with
scrrated jaws over inches in the reach
When Stevenson wants his lawn shaved,
he anchors the crab by its tail to Il post in
the middle of the plot, checking him up
short with q long string. In its efforts 10
get away the creature mows the grass clean
in a circle around the post with its sharp
claws His fender then lets out a link, and
the performance is repeated until the entire
lawn has been treated in this unique man
ner. When through with the job, the cral
is unhitched and given couple of nice,
juicy cocoanuts to recuperate and prepare
81 f., l..r