Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-02-26
AUTHORS
Donald G. MitcheIPs Serene
Old Age.
HIS HOME AT lockwood.
The Detective stories written by a Well.
Known Dentlst-fbsens New Play
"TanId tho sang-DlRger' Is
Annette Riyes' Latest.
d1or the Sunday Gazctte)

New York Feb 26.-Whcn George
William Curtis passed away, only two
| Of that group Of literary men who DID tue
best that was done for American litera-
! ture in the fifteen or twenty years pre-
coding the outbreak of the Civil war
| We're left, Oliver Wendell Holmes and
Donald g.. Mitchell Holmes had Won
fame while Mitchell was yet q student
| lie was Of the generation Of Gladstone
| aud Abraham lincoln. and is perhaps
the last survivor Of the distinguished men
born IN 1909.
Mr. Mitchell IL just turning three score
aud ten, nnd has not published anything
for some years Yet there h. reason for
believing that we may have very soon
n new volume from his pen.
Mr. Mitchell has lived 30 secluded a
life for so many years that his persOnali-
" Is but little known. Something "
| mystery has been uuiustly associated
with Mr. Alitcholls retirement 10 the
scclusion Of EdgewOod now more than
thirty ycnrs ago. Aud IL seems strange
that he should have chosen TO take him
/ self away from his enrly associations
and bury himself, so to speak, In the
| wilds north of New Haven.
Mr. Mitchell had. however. two pur-
/ poses In doing this. lie coveted solitude,
was as fond as Rusldn Of country life,
aud the spot which lac selected was
| rich with traditions aud romance, espc-
| clally Of the colonial epoch. Scarcely an
| hours walk from his farm az EdgewOod
| Is that cave wherein the regicidos COTE
| aud Whullcy were concealed for time
! when they were pursued by the officers
! of King Charles H. aud the country
! thrrcabout yields many delightful sto-
| ries Of tradition respecting these men
| who had signed the death warrant of
| Charles l.
The location was then scarcely a sub
I al sis ian.
| remote. From tho old farmhouse Mr..
Mitchell was able ut "a glance to look
over the Intervening valley and broad
| plain upon which the university city is
| situated. 10 the waters Of Long Island
sound, five miles away.
OF late. however. the pressure Of the
| great growth Of the city has been in his
! direction, 30 that now when New Haven
has 100000 people, iu outermost fringe
Of settled district almost touches the
| furm nc EdccwCod
When Mr. Mitchell went To New Ha-
ven, taking with him Young, beautiful
ana very charming bride, he was ia
NOUS as TX Marvel" who had written
Dream Life and The Rcveries of n
Buchelor' Mr. Mitchell could have been
honored by fetcs, 10y social distinction
aud with any homage thnt the people
Of New Haven were nhlc TO bring to
him, but he seemed not TO seek these
| Allukns lAuIly luoN uuutihiuON ms mood
aud respected II. The home of Tx Mar
vel was one of the sights OF the town
t,ithcr went many strangers who visited
Ia the city, and were permitted TO wan
dor about the grounds aud into the woods
beyond, but few of Them ever saw the
master who WAS within.
But Mr. Mitchell was no rccluse or
i,rmt, He found delight in his family,
which IN those days had become large
and exceedingly interesting one 1t was
n charming sight "a see the famous nu-
thor driving into town with his children.
lie possessed q horse of such structure
and disposition as would have justified an
essay in Mr. Mitchcll's exquisite vein.
The plucidty aud stcudiness with which
this phlcgmutls animal logged along the
streets, always with the same gentle,
little nmble was of itself an equine
| 9ocm The "arrynll was filled with chill
dron, rosy-cheelItd, light-haied blue
| eyed youngsters, tulnbliug all over them
selves and over their father. who bore
these lmpromptu caresscs with patience
aud seeming JOY.
MT Mitchell at That time was n very
handsome man. Ills profile was cxqui-
site IN It's regularity md its proportions,
Ills hair, which was long and becoming
iron gray, was tossed by the wind ia
graceful motion, and his beard, which
WAS of the cut which the likenesscs of
| vs.. NAAAlN iNNN ilAhf ANulllNlt httUltl
to have distinctive literary suggestion
; AZ that time Mr., Mitchell renewed lie.
emry activity, forming connection with
the Atlantic Monthly which was kept
W Tor many years He wrote the de-
hghtiul papers which, when collected
nScame My Farm at Edgewood', and
when u was announced that the author
} OF Dream Life aud the "Revcry" had
undertaken TO write a novel for the Al
lnhuc, the news caused more excitement
IMAM amy announcement OF a forthcom,
| iuE romnncc has done i'm recent years
That Mr. Mitchell did not realize fully
| me pecuni0ry value of such fame as Ia,
| had won, was made evident hy an ok
, ! perence which he had with the lat,
Charles Sciibner He took tue manu-
/ script of one Of these books TO Mr.
, Ncnnner, not quite sure whether III,
{ pnDhshtr would accept IT, but he wa,
| not long IN doubt MIR Scribncr Wn,
, wloiced, both as q shrewd publisher
ana as q keen Judge of literature. [,
1 put his imprint npou the work WheI
{ they came TO talk about the business
+ side of the matter MIR Scrihuer coul,
nave made good bargain for himself
80 modest were MIR. Mitchelrs suggest
r ions. Instead OF doing this he propose,
! another plan far moro beneficial 20 Mr.
4 Mitchell, and furthermore offered I,
! advance him considerable sum upon nc
I count After the book was published
NAl AllNNneit ItNllttu now greatly he hQi
p benefited by his publishers Kindness
and he made public acknowledgment
q of It,
< In the beginning of his old age, Nh
Q Mitchell has reason to feel something o
j content Attliction has recently come L
( an m the loss of one of his sons, but
y aside from this sorrow, his oil aye bc
y gins surrounded las those influence,
; which should make man happy IA
/ has just had evidences of his perma
nent popularity by the issuing by hi
= publishers OF O complete set Of his work
. which are revelation Of the bOukmal,
y ers' art, He has been justified ia hi
y prediction that the estate which h
bought more than thirty years ago woul
become valuable, The old farmhous
I, 40 Edgew0od has been replaced hy
newer structure His children have
!. most OF them, gone from him into happ
Il homes Of their own. His Oldest soi
J. not inheriting his fathers literary dual
Il ~. has nevertheless developed an artist
|. capacity and strong business sens
~ well which combined have give
}. him success
e In his old age. therefore, with literar
Immortality secure without anxiety r,
!, Harding worldly things, surrounded D
L the dear friends of bis life his books
J, making daily acquaintance with hts n,
4 roes who have lived since the Englis
e language was written and with memoir,
e OF dehghtfnl acpnaintances with me