The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-01

S$xN Za country newspaper
WES7 office, and here he
W laid the foundation
FOR his future career as a journalist The
writing of his folklore tales and other
stories of Southern life has been incl
dental to his other work, or to quote
his own words, las a sort OF recreation
and relief from the pressure and grind OF
editorial writing" His stories are all
written at night, after his family mas
retired, and until the early hours OF the
morning the family sitting room is tenn
porarily transformed into a library.
During the day Mr.. Harris devotes HIM
self to his duties as editorial writer Ior
the Atlanta Constitution, with when
paper he is permanently connected. A
Southerner by birth and by residence,
he shares none of the preiudices COM
monty attributed to Southern men, but
is fond in private conversation OF calling
himself an American, and is an enthusl-
astic admirer of the career and character
of Abraham Lincoln.
Joel Chandler Harris is at home in
neat cottage of the familiar Southern
type, which nestles near the bosom OF
grove Of sweet gum and pine trees IN
the little village of West Point. about
three miles from the heart of the South
ern Chicago as Georgians delight to
call Atlanta In the grove mocking-
bird family sings. Around the house
are few acres Of ground which are
carefully cultivated. In one corner
Craze group of beautiful Minerva-eyed
JERSEYS. At one side of the house hives
of bees are placed near flower garden
sloping down to the street, which passes
in front of the house several rods dis
tant. At the foot Of the road is bub-
bling mineral spring, whose sparkling
water supplies the needs of the house
hold. A superb English mastiff eyes
with digni6ed glance the casual visitor
whose coming is apt to be announced by
the bark of two of the finest dogs in the
country, one bulldog. the other a white
English bull-terrier.ss Mr.. Harris's neigh
bors are few, but one who is his closest
friend calls for mention. 1t is Mr.. Evan
P. Howell, whose manor is across the
way. He is member of distinguished
Georgia family whose name is known at
the North through Howell Cobb, for
mer Secretary of the Treasury. Mr..
Howell himself has become known to
the general public as having declined
the Manchester Consulate to retain his
present position as chief editor and
owner of the Atlanta Constitution, in
whose pages, by Mr.. HowelPs persuasion,
Uncle Remus made his first appearance.
The interior of the cottage is simple and
unassuming. Bric-a-brac and trumpery
PARTICLES of bigotry and virtue" are alb
sent. The places they generally occupy
are taken up with wide windows and
generous hearths. OF literary litter
there is none. There are few books, but
they have been read and re-read, and
they are the best of books. The house
is not library, museum, nor an art
gallery. but it is evidently home In
which children take the place OF mani
mate objects of devotion.
In person Mr. Harris has few peculiar
tiles. In stature he is of the average
height of the people of the Eastern and
Middle States The Northern papers
have spoken of Mr.. Gable as little man.
He and Mr.. Harris are about of size.
which is not much excelled in their sec
ton except by the lank giants of the
mountains. His features are small, his
face is tanned and freckled, his mouth
is covered by stubby red mustache,
and his eyes are small and blue. Both
his eyes and mouth are extremely mobile,
sensitive and expressive. There is prob
ably no living man more truly difhdent;
but his dffidence is the result OF excess
i've sympathy and tenderness, which
cause the bright blue eyes to well up at
any bit of pathos just as they fairly
sparkle with humor. His amusements
and tastes are few and simple. HE con-
EIdQU COm DdulOho diC hohohNoPNUAS, 49,
st. Paul and Ecclesastes. He is devoted
to his family, which consists of his moth
err. his wife, four exceedingly bright boys
and a girl, and the flock of mocking
birds that winter in his gardens. He
never goes into society or to the theater.
The small talk of society has no attrac-
lions for him. His home is enough.
When his children are tired and sleepy
and are put to bed, he writes at the fire
side where they have been sitting. 1t is
warm in winter and cool in summer, and
never lonely; and so strong is his do
mestic instinct that although he had a
room built specially as study, he soon
deserted its lonely cheerleseness for the
comforts of his home, where his tender
and kindly nature makes him loved by
every one.