Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-03
STEVENSON'S HOME.
now THE GREAT NOVELIST LIVES IN
THE HILLS OF UPOLU.
Reporter Visited Him and Tells What
He Saw and Heard-His Costume Not
Extensive-A Beautiful Lawn Carefully
Trimmed by Land Crab.

of reporters, particularly the 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 the sacred hen.
There was "a dim suspicion of IL smile in
the depths of his big black eyes as he eX-
tended his hand--a long thin, cool, patrl-
clan hand, which futtered for moment
in the palm of my large, moist paw. Then
he withdrew step, hitched up his trou-
sers and eyed me with the air OF Il man
who could read the thoughts OF another
better than ne could express them himself.
| started in to explain that my business
was not to misrepreaen5 or garble the state
ments of earth's greatest living novelist.
THAT'S all right" he said, laughing.
stCome 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 Ill read the article, damn till
the air is blue, and everything will be all
right"
Treasured by this cheerful view of tne
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 q vague, uneasy
suspicion that he interviewed me. How
ever. we exchanged large quantities OF
words of All ,,ncomprising nature, inter
spersed with beer and anecdote. While
extremely cordial in his manner, the nov
eIist talked guardedly and was careful
not to commit himself on any vital point.
He steered wide of politics and all other
matters pertaining TO the islands.
He sat directly in front of me. viewing
the ceiling in Il retrospective manner, and
holding IL homemade cigarette in his right
hand. On Il table within easy reach stood
a can of tobacco, from which he rolled Il
fresh smoke as soon as the old one gave
out His attire consisted simply of IL tight
fitting. sleeveless undershirt. cut decolette
and which set off his spalscly 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
across his left knee. 1t was Il symmetrical
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-thrds covered was taking q mean adj
vantage of the author's hospitality.
In stature Stevenson is little abovethe
medium. but woefully thin and pale. His
face is gaunt and haggard and wears an
expression of continual WEAKNESS. 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 i'll
the hills, dropping in ut 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-
~ till 5 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 labors.
"Vailima,' which in the Samoan tongue
means cline waters" is what the novelist
calls his combination residence and fiction
foundry. 1t is an ideal spot for the dream
err and home for the poet and student of
nature. In the middle OF IL green plateau,
slopng gently toward the sea- stands the
house. low; rambling, two story struc
ture of Il dull drab color, and with an iron
roof painted u glarng red. Deep verandas
encompass the building round about, from
the upper one of which the Pacific ocean
can he seen stretching away to the north.
At the back the Green mountains tower
to height Of 1000 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 wbiskers on its feet
The animal was imported expressly for the
purpose for which it is used One of the
sights of Apia is to see Stevenson go shop
ping by proxy in the person of n small
kanaka leading the pack horse along the
road with it's load The last lap to Naili
ma is a grass grown path twisting between
two rows of lime trees flied 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 u lawn which is the pride
and joy of its owner and the wonder of
all beholders, SO perfect are its appoint
ments.
There are no ornaments except few
cultivated shrubs. The lawn itself is the
feature, being as smooth and even as the
best kept grass plot on Mob hill. This ar
tistic landscape effect is due to the untr-
ing efforts of the crustaceous lawnmowerus
(Latin) or land crab of Samoa, one of
which Mr.. Stevenson has captured and
trained for that purpose. The crabs body
is about ii inches in diameter. It's forward
feelers are nearly 2 feet long, tipped with
serrated jaws over inches in the reach.
When Stevenson wants his lawn shaved.
he anchors the crab by its tail to post in
the middle of the plot, checking him up
short with long string. In its efforts TO
get away the creature mows the grass clean
in a circle around the post with its sharp