The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-07
4 y. STANTON.
Something About the Southern Writer
of Popular Verse.
Philadelphia Times.

Philadelphia Times.
Having lost his father at a very early
age, Frank Stanton spent the three years
of his life from nine 10 twelve saving
wood for a living. From then on for a
number Of years ne worked in the helds
under the hot Southern suns, gaining his
knowledge of books from his voracious APP
p~lication to them after the sun had gone
down on his field of daily labor. 1t is to
this period of his life that the poet has
recourse for the materials of his Songs
of the Soil" but it is to the mellowing,
inspiration. is due. AS he himself says; a
man who is in daily contact with a plow
doesn't wax poetical on the subject.
When about nine years old the poet was
Savannah sSr ns' Morning MINIS News. and while there
it was part of his duty to sweep the office
name of Joel Chandler Harris. Uncle
Remus'' had not then been born into the
ploying his spare moments In writing
verses. From the News office their paths
led apart, and each passed out of the
brought them together again.
From farm labor Mr.. Stanton went into
the newsPagser o ofI;n I'D drifting about
typesetter and printer, all the time scat
tering his verses like flowers along the
the fields TIL his heart was bound to nature.
and from thence led him into circumstances
where he. might pour out on the hearts
Of men the sunshine that had been gar
From printer and contributor he became
an editor. And while at the head of a lit
received a letter from Joel Chandler Har-
ris asking for poetical contributions to the
Constitution. Little did Mr.: Harris sus-
people far and near were from the pen OF
the little black-eyed chap who had played
the devil in his office in Savannah.
In a short time came the offer of a
reportorial position on the Constitution
from Henry, W. Grady. This Mr.. stanton
Mr.. Grady that he accepted, through the
influence of Mr.. Harris, an editorial posi-
uiarity has been on the increase, till he is
known and read in two hemispheres.
Though our poet is by no means without
honor in his own country, it is from dis
tant places that the most iattering testi-
monials come. In Paris his genius has
been recognized and complimented. while
i'm England he has made a place for himself
in the hearts or the people. Jerome's
Magazine copies his verses regularly, and
he often receives personal letters from En-
glish readers who have heard the echo of
his songs across the seas. In a recent
meeting of London authors Mr.. Stanton's
little ballad, "Clarisse," was read. Those
ception it received. When, in reply to a
question. the name of the author was
t thusiast fca u Nv. We'll hui he has sN beste Doh OBJ
son on his own grounds"
During the Columbian fair Mr.. Stanton
Cub in Chicago. and sreceived 'a quite eor aH
ovation from it's members So far Mr..
Stanton has been known chiefly through
current literature. as only a small collec-
ton of his poems has yet appeared. Though
this work passed through several editions
and won a success unhoped for by it's mod
est author. he has allowed three years 10
pass without coming before the public
again, except through periodicals.
1t is with genuine pleasure that his
friends, personal and unknown, look for
ward to the complete edition of his poems
which is TO be brought out by Appleton &
Co. in October. An English edition will be
issued at the same time. That he is emf.
nently a song writer Is attested by me
fact that as many as seventy of his poems
have been set TO music in England and
America within the past year.