The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-12-19
WIVES oE LITERARY MEN.
Their Influence in Helping or Retar ding
Their Husbands Efforts.

That prophet is frequently without
honor in his own domain is shown by
the fact that very many famous writers
have wives who do not even take the
trouble to read their husbands produc-
tions. 1t is said that Mrs. William
Dean Howells does not read the novels
80 freely turned out by Americas nov
elist," and that, were it not for his
daughter Mildred's criticism, he would
not discuss his works at home. Per-
haps Mrs. Howells thinks he should free
his mind now and then from his writ
ings. says the N. Y. San.
Mrs. Rudyard Kipling enjoys her
husbands stories immensely. It was
these that first made her like him. She
is not a very great critic, though, and
is content to take his books as she finds
them after they are written.
Tolstoi. until recently, had no audi
ence in his wife. She did not approve
the course he took to antagonize the
Russian rulers, and begged him to de-
sist and write the stories at which he ID
so apt and which pay him SO handsome
ly. After time, though. she, too, was
converted to the severe style of think
ing followed by her husband, and now
callers see the couple evenings bending
over plain wooden table, while the
count reads aloud his written pages
with the days ink fresh upon them.
John Stuart Mill had the most appre-
ciative wife writer ever had. In one
of his books he has dedication in
scribed to her, declaring that but for
her bright, clear light" he could never
have penned line worth reading. To
her criticism he attributed all his sue
cess.
Mrs Gladstone is not an intellectual
woman, yet her husband says she has
helped" him very materially in his
speeches and writings. And she has
assisted" more by what she has not
done than her actual deeds. For one
thing-and she herself boasts of this
she has not bothered him when he was
getting out new speech or writing
something on the vast number of sub
jects he has treated in the last sixty
years, and she has kept the children
quiet, too. Not always has he read his
| written documents to her, because they
were often on topics which she did not
clearly apprehend. Yet to her Mr..
Gladstone gives all the praise showered
| upon himself. Once she had a acarriage
door slammed upon her hand as she
was getting in on her way to hear her
husband speak, and she did not tell him
until afterward, lest it keep him from
doing himself Justice in his speech.
Charles Dickens did not have this
kind of wife. When the truth is told,
after time has softened its hard outlines,
| it will be learned how difficult it was
for the great novelist to work at home
until he and his wife agreed to disa-
gree" in the way they did. Both are
now at rest.
Thackeray had terrible time with
his wife. She neither would listen to
his writings nor allow him to continue
to work with his pen. Finally it was
discovered that the poor lady was hope
lessly insane. And for years the great
hearted man supported her in luxury
in private asylum while he brought
up his bright children the best he could.
Mrs. Thackeray died only last spring,
having outlived her husband thirty
| years.
Many living writers have wives that
are true helpmates. Among these help
ing wives are the beautiful Mrs. Eugene
Field, Mrs. Robert Louis Stevenson,
who herself writes well. and Mrs. Julian
Hawthorne. George Parsons Lathrop
has an authoress wife; Mr.. Peary. writer
and explorer, has wife who, in script
ural utterance, "holds up both his hands
toward heaven;" Thomas Nelson Page
has wife who. though not long mar
ried to him, is intensely interested in
every written word, and Will Carleton
has home and appreciative household
second TO none other in the world.