The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1894-12-22

AOl 4hul6O ShdA
" and "Meh Lady,"
We say SO called school," for it may be
doubted whether there is any proper oc-
casion for introducing sectional differ
ences or distinctions in the field of liter.
ature, and setting one class of writer's
apart as Southern school" and an
other as Western school," all this not.
withstanding the views of Mr. Hamlin
Garland to the contrary. Mr.. Page is a
Southern writer and all his sketches
thus far have had their setting and their
coloring in Southern country, but after
all he has no peculiarities nor provincial
apart in school" distinct from the
great body Of American writer's of the
present generation. 1t would be really
doing an injustice to Mr.. Page to narrow
his literary gifts by bestowing on him
sectional designation. He ranks de-
servedly with such authors as George
Gable, Richard M. johnson, F. Hopkin-
son Smith and Joel Chandler Harris, all
of whom belong not only to the South
but to the whole country.
Mr.. Page began his literary career in
the orthodox fashion by being first of all
limb of the law Why the legal pro-
fession should be hit upon as sort of
training school for men of letters we
cannot pause here to discuss, but it is
an interesting fact that the larger num-
Der OF the great poets, novelists and
other writers Of modern times have gone
so far at least as to study law if not to
practice it. So it was with Scott Dick
ems, Charles Reade, Longfellow, Bryant
and so it was with Thomas Nelson
Page. 1t was in his law office at Rich
mond, Virginia, that Mr.. Page wrote his
first and perhaps his best negro dialect
story, "Marse Chan" This story was
based on fact.
In the Autumn of 1880 friend of Mr..
Page showed him letter which had
been taken from the pocket of dead
private of Georgia regiment. 1t was
from his sweetheart, and was very badly
written, She told him of her love, and
expressed sorrow of her bad treatment
of him. She declared that she had loved
him all the time and indeed ever since
they had gone to school together, when
he used to be so good to her. Finally
she said that if he would get furlough
and come home she would marry him. 4.
There was postscript scrawled across
the blue Confederate paper to the effect
that he must not come without a fur
Tough, for if he didn't "come honorable
she would not marry him. The poor
fellow got his furlough at Malvern Hill
or Fair Oaks by bullet.
Mr.. Page was so touched by the Incl
dent that he went to his law office and
began to write "Marse Chan," which he
finished in few evenings and sent off
to Scribner's Monthly. A few months
later "Marse Chan" was accepted, but
was not published until April 1884, in
The Century, which had succeeded
Scribner's Monthly. The story was re-
ceived with marked favor all around,
and since that time Mr.. Pages literary
wares have al ays found ready mar
! ket.
Mr.. Page inherits some of his taste
for writing, his father, John Page, ESQ.,,
being man of fine literary attainments.
John Page came of distinguished stock.
He was grandson of Governor John
Page of Roosevelt, who was Jefferson's
great friend, and was a leading patriot
in the Revolution, being the first mem
Der on the Committee of Safety in Vir-
| ginia. John Page was also grandson
of General Thomas Nelson, Jr., Revolu-
tionary War Governor of Virginia and
signer of the Declaration of Independ-
ence. The authors mother was grand
daughter of General Thomas Nelson, Jr.
Mr.. Pages father was a Major in the
| Confederate Army on the staff of his
brother in law. General Pendleton, Gen.
eral Lees Chief of Artillery. Young
Page was about eight years old when the
war broke out. He was living at Oak
land Hanover County, Va, part of the
old Nelson domain, situated between
two of the principal roads that led ION
to Richmond" and for two Winters the
Army of Northern Virginia was encamp-
ed not far from his home. So, although
boy, he saw and heard good deal of
the war. He was educated at Washing
ton College and at the University of Vir-
ginia, where he studied law.
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