The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1894-02-05
STEvENSON'S HOME.
HOW THE GREAT NOVELIST LIVES IN
THE HILLS OF UPoLU.

variety, but come on in, and I'll have a 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 dim suspicion of n smile in
the depths of his big black eyes as he ex-
tended his hand--a long thin, cool, patri-
clan hand, which iluttered for a moment
in the palm of my large, moist paw. Then
he Withdrew a step, hitched up his trou-
sers and eyed me with the air of man
who could read the thoughts of another
better than he could express them himself.
started In to explain that my business
was not TO misrepresent or garble the state
ments of carth's greatest living novelist.
"That's all right, he said, laughing.
"Come in and see what there is to he seen
and ask us all sorts of questions. Then
run riot with your pen, and when the pa-
per comes I'll read tho article, damn till
the air is blue, and everything will be all
right
Treasured by this cheerful view of the
future, followed the marvellous man of
letters into the house, where 1 had what
I've since tried to persuade myself was an
interview with him. But, after carefully
reviewing the hour We spent together, l
am impressed with vague, uneasy
suspicion that he interviewed me. How
ever, we exchanged large quantities Of
words of an uncomprising nature, inter
spersed with beer and anecdote. While
extremely cordial in his manner, the nov
elist talked guardedy and was careful
not to commit himself on any vital point.
He steered wide of politics and all other
matters pertaining to the islands.
Ho sat directly in front Of me, viewing
the ceiling in q Retrospective manner, and
holding homemade cigarette i'll his right
hand. On n table within easy reach stood
can of tobacco, from which he rolled
fresh smoke as soon us the old ono gave
| out. His attire consisted simply Of tight
fitting, sleeveless undershirt, cut decolette
and which set off his sparsely settled fig
IRE 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 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
| twothrds covered was taking II mean ad.
vantage of the authors hospitality.
In stature Stevenson is little above the
medium, but woefully thin and pale. His
face is gaunt md haggard and wears an
expression of continual WEAKNESS. In fact,
he is ill most of The time but is uniformly
good natured in spite of his Affections.
Callers are numerous Mt the big house in
the hills, dropping in at 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 u O'Clock in the morning,
ents breakfast shortly after and works. I i'll
noon At 3 O'Clock in the afternoon he
takes up his pen again and labors diligcnt-
ly till O'Clock. Sometimes he works too
hard, and nervous prOstraton follows. 1t
is then ho seeks rest aud recreation iii n
sea voyage, generally TO sydney and back,
and the journey does him good,
The Stevenson household consists of tho
novelist his wife and two stepchldren,
Lloyd Osborne and Mrs. Strong. Osborne
assists Stevenson in his literary luhors
"Nailima," which in the Samoan tongue
means lime waters, is what tho novelist
calls his combination residence and fiction
or md n home for The nnet md student q,
n,t,re In thc WALL ~ , ,,,,c,, ,L.,tsot,
hnI1 S H., mai ,iii, wy "a @a''a Y
y, aIi wy al S' ,
,if ,.l ~,
encompass the building round about, from
the upper one OF Nnlch the Pacific ocpau
eau be seen stretching away TO the north
NJ the buck the hrcon mountains tower
TO height oil JUN leet above the sea. SiN
huhatru Ieet hbaEr tue level Wa h'Si