The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-12-18
srEvEssoS's HOME AT APrA.

Auckland, New Zealand. does not give the ex-
act aate "a This great q novelist , who was only a9
eddy to prolong his life until he should have
written one more novel, He died after having
begun In his island home, half finished.
Stevenson was born in Edinburgh In 1850;
Robert Stevenson, both OF whom were civil
engineers. and distinguished as builders and
tended BY his fsther should Be a civil engineer.
and for some time after he was graduated from
tae I's' veofsssio an b1t IN ahfs work ns i Ss made h no
PROGRESS, and gave Il m. with his fathers con:
sent, to begin the study OF the law; He displayed
no more Xix ing or enthusiasm for the lAwsthan he
had In his study OF mathematics. and the ac-
cidental acquaintance OF sidney Coldin. who
seems 10 have been the small thing which d.
yerted Stevenson into his famous career. As a
Tendency toward a literary career but sc-
eording TO his own "meinories" he had been
been for the opportanity sidney Coidin made
e eSr al IN the sP PSSlie ~ seRSrosoSI h and Ssf' ;hs HR MSs raS;
OF Edinburgh. He was a sickly boy, and IN the
lie has not denied that this Is rs own deserip.
u 2 id ppe nspopaisE H".'.rs..V ehsn Sfn hunara'
tne occasional purposes Of good, hihching sc-
ture, and nnquehohable gGstO in the delights Of
tTuantry."
But he Was graduated, and. as has been said,
was about 20 years old before his friend Coldin
induced him "a offer TO the portfolio the FIRST
story OF his ever published, " Roads" IL Is
probable that at this time stevenson had writ
ten 4 number Of short stories which he after
ward published, and II Is not improbable that
soms Of his more important work, published
years a~fterward, was written before his iirs!
story was Rablishef As a sehoOi6oy and
ing and rewriting. Whatever classic he
happened 70 be reading would be his
various models which ranged from Horace To
Thackeray. he would devote days TO the polishing
WORK was the result OF an Illness which hr-t
cent him away from Scotland, ana which kept
aim a trSysilsr amp an sSiis .hsrs,tss until ms
ordered owing 10 his illness % go TO Msntonle,
where be wrote Ordered south" This work
Atiranted the notice OF only the most ohservant
critics who called attention To the polish and
nnish or its style.
A year or two later. still in pursuit Of health,
stevenson came here and tourneyed to Cali
fornlS Instead Of crossing the ocean in . com;
him in doing. stevenson took . steSTAge passage
IoI the sAks OF getting material which he could
~ : al hssS get i4T use IN a novel which he
pl3ilshsd' Hnd Mas never, in fact, more than
9athnga: WIN the same purpose he went from
train. and arrived In that city an unshorn. I'M
kempt Notwithstanding inS aid. but stevea-
him q warm reception In : bohemian
CIRCLE There he met the LADY who Aftsrward
experiences, published Ia LIsgGlaH's Magazine.
attracted side attention. aud Was the beglnhinE
Of bis popularity A. a writer. which from that
lime gres rapidly. Stevenson returned %
Earope. ana again met In Paris Mrs. samuel
Osborne. whom be had hnst met In saa Fran
cisco. and whom he married Ia California In
$50. soJn after Mrs. osborne had obtained a
divorce. MT Osborne Nas the private ssCrrtaFy
81 the late q ~alitornla Senator. Leland stanford.
and a Pseuliar feature Of steyenson's marriags
Nas that tbs bride sas given assay" b her
divorced husband Stevenson and hs sife. he
sOud ~ Lsnellsd. seat u I've ~ : deserted