Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-12-18
THOMAS NELSON PAGE.
what the Southern writer Has Accom-
pilshed--tIls Literary Ancestry.

plished--rIls Literary Ancestry.
philadelphia Press)
one OF the youngest and most success
ful OF the so-caIled school Of southern
writer's" Is Mr. Thomas Nelson Page.
author Of 'Marse Chan" and Men
Lady" We say SPECIALIZED 'echool," for
II may be doubted whether there Is any
nroner occasion for introducing sectional
dinerences or distinctions In the field OF
literature. and setting one class OF
writer's apart as southern school,
and another as a western school," all
this. Notwithstanding the views or Mr.
Hamlin Garland TO the contrary. Mr.
Page Is a southern writer, and all MS
sketches thus far have had their setting
and their coloring in the South country,
but after all he has no peculiarities nor
proyineialisms that should cause him 10
bA set anart IN school distinct from
the great body OF American writer's OF
the present generation. IL would be
really doing an injustice to Mr.. Page
TO narrow his literary gifts by bestowing
ON him n sectional designation. He ranks
deseryedly with such authors as Georg
Gable. Richard NJ. johnson, f. Hopkin-
son Smith, and Joel Chandler Harris, all
OF whom belong not only to the Souin'
but 10 the whole country.
MFR Page began his literary career In
the orthodox fashion by being. first OF all,
a limb of the law. Why the legal pro-
fessIon should be hit upon as a sort OF
training school for men of letters we
cannot pause here TO discuss, but II Is
an interesting fact that the larger NUM-
her of the great poets, novelists. ana
other writer's OF modern times have gone
en- far al least as to study law. If not TO
nractice H. SO IL was with Scott, Dick
ens Charles Reade. Longfellow, Bryant
and go Il was with Thomas Nelson Page.
I, was in his law office ut Richmond,
Va. that Mr.. Page wrote his hrst and'
perhaps, his best negro-dialect story,
''Marae Chan" This story was Dased
on fact.
Page showed him a letter which mao
been taken from the pocket of a dead
nrlvate of a Georgia regiment II was
from his sweetheart. and was very badly
written. She told him Of her love, and
expressed sorrow for her bad treatment
of him. She declared that she had loved
him all the time. and indeed, ever since
thew 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 MIN.
There was a postscript scrawied across
the blue Confederate paper 20 the eneet
that he must not come without iur-
Tough. for If he didn't come honorable
she would not marry him. Inc poor
fellow got his furlough at Malvern hlil'
or Fair Oaks. by n bullet.
Mr. Page was so touched by the Incl
dent that he went TO his law office and
hogan TO write "Marse Chan" which he
finished In a few evenings and sent OH
10 Scribners 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-
ceiyed with marked favor all around
and since that time Mr. Pages literary
wares have always found a ready mar
ket.
Mr.. Page inherlts some Of his taste for
writing. his father. John Page being a
man Of fine literary attainments. Johh
Page came of distinguished stock. lie
was a grandson Of Governor John Page
of Roosevelt, who was Jefferson's great
friend, and was a leading patriot In the
Revolution, being the first member on
the Committee Of Safety In Virginia.
John Page was also a grandson of Gen.
eral ThomaS NeiSon, JI'' IseNOiu'iOii0' ,
War Governor of Virginia and slgner
Of the Declaration of Independence. The
authors mother was a granddaughter 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, General Lees chief
of artillery. Young Page was about
years old when the war broke out. He
was living at Oakland. Hanover county
Va. a 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 encampel DOT far from
his home SO, although a boy, he saw
and heard a good deal Of the war He
was educated at Washington College ant
at the University of Virginia, where hi
| studied law.