Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1895-10-24

Literary Mems Wives.
That q prophet is frequently with
out honor in his own domain is shown
by the fact that many famous writ.
ers have wives who do not even take
the trouble to read their husbands
productions. 1t is said, continues
the N. Y. SIN, that Mrs. William m
Dean Howells does not read the nov
els so freely turned out by &" "Ameri-
cas- novelist" and that, were it not
for his daughter Mildred's criticism,
he would not discuss his works at
home. Perhaps Mrs. Howells thinks
he should free his mind now and
then from his writings.
Mrs. Rudyard Kipling enjoys her
husbands stories Immensely. 1t
was these that first made her like
him. She is not very great critic,
though, and Is content to take his
books as she finds them after they
are written.
Tolstoi, until recently, had no au-
dience in his wife. She did not ap-
prove the course he took to antago-
niZe the Russian rulers, and begged
him to desist and write the stories
at which he is so apt, and which
pays him so handsomely. After a
time, though, she, too, was con-
verted 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 writ
ten pages, with the days ink fresh
upon them.
John Stuart Mill had the most ap-
preciative wife writer ever had
In one of his books ho has q dedica-
tion inscribed to her, declaring that,
but for her " bright, clear light" he
could never have penned a line
worth reading. To her criticism he
attributed all his success.
Rebecca Harding Davis, herself a
famous tale writer, IS responsible
for the career of two others we'll
known in literature. Her son, Rich
ard Harding Davis, thanks her for
his literary career, which she encour-
aged by getting all his first good sto-
ries in print and destroying others
that would not add to her sons repu-
tation. This she did until he could
go alone," as one says Of child
Then there is her husband, Clark Da-
Wis, of Philadelphia, one Of the first
editors of the country, and one who
thanks his wife for her advice on ali
knotty editorial points and questions
Of literary Judgment.
Mrs. Gladstone is not an intellect
ual 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 by her actual
deeds. For one thing and she her.
self boasts of this-she has not both
cred him when he was getting out a
new speech or writing something on
the vast number of subjects he has
treated in the last Sky 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 show
cred upon himself. Once she had a
carriage 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 after
ward, lest it keep him from doing
himself justice in his speech.
Charles Dickens did not have this
kind of wife. When tho truth is
told, after time has softened its hard
| outlines, it will be learned how diff
cult it was for the great novelist to
work at home until he and his wife
"agreed to disagree" in the way
they did. Both are now at rest.
Thackery had terrible time with
his wife. She neither would listen
to his writings nor allow him to
continue to work with his pen. Fin
ally it was discovered that the poor
lady was hopelessly insane. And
for years the great-hearted man sup
ported her in luxury in a private
asylum, while he brought up his
bright children the best he could
Mrs Thackery died only last spring,
having outlived her husband thirty
years.
Many living writer's have wives
that are true helpmates. Among
these helping wives are the beautiful
Mrs. Eugene Field, Mrs. Robert
Louis Stevenson, who herself write:
well, and Mrs. Julian Hawthorne
Mr.. Peary, writer and explorer, ha,
wife, who, in scriptural utterance
holds up both hands towarC
heaven )" Thomas Nelson Page ha
wife who, though not long married
to him, Is interested In every writer
word, and Will Carleton has a hom,
and appreciative household second
to none other in the world.