The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-12-08
Copyright.

types of Western Character.
Copyright.
New York, Dec. lit behooves the flip
nant New Yorker to bestir himself and
assume an unaccustomed gratitude of re-
spect when considering any subject which
relates to the literary history of Phila-
delphia. However he may rail at Boston
supposed departing literary glory, how
ever loudly he may brag that the New
York of Irving ana Cooper antedated
the Boston of Emerson and Hawthorne,
he must always bear in mind that Phil
adelphia was the cradle of American let
tars If for no other reason, he should
remember that one B. Franklin started
the first American magazine in that city
over $50 years ago, besides being him
self the first all-around literary man the
country produced. 1t is an old story to
talk of Broekden Brown, the first Ameri-
can novelist, and of the succession Of Phil
adelphia magazines from the Port Folio
at the beginning of this century to the
"Graham's" and "sartains" magazines
of a later date. In these publications the
authors of New England and New York
found their best and most profitable me-
diums of publication for nearly quar-
ter of a century. All this is written down
Il at great length in Prof. Albert H. Smythes
excellent History of Philadelphia Maya
zines and Their Contributors" a most
useful book to students of American lit
erature.
departed, it might be said almost IN q
night. In 1872, twenty years after this
happened, Bayard Taylor felt called up
on to write of the late George henry
Boxer, in that entertaining book, tsn1e
is so isolated as he. When Philadelphia
ceassd to be a literary center, which
happened very suddenly and unexpected
lv. the tone Of society seemed to change.
Instead of the open satisfaction OF BoS-
ton in her brilliant circle OF authors, or
the passive indifference of our New YORK,
there is almost a positive depreciation or
home talent in Philadelphia" ., A.
In fact from that time on until ten
years ago, Philadelphia authorship, out
side of purely local writing, suggested
10 the mind little beyond the work of
pearian scholar Mr.. Weir Mitchell and
Mrs. Rebecca Harding Davis, all of
whom were steady contributors to the
and Mr. Janvier both early removed from
their native city AND thus became alto
gether identified with the New York
/ have more than once taken occasion in
this correspondence to refer TO me lar
reaching influence OF the i1tle so tbs yp 81
gasus Club.--fi1 hts 10 more apparent to an
outsider perhaps than to those closer az
4 mana. Inc DlGulD6ES Ol lllS GAhh ollA NAASAA
friends have formed the nucleus of con-
stantly growing literary movement, ana
have made possible many large enterprts-
es in the world Of letters recently estab-
nshed in Philadelphia. Among the menu
bers of this group who have gained or are
gaining more than local reputation are
such poets as Weir Mitchell, Harrison
Norris, Charles Leonard Moore, the late
Charles Henry Luders, Florence Earle
Coates, Francis Howard Williams, ana
Langden Mitchell-such critics and essay
lists as Agnes Repplier TalcotS Wllllams,
Anne Hollingsworth wharton, FellH
Schelling, and Charles Conrad Abbott
such writer's of fiction as Richard Harding
Davis and owen Wister, although Mr.. pa
Wis might properly be classed as New
Yorker by adoption. Last, but not least,
any account of the Philadelphia literatl,
would be incomplete without reference
to Mr.. Edward w. Box. of the LADIES
Home Journal" of whom it would not by
anv means be correct to say that he Is not
literary himself, but the cause OF Atera-
ture in others, although the AFTER part OF
this statement Is unquestionably true
A There can be no doubt either that ne mas
contributed largely to the peIleI remun-
GRAFTON of our authors as CLASS py MS
4 energy and enterprise.
There is much of romance in the par
4 entage and career of owen Wlster. he
is. ii will be remembered, the grandson
A of Fanny Kemble, who married Pierce
Butler, son of the senator of that name,
a member of the constitutional conVen-
4 ton of 1879 Mr.. Wister is thus the great
i grandson both of Senator Butler and OF
4 Charles Kemble, the distinguished Eng
4 lish actor. His mother Miss Butler, mar
ried a member of the Wister Iamlly or
Philadelphia where he was born IN 1861
AS a boy he was sent to school Tor snort
terms in England, Switzerland and Rome
finishing his preparatory course at ST
4 Pours school in Concord, y. n. he took
d course in music under Prof. Palne az
Harvard, and with the ADVICE OF Llszt,
whom he met several time, STUDIED music
for a year with a leading French COM
+. poser at Paris. He was, however oDnged
10 give up this study and failing into III
health during the winter of 1SS4-5 he was
ordered west the following summer which
he spent in the ranch country OF Wyom-
ing. At this time the ranch business was
sim exceedingly prosperous, as misfor-
tune had not then come to those engaged
in it.. Mr.. ,Wister did a great deal OF
camping and q good deal of shooting big
game and still more of missing big game,
as he put it in talking about his expert
ences. Returning east, he completed a
4 course at the Harvard law school, taking
II his degree, and settled down TO the prac-
4 uce Of his profession at Philadelphia. HIS
continuous trips to the Rocky mountains
q gradually developed an inclination for
4 writing His first stories were written i'll
q 1891, and since then he has been living in
Philadelphia or travelling IN the west,
practicing less law and writing more
stories.
The first collected volume of these
Il tales has just been published. Red Men
81 end White" portraying conditions of life
Il N the west now rapidly passing away.
Fl scene Of them have appeared in the mag
aZlnes and have drawn marked atten-
ton to the young author.
Mr.. WiSter comes over 10 New York
II OCCASIONALLY, and on one of these visits
h he was persuaded to talk a little about
+ bis observations of western life and con-
diti0ns
One thing 1 have noticed" he said,
'regarding the east and the west. 1t
FL can be expressed briefly, although it Will
"a require explanation afterward. In say
ing that the head of the country seems
M 70 be In the east while the heart seems
81 70 De in the west, / may perhaps mean
gAat the west seems cruder, although
J never phrase it to myself in just that
way, but in travelling about out there,
one is struck continually with the kind
hess OF everybody, ana with their in
lrest in all people who are in trouble.
Their knowledge and good feeling also,
re not confined to their own part Of
a- country and what is going on there,
ether it be prosperity or adversely.
their interest extends to the east.
.t- IS to say, il you 60 to Chicago or
II sI Francisco. or wherever the contcrs
.9pulaton are you viii find that most
e YOU talk with are familiar with
in New York ana the east, and arc
rrse1 20 know what New York
other large cities Do The east are do