The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1896-07-15
KATE FIELDS LIFE.
"Reminiscences by 4 ReIative-Her
Early journalists Efforts.

Early journalists Efforts.
THE basis of Kate Fields positive
character" said relative and friend
who knew her well, can best be shown
by her words to an old acquaintance
with whom she was on the verge of a
serious difference: We disagree, bur
let us not quarrel Let us try 70 be
friends. At least give me the credit Of
acting according to my light She felt
her own convictions deeply. Only over
whelming evidence could convince her
she was in the wrong and when con-
WINGED she did not hesitate TO make
ample atonement. She rarely, and
never in uncharitable spirit. nursed her
wrongs, but suffered in silence. This
trait of character developed into reti-
cence and left her to make mistakes
which inevitably recoiled. Her reti-
cence was frequently mistaken for
hardness and mbativeness, Often,
had she herself spoken the friendly
word which was in her heart, instead
of waiting to be conciliated, she would
have escaped much suffering. BY those
who loved her and sought her heart
she was easily pacified, for she was
full of the spirit of forgiveness. To
those who, in hating, wronged her, she
was an uncompromising enemy, be-
cause she felt her position impregnable.
FOL a CT
All the other attempts of her career
proved abortive saved her appearance
as a lecturer. AS a child, before she
knew how to read and write, she was
in the habit of cutting extracts from
newspapers and FASTING them into a
srapbook This habit of playing, havoc
with the family newspaper once caused
her mother to tell her that God would
punish her if the offence were repeated.
The next day Kate was found under q
bed with a newspaper and scissors.
She explained to her mother that God
could not see her under the bed, and
therefore would not punish her.
"On the death of her father she be-
came the protege of her uncle, Milton
H Sanford. The wealth of Mr.. San
ford lavished every advantage upon
her. For some time she lived with her
mother in Florence, under the same
roof with Robert and Elizabeth Bar
rett Browning, and with Walter Savage
Landor for tutor, and she studied mu-
sic under Garcia. Her singing voice was
charming, but not equal to an operate
career, to which she once aspired, much
to the distress of Mr.. Stanford, who dis
suaded her from making the attempt.
when the civil war broke out Miss
Field was in Florence. Her heart and
pen were devoted to the cause of the
abolition of slavery. This caused her
first serious difference with Mr.. San
ford. Although this difference was sub
sequently healed, the perfect confidence
of perfect friendship was wanting
The fatal reticence asserted itself. al
though the affection was never absent
on either side. Not many years before
his death Mr.. Sanford wrote to her.
making her the offer of heirship to his
estate. She did not accept the offer
though she treasured and kept the let
ter. Her temporary adoption of the
stage was made in the hope that she
might acquire financial independence
for herself. The ordeal of facing the
public in her own person was always
strain upon her. She suffered from
stage fright inordinateIy, and frequent
ly did not recover her complete self
possession until the end of the appear
ance. She made charming picture on
the platform when, in the COS, she first
appeared thereon. With her 1.-the, girl
ish figure, simply draped in pale blue
and white silk, her brown hair tied with
a blue ribbon, she seemed then the
prettiest Kate in Christendom.
was her delight for years, especially in
Newport harbor. She was a skilled
oarswoman and friend of the shippers
at the Point and of Ida Lewis. the
Newport heroine. She did not care for
poetry, save that of Shakespeare. Mrs.
Browning and Hood. She declared she
could not understand Robert Brown
ing's later verse, and that it exasperated
her. She cared for art and artists and
for music, and was keen critic. She
loved to give helping hand to strug-
Cling aspirants. New York Tribune.
ADVANCE OF SCTESCE