The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-01-02
A Chat With the Author of Those
Fascinating Southern
Tales.
How the Idea First Entered the
Brain of the Prolific
Author.
His Love for Children Makes Writ.
ing for Them a Great
Delight.

80 - 's''
''Uncle Remus is one of the saints Of
"The Holiday Season." He is almost as
| much a part OF our children's lives as
! Santa Claus, and l cannot give better
Christmas letter than the story Of my
visit to him at his home in Atlanta, Ca,
a few days ago, writes Frank G. Carpen-
ter
Joel Chandler Harris, for that you
know is the real name of the writer of
"Uncle Remus'' stories, is even more de-
lightful than his book. He is not hand
some man, but his manners are SO gentle
and his talk so simple and wholesome,
that you fall in love with him at once.
His hair is of fiery red After you know
him it seems to turn to gold. His homely
features, which would venture would
stop the traditional clock, become trans
figured by his healthy, happy soul Shin
ing out through them when he talks, and
makes them almost beautiful l wish
you could hear "Uncle Remus" laugh.
He is, you know short and rather fat,
and when anything amuses him bis ro-
tuud form shakes like bowl OF jelly,
and his "Ha! Hal" rings forth in as
clear tones as those of the boy to whom
the 'Brer Rabbit and '"rar Baby story
was told for the first time He Is, how
ever, painfully modest. Ee is always de-
preciating himself, and during my chat
he told me he could not realize why peo-
pie thought SO much Of his stories. He
is especially backward in the presence
of women. He is more bashful now at
forty-five than he was as a boy, and
doubt whether he knows any woman very
intimately except his wife. He is, you
know, a newspaper man as well as an
author He is connected with the Attain
! ta Constitution and for years he did his
editorial work at the office of the paper.
Now he does it ali at home. Since he be-
came famous the female curiosity seek
ers from the North, in passing through
Atlanta, have attempted to call and visit
him. When they entered his room his
tongue seemed to cling to the roof of his
mouth and at last, to get rid OF them, he
transferred his work to his home. He
never goes into society; seldom attends
the theater, and his delight is in his
work and in his home. ..,
The house of Uncle Remus" Ia an
ideal one. It is rambling Queen Anne
cottage, containing about nine rooms, all
of which arc on one floor. Below this
there Is a basement and above it an at
tic, and about 1t runs vine-covered
porch big enough to hold "Brer Rabbit"
and all his friends, should they happen
to call. It is in one of the prettiest SUBJ
urbs of Atlanta, and still it has a big
enough yard to make it a sort Of country
estate, as we'll as city home. It con-
tains more than five acres of land and Its
surroundings are those of farm. We
walked back through the fields before we
entered the house to look at the d0nkieS
which the young Harris children ride,
and to pat the two beautiful yellow Jer-
sey cows, which are among Mrs. Harris:
pets. There Is a big chicken yard just
back of the house, and q lot Of brother
and sister chickens were running to and
fro as we looked through the nettings
Uncle Remus" took an almost childish
delight in showing me his possessions
He pointed out his big strawberry bed.
where he raises the most luscious fruit,
and told me how his asparagus was
ready for the table at the first Of the sea-
son. We walked among his flowers and
spent some time In admiring his roses,
which, though it is now almost winter,
! are still blooming. He has, venture.
more than one hundred rose bushes, and
he told me that he had in his garden
sixty-seven different varieties. He said
he would have a thousand If he were
rich enough, and as ! saw him handle the
dowers could see that he loved them.
We sat moment on the porch and.
then entered the wide hall, which runs
through the house and into which the
living rooms open. At the back is the
parlor, and at the left the sitting room
and work shop. There is nothing Of the
machinery OF newspaper editor or liter (.
ary man to be seen. Uncle Remus" uses'
but a few books IN his work. A pencil
and a few strips Of blank printing paper.
are all that are needed to make the
''Uncle Remus" stories. It. Is5ssS
Mr., Harris handles these, and with his
short stub pencil touches the hearts 4, and
tickles the sides Of millions. Hednes hfss g
writing with his family about him, sands md
his best stories have been writtsn 4 'l.I:
baby at his elbow. 81
Mr. Harris IS fond 8 M h.l
been told THOUSANDS Of times hoNs q fsns y u
the chtidren e1es sott but II
him that my boy: .l,ia If If lss1!s|
Renlus 3 stories & antes tAssa