The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-10
BAEIuEs DEBT no HIS MOTHER
BILL ARP.

"Of the three Scotch novelists now
prominently before the public Mr.. j. Nj.
Barrie seems to be the most talented
Such is the Judgment Of The Dial (Chi
cagoj. In recent issue OF The Outlook,
james Macarthur, c0-editor Of the Book
man, writes entertainly Of the Three
Scots Worthless in America" two OF
whom, Barrie and MacNicon, have since
left us, ane one Of whom, Or. Watson.
still remains. Wequote Mr. MacArthur's
description of the relations between Bar
rie and his mother:
I'm the introduction to the Aud LIGHT
ldylls' in the new Thistle edition of his
works (Scribncr'sJ, Mr.. Barrie says that
they were written mainly to please one
woman now dead In the beautiful
biography of his mother Margaret Ogil
Wy just published, he speaks of the
mute blue eyes in which | have read all
| know and would ever care to write;
for when You looked into my mothers
eyes You knew rs if He had told YOU
why God seat her into the world st was
20 open the eyes Of all who looked to
beautiful thoughts, and that is the begin
ming and end of literature How much,
how very much, Mr. Barrie owes to his
mother and T. his home life may be
gathered from this little volume II is
"a book to lay beside Il Window in
Thrums not only bccut1se of the beauty
Of the work, but hceaHsc It flashes light
upon those chapters which illumincs them
and, if possible makes them more noble
and enduring In their revelation. lie
tells us how one day as a hoy be concciy-
ed II glorious idea. or ii WAS put into
INV In
~ making progress with her new clouty
hcarth-rug He was suffering from q
moment OF supeuse In the interval be
tween the last and forthcoming numbers
OF a magazine called Sunshine. which
contained "a serial story. The notion was
nothing hort Of this-Why should | not
write the tales myself? | did write thcm-
in the garret-but that by no means help
ed her To get on with her work, for when
flushed chapter | bounded down
stairs 90 read 1T to her, and 50 short were
the chapters. So ready was the pen. that
I was back with new manuscript before
another claut had been added 10 the rug.
Al twelve or therea bouts he put the liter
AIRY calling 60 he'd for time. and took
up cricket and football instead but from
thr day OH which he first tasted blood
iu the garnet his mind was made up.
There could be no Observation-Disclosures
profession for me: literature was my
game | remember being asked by two
maidcn ladies about the time | left the
University what | was to be- and when
/ replied. brazcnly. An author, they
/ flung up their hands, and one exclaimed,
rcproachfully. And you an Nj. Az His
mothers views ut first We're not diSsinl-
| liar, and her ambition for her boy was
| that he should he minister. with a
| lurking hope ut the bottom Of her heart
| that he might rise to a professors chair.
| Mr.. Barrie relates an incident of those
| years which has prophetic significance.
i had one person only ON my side: he was
an old tailor one of the fullest men
have known, and quite the best talker
49,. This man had heard Of my sets Of
photographs Of the poets,and asked for
sight Of them, which led TO our first meet
ing. . / remember how he spread them
out ON his board and, after looking long
at them turned his gaze ON me and said
solemny
What can ! do to be forever known.
And make the age 10 come my own"
These lines OF Cowlcy were new to me.
but the sentiment was not new, and |
marveled how the old tailor could see
through me 50 well. hurried home, but
Eneigihbors had dropped in and this was
for her ears only. so | drew her to the
stair and said imperiously,
What can | do to be forever known.
And make lineage To come my own
IT WAS m odd request for which to draw
her from tea-tablc, and she must have
been surprised. butt think She did not
gaugh. and in aftcr-yctrs she would repeat
the limos fondly with u flush on her soft
face That is the kind YOU would Ike
to he yourSclfr we would say IN jest TO
her, and She would reply. almost passion
ately, No. hut | would be windy Cprouan
OF being bis mother She who stood
with me on the stair that day was II very
simple woman, accustomed all her life to
making the most OF small things. and
weayed sufficiently well to please her
which has been my only stedfast ambition
since | was little boy
Il have said that this is book 10 put
side liy side with A Window in ThrGms.
and there is Il deeper reason for rhis
/ v hen we remember that on thp recent
deaths Of Mr.. Barr'es mother and her
daughter. within u Few hours of each
| OIHNJs II WIS Niit+ll uHSiIbSt'tl tAUl tIth
were the originals Of Jess and Lccby
The lovely story of their lives had
| beautiful and not wholly mOurnful end:
It was mournful u mortal things are. bai
| fbc beauty was more than the sorI3W.
and Mr. Barrie's book will make th's
clearer. In the almost intolcrabk IA
thetic chapter. Dead This Twcs1
Years, Mr. Barrie, in writing about ,he
tragedy ia another vmans lfe. dr,ay
his inspiration from similar ttage.
in his mothers life 1t was the on
thing. he says. ] have written thar Size
never spoke about. moi even to i9.aj
daughter she loved the best. No one
ever spoke OF it to her or asked her ii
she had read it; one doesn't ask Q molh
or il She knows that there IS coiti3
in the house. She read mauy times iht
book in which il was printed. lalt whe.
she came 10 that chapter she would l.