Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1897-04-02
THE NEWS IN BRIEF.
"Oliver Optic"
Death of the Favorite Writer OF nov.,
Stories.

"e"th OF the Favorite Writer OF Rovs,
Stories.
me ueath OF oliver Optic" the distinguished
tu M, "r'ter' occurred at his home in Dorches
W mass saturday morning. For more than
~ is ne hau oeen an incessant writer of sto.
RES Tor boys, and, although he made no rratar,o
to literarylfame, he had achieved ran,toti, @
writer oil adventurous stories attractive to New
England youth, which was UNSURPASSED Winiar
l. ADAMS, as he was known hv his neigbhors
was descendant Of good Puritan stock and was
wi" III MeuWay, Mass, July 30, 1922 His father.
q prominent MOTEL man in his day built the orig.
maj ADAMS House IN Boston of which William
L; was for time proprietor He was not design.
6 aUI hotel man, however, and left the hotel to
oCCeihe u school teacher. He continued al This
PROGRESSION until the year 1868 When n school
10Y ne wrote several newspaper articles but his
G,s S. Iea literary venture was "Hatchie the
uul ul1n slave, which he completed when 40
Years old This book, which followed i'm the yyalle
vi uncle Toms Cabin. d" was a sensational anti
sssssVety tale for which the publishers paid him
SS!.,oO, neVlnB beaten him down from his asking
price OF 500 1t was widely read which led Mr.
Auahs 10 believe that his success Law in literary
w r., ne was ready writer and he turned out
-. i.aPiu succession such a large number of
stories Tor publication that he was Obliged To
auopt several MONS de plume, none of which
HpoNeNer, was the one which afterward made him
laulous HIS first story for boys was written
ABOUT dozen years after his work as a writer
nad become known to the public, and il was writ
Yen at ne request Of personal friend of the an.
NOR Mr; Ba2in, Of the firm of Brown Bazin &
20. OF Boston, by whom il was published II
WIS tne hrst volume of the well known '.Boat
Oluo SERIES Ever since then Mr. Adams has
written boys stories of adventure In ali his
stories, while endeavoringt to make them of thrill
ing interest, he strenuousy avoided idealizng
eVl'or leaving 1t to go unrebuked He sought also
70 reward virtue, to foster a spirit of noble am
pill3h ana TO make his stories not merely enioya.
ole nut profitable. He wrote nearly 49, volumes
lne principal of which are the Boat Club Sc
res, Woodville Series" "Riverdale Series. ="
Army and Navy Series" Starry Flag Series"
ana ~ Dung America Abroad 81" The sale of
these writings has reached nearly half a mil
non volumes. For twelve years he was
editor of the student and Schoolmaster -
ana was afterward editor of Our Bows and
Girls and our Little Ones" Mr. Adams was
captlNated one day by the name Doctor Optic, d"
Whlch ne one day saw upon the boards If the
boston Museum. and his next publication was
oyer me name Of oliver optic. VI D., of the
Mutual Admiration society" The name oliver
Optlc took well, and at the beginning of his
writings Tor boys he adopted the name as a per
manent pseudonym. His death was due to a
complication of heart and kidney disease He is
survived by one daughter, who is the wife Of Sol
Slhlth RUSSELL actor and comedian of Minneapo-
lis, Mum.