Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-01-03

rS"ed IN Baltimore magazine Young
fs was master OF the NEGRO dialect.
~ nau heard IL ell his life from tho
",HiV'S' VINO were his attendants and
ll"Nha''s. Why might not he succeed
!" similar attempt2 This led 10 the
writing or INC Cabc's White Folks"
poem which appeared I'm 1877 In the
r'c-a-brac' department OF scrlbner's
M.H'iiiy' ana received immediate recog-
n'uoH' on account OF It's perfect dellnca-
.D" OF lho negro character and speech.
"aiS Nhan, which was his next pro-
VuCuoh' was founded upon an Incident
winch came 20 HIS knowledco three wears
",er a friend showed him letter.
'""'h from the pocket OF Georgia rr-
N"'e' VINO had been killed in battle. II
WaA from his swcetheart. and was badly
Wil''en ana spelled The girl. 10 seemed
nad uihed with him. but her affection
hnalN conqueiing her coquctry she
wrote 20 express her sorrow for having
treated. him so badly. She declared that
She had loved him ever since they were
az school together. when he was 30 good
10 her. and said she would become his
Vile he would get q furlough and
come home. but she added: Don't come
without furiough. FOR, unless you come
honorable / won't marry YOU" The
poor Fellow got bis fuIlOugh n short time
afterwards at Malvern Hill. and got II
honorable and the incident so touched
Mr.. Page that he az once began The
writing OF Mars Chan" In Offering the
story 20 the editor Of Scritners Month
ly no asked TO be allowed 10 prepare
an account OF the approaching ccnton-
NAL at Yorktown. which was being dis
cussed by the papers. The offer was
accepted; and tho account came out IN
the october NO. Of fhc maCaZine Of
1881. "Mars Chan" however. did not
appear until three years afterwards.
when tho periodical had changed its
namo 20 that of the Century In re-
ferring 20 this delay the editor said that
he was aware from the first Of IT'S
merit. but that the war was stu too
recent 20 admit OF IT'S publication. Mr.
Page received $50 for this story. As a
magazine serial. 30 created comparative
ly little sensation. When. however. It
camc ont I'm book form 70 thoroughly
established its authors reputation. and
letters poured in upon him from all
parts Of America. and even from Eu-
rope. il was followed by "Unc' .Edin-
burg's Drowndin," which ne considers
the best picture Of life I'm old Virginia,
which he has over drawn. Meanwhile
tho author had established himself as
lawyer in Richmond. and being ad-
suit of literature would interfere with
his success AT the bar, and too. being
somewhat discouraged by the detention
OF MARS Chan in the publishers hands,
his contributions 10 the press were
for q time discontinued. With his mar
rage. in 1886. 20 Miss Anne Seldom
Bruce. the beautiful young daughter Of
Mr. Charles Bruce. of Charlotte county,
Va, came renewal Of the literary i'm
pulse She cared for his stories and
cherished for him lofty ambitions, and
mo wrote for her "Alch Lady" which
Mr. Pare considers lin q sense hts
best work, was a product of this period,
and took It's tone from suggestion
from the editor of the Century that he
should prepare something for publication
treating of a more pacific State of feel
ing between the North and South OF
the half dozen stories which followed
I'm rapid succession, and We're collected,
I'm 1887, and bound together under the
title Of I'm Ole Virginia" cole Stract-
ed" was written in single night while
he author watched by the body OF the
mother of a friend. This volume passed
through a number Of editions, and was
republished in England. Mr.. Page now
added 10 his profession as a writer that
OF public lecturer, and large returns
flowed in 10 him from these twofold
sources. I'm 1883 he received the degree
Of ID. L. from his Alma Mater, Wash
ngton and Lee University, and in De-
cember of the same year his lovely young
wife died, after an Illness of only twelve
hours
I'm 1859, accompanied by his brother Mr..
Roosevelt Page. he went abroad. where ne
was the recipient of the most gratifying
attentions His marriage 20 Mrs Florence
I.athrop Field widow of Mr. Henry Field
Of Chicago. and granddaughter of Cover
nor Barbour, of Virginia, woman Of re-
fnement intelligence and culture, oc-
CURED i'm 1873. Since that event his wife
and himself have travelled extensively.
Their home i'm Washington is one of the
handsomest i'm the city, but a beautiful
summer residence on the Maine coast
claims their presence during a portion OF
the year. Mr.. Page also makes frequent
visits to the old homestead iu Virginia,
where his parents still live. His connec-
ton with Harper's Magazine as editor OF
the Drawer" was formed about the time
of his second marriage.
The periodically recurring demands
which il made upon his pen were peculiar
ly trying TO one of his mental constitu-
ton and habits. and having told, as ne
naively expressed it. call the stories he
knew" he withdrew from the engage
ment. As an expositor of that phase OF
the negro character of which he treats,
Thomas Nelson Page stands alone. The
new South has produced other dialect
writer's who have drawn Ga few with UNI
questionable fidelity the humorous side
of the race. He has penetrated the deli
cate vein Of sentiment running through
their nature. and though the supply which
it Welded could never have been abundant
IFS quality is unsurpassed. His stories
were possible only under the best condi-
lions of the institution OF slavery-where
the better feelings of the inferior race
were developed by sympathy and kindly
consideration, and am ideal master made
ideal slaves The distinguishing charao-
torietic of his writings is purity and beau
Nv of finish In exquisite pathos and fine
ness of touch his early productions
"Nars Chan" and "Meh Lady"-have
never been excellod. They are southern
classics. whose hold upon the admiration
of the lovers Of the beautiful In literature
cannot relax.