The courier. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1894-1903, 1899-10-21

Strong's mother 10 France before her
separation from Mr.. Osbourne, q Cali.
fornia merchant. and aitsr her return to
the Pscih, coast decided that life on
the othor side OF the Atlantic was i'm.
possible for him. When he resolved to
come to America, his father naturally
bitterly opposed 1t and refu.ed to sup.
ply the funds for such mad errand.
Stevenson, up to that tine had been
busy learning tho technique Of his craft
and had produced very littlo beyond
few essays, and essay writing Is not
highly remunerative occupation under
the most fortunate conditions. I'VE
have no courage now days." he once
wrote. but CO, tainly he did rot lack IL
then. Almost entirely without re.
sources, he burned his ships beLiL d him
and Get his face toward the west and the
future. He crossed tho Atlanu. steer.
age, traversed tn, continent In 40 emf.
grant car, and reached California only
to fall into a long and serious illness
through which Mrs. Osbourre nursed
him, marrying him Immediately after
che secured her divorce. Mrs. Osbourno
had, when he married her, two children;
Lloyd, who a'terward coll aborated with
Mr.. Stevenson, and Isabelle, now Mrs.
S'rorg, who became his amanuensis
and secretary.
His method Of composition" said
Mrs. Strong, % 1t was slow and labo.
rious-laborious sometimes even to
painfulnese, az he believed all coed work
must b.. He would pace the floor with
q tiny slip OF clrdL o lrd full OF notes in
his hand, debating to me so slowly that
l was easily able 70 wr;ts 1t nut 10 long
hand, aud be Vas ecrupulously re!ul
to dictate the punctuation, az that was
rather q hobby # his. Perhaps he
would finish chapter that day. Then,
the next morning he would read it over,
usually with many shake Of tho head.
ard with sigh would ris. and grid
himself for the battle, probably throw.
ing tho entire chapter into the fire and
carefully debating it over sgain, recast.
ing and revising it Until it was eome-
times scarcely recognizable Perhaps
it would remain 10 that form, but the
chances were that he would lay it by
for week and then take II up aud
work it over sgain and again. Only
once did know him to shorten this
process and write without revision, and
that was in his last aud uncompleted
novel, "Wier OF Hermis:on." He
abandoned "St. Ives in q tit OF boyish
enthusiasm for the new tale. and it
came from biz brain white hot. full
formed and word perfect. lie was
master Of 1t from the fra, his hand
never isltered or knew uncertainty.
On the very ncrning Of bis death no
said to me, Il see the whole thing az
clearly as I SEQ you. the book already
exists. it isl He, who was always 60
modest about bis work, always ready to
poke fun at it. said that "Wicr OF Her
mistoa" would be his masterpiece. Ga
that last morning no dictated with
astonishing ease and haency, at the
very high tide OF his power"
Only q fow hours later the stroke
came which stilled the delicate ma.
chipery OF that subtitle brain forever.
and from that low coral shore there
went out tidal wave OF loss and sorrow
that was felt around the world.
IL think" continued MIS-. Strong.
"that there were az many rs twelve
different endings written for "The Ebb
Tide" and no villain was ever killed