Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1899-01-27

A New York correspondent of the
Los Angeles (Cal.) Daily Times,
writing Of Henry James, William ID.
Howells, and other literary celebrities,
has something to say of A. p. Russell
who has large circle of frie -ds here.
and, as stated jim these columns some
time since. had conferred upon him by
the Ohio university the distinguish
academic title of Doctor of Literature.
Mr.. Russell. by the way, before he be-
came a confirmed bachelor, was a
great beau and was supposed at one
time to be deeply smitten with the
charms of a handsome Centerville girl.
Bat here is what the New York cor
respondent says:
Some twenty years ago American
readers received what they very gen.
orally accounted a most gracious gift
in book called Library Notes" 1t
was one of those books that selected
and connected up for them in a relish
ing way great wealth of the good
things that had been spoken or writ.
fen. In succeeding years other books
of the same kind. "A Club of One, y
In q Club Corner,D and so on, came
from the same author. From one and
all 1t was manifest that they could
have been written only by a man
who had traversed pretty nearly
the whole field of polite literature.
and had traversed it observantly
and fondly; and many a reader of
them. do not doubt, envied the writer
the delightful days and nights which
they fsncied mpst have been his lot
Tie fancy, if it occurred. was very
{, lose to the fact. 1t has fallen to few
men in this work-a day world to have
SO long a stretch of good reading as
has been allotted TO Addison z. Bus
sell, the author in question, and today,
1t ripe age, he is still in the full en-
Joyment of his lifelong pleasure.
This has not been, however, a mere
stroke of good fortune. Mr.. Russell
got the thing he particularly delighted
in by striving for it, and carefully
shaping his life to that end. He began
life as printer in the office of a coun-
try newspaper In time he became the
editor, and perhaps the proprit tor of
such a newspaper; and this led by easy
st ps TO his taking some part
in politics, ard achieving finally
the Office of secretary of the state
of Ohio. AT the conclusion of his
term he WAS appointed financial agent
Of the state of Ohio, resident in New
York City. This was a. special Office
long since rer dered unnecessary by
new financial arrangements and ma
chinery. and abolished. 1t was rather
profitable to the incumbent, and the
mr. Outstanding of his friends is that by
filling it Mr.. Russell was able to Law by
the capital which has sufE3eed him ever
siuce. His way Of life has alwavs
been = very simple, and even aDr,
,ne; he rad the good fortune "a as.Al
mt early what he wanted, and the
character to keep it when he got 1t. |
Yet he has not been simply man OF
he study. He is a large, ruddy, clean
shaven men of striking presence, with
A fine fashioned courtesy and a
cal gift in conversation, and in the
DAYS when he went more from home
than he does now. he was distinct
social and intellectual infius nee through
a considerable section of country. The
same sffi renee of good reading thai
enriches his books also appears in his
talk, but never pedantica.!y or oopres-
sively: all tends to good fellowship
and pure entertainment. Thus,
through many years, he has been a
pleasure and inspiration to his per
onal friends, as wei as to the pub
lie, and his life ought to afford him
great satisfaction in the eontempla-
ton