The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-08-26


made him famous among southern
authors. Benevolence is written in
every feature of his face. and no one
can look into his countenance with
cut seeeing the record of MANY gem
erous deeds written there He is al
ways ready to help the poor with his
substance, and every years he gives
away hndreds of dollars in aims, but
he tries to keep his charities conceal
ell from his fellow men. so that the
world will be none the wiser. Mr..
Harris cordially hates to be inter
viewed, and newspaper correspondents
have seldom been able to get much
information out of him.
He lives some distance out from the
center of town, and his country-like
home IS surrounded by five or six
acres of well-tilled land rich in fruit
trees, grape vines and other agricul
tural products, and stocked with cows,
horses, cattle and other animals. Hav
ing been reared in the country, Mr..
Harris has never outgrown his early
fondness for rural occupations and
diversions. From time 10 time his
friends have endeavored to prevail
upon him to move to town, but he
has persistently refused to entertain
the proposition. He loves to commune
with nature in her shady hooks and
cool retreats. He maintains in his
droll way, that towns and cities are
not fit places for people to live in be-
cause they have to live cooped up in
narrow quarters where they can en-
JOY none of the freedom and drink
in none of the inspiration which
abOunds in the pure air of the coun-
try, remote from the busy centers of
population. He loves to see things
grow; and. though he is not in the
least scientific, he possesses an abund-
ant stock of practical information
concerning every tree. plant and
shrub which his native woodland
produces. Virtually he still lives in
the country, being surrounded by
everything which the farm yields,
and maintaining the ways and Gus
toms of the country gentlemen of the
old school.
Mr.. Harris is very fond of animal
pets. and he keeps many Cf them
about him. They furnish him with
entertainment and instruction both.
He says that two-legged animals can
learn much from four-legged ones if
they will only stop to study them.
He understands animal habits and pc
culiarities as we'll as any one who has
ever mode them the subject of study,
and this fact is apparent to every one
Who reads his books. He is exceed
ingly fond of investing animals with
the attribute of speech, and some OF
his animal dialogues are as brightly
amusing as anything to be found in
our humorous literature. Much of
the material which he has woven in
TO his stories Mr.. Harris gathered
from his plantation life in Putnam
county. Georgia. Here he first made
the acquaintance of "Brer Rabbit
and"Brer Fox whose adventures his
pen has since made classic. Possessed
of an exceptionally good memory.
Mr.. Harris has never forgot any of
the stories which he heard in his boy
hood days from the lips of the negroes
on the plantation Most Of them are
now familiar to every American read
er through the writings of Mr.. Har-
ris. who has given them to the world
under the pseudonym of "Uncle
Remus.'' Mr.. Harris claims no credit
for them whatever. He says that he
has merely endeavored to reproduce
them as he first heard them years
ago. Perhaps it is not invidiCus to
say that in his thorough mastery of
the negro dialect, as well as in his
minute and intimate acquaintance
with the negro's peculiar nature. Mr..
Harris has no superior among pres
ent-day Southern writer's, and possi-
bly, no equal. Mr.. Harris is better in
his short stories than in his long
ones. though in his long ones he is
brilliantly entertaining and has met
with splendid success. Character
sketches. rather than plots. constitute
the charm in which his stories
abound. OF late years he has turned
his attention TO other phases OF
Southern life than those which deal
exclusively with the negro.
There is nothing artificial about
Mr.. Harris. He is simplicity itself. In
his religious views as we'll as i'll his
outward social manners he is wholly
free from pretense or affectatiOn.
Theological wranglings have no at
fractions for him whatever, and he is
bitterly opposed to what is called the
higher criticism. He plants himself
squarely upon the fundamental prin-
ciples of the gospel of Christ. and he
saws that if the world is. ever re-
deemed from sin unto Righteousness
it must be accomplished through the
power of the Holy Spirit, and not
through the agency of theological
doctrines and dogmas. He is really
much like Sam Jones, who is credited
with the saying: Il don't know
much about theology and botany, but
| love God and flowers.
Though Mr. Harris delights TO be
in the company of his special friends
he cares nothing for what IS ordinari-
" termed social life. He feels awk-
ward in the presence of strangers,
and rarely accepts invitations 70 So
cial functions In his dress, as in his
manner. he is perfectly plain and sim
pie. being wholly indifferent to the
edicts of style. Perhaps no man. de
pendent upon the public. pays less re-
gard to what the public thinks OF
him than does Mr.. Harris: but he be
fieveS that if he does his best ms re-
putation will take care OF itself. lie
loves his home and seldom leaves II
at night. Even the opera Is power
less to draw him out. Mr.. HARRIS
comes in contact with the public al
most exclusively through his writ
II, 4ha ay.ta hnu6raflS III