The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-03-31
m he late Edward Noyes westcott
died shortly before his story. -Da-
yid Harum. = Was in print and had

= =
yid Harum- was in print and had
become the most popular novel Of
the day. The author Of Alice of Old
vineennes- has been permitted TO see
his story attain TO an equal popularity
before his death. which occurred on
February Is TIE New York Times Of
February 18th gives the fo.loving
sketch of his life.
Mr. Thompson was born in Fair
field. Franklin county. Ind. September
9. 1s44 His father was the Rev. Mat
thew Griggs thompson, a Baptist cier-
gyman. The family moved 10 Ken
lucky In Aaurfce's early infancy, and
10 Cherokee Georgia. when he was s
years old He was educated principal
Is By a tutor. though he had various
short experiences at different schools
II was passion with IN to study out
of doors when a Joy. and in later
years the material for his best works
was sorted out and arranged in his
mind by the light of lonely camp
fire. He gained q good knowledge of
the dead languages. and also OF Span
ish. French and Italian, from his pre-
ceptor. and still found much time for
hunting and fishing Robin Hood was
fayorite character with him. and
the bow appealed to his fancy more
than the gun. He became proficient as
an archer. and it was largely his writ
ings that twenty years ago brought
about such revival of ,ae sport as TO
cause targets to spring up like mush-
rooms on fashionable lawns the land
over.
An English naturalist heard of his
prowess as a sportsman and engaged
him to get a collection of American
birds. including the great black wood
pecker now extinct or nearly So He
forwarded thirteen specimens of this
bird before one was satisfactory 20
his employer. He was to get c 10
for the whole undertaking. but wrote
for he best gun to be had in Eng
land for that amount of money IN
stead. He had obtained knowledge
of civil engineering by the time the
war opened, and he went to the front
Sherman's army swept away his faith
er's property. yet he accepted defeat
without bitterness. having already
concluded that the spirit of the nine
teenth century was against human
slavery. Then he went to Crawfords-
vile. Ind. to make his living, and
there married Miss Alice Lee. daugh-
ter of prominent railroad man of that
place, who survives him with two
daughters and son. He subsequent
ly became chief engineer of one Of
the Indiana roads, and was for a time
a member of the state legislature, and
afterward state geologist. His profes-
sion took him too much away from
home. and he took up the study of
law. becoming successful attorney.
He wrote much at this time. This is
the first verse of the poem which. for
warded to ". d. Howells, introduced
him to Boston and the literary world :
heard the woodpecker pecking,
heard the sapsucker sing
| turned and looked out of my window,
And 10, it was spring.
soon after there followed collec-
tion of newspaper sketches reprinted
under the title 'Hoosier Mosaics,' and
several papers on archery. including
the sWitchery of Archery which APP
peared in 1878 and started the craze
His novel of "A Tallahassee Girl
printed anonymously, served to make
the halfforgotten capital of Florida
a popular winter resort. When Mr.
Thompson confessed the authorship,
he received many hearty acknowledge
ments from the townspeople. BY
Ways and Bird Notes, published in
1855. met with great success, and
other notable works are His Second
sCfnrinc nf he Hhnrnlrna
Hills 'Songse of Fair Weather, and
Sylvan Secrets.
The gathering Of material for
Thompson's generally considered
greatest achievement. Alice of Old
yincennes.' extended through four
years, and there is historical warrant
for every important incident of this
story of Col. George Rogers Clark's
heroic expedition of 1779 Actual re-
cords furnish the incidents of the
hero's life being saved by miniature
and the Indian charm which turned
the bullet aside from Alice. Present
indications are that Thompson's later
CD work. The King Honey Island
which deals with the war of 1872, will
have an even greater sale than Alice
of Old Vincennes."
Mr. Thompson for many years held
an editorial position on The indie
pendent of this city. yet did his WORK
mostly at his home, Sherwood Place.
Charlottesville, an old mansion which
came down through his wife's family.
The building is in sight of the home Of
Gen. Lew Wallace. Mr.. Thompson
was a member OF the Ouiatenon. a
literary society of Charlottesville. He
was frequent attendant at the Cen
ter Presbyterian Church. but the most
he asked of the future he embodied
in these lines:
So. when fall like some old tree.
And subtle change makes mold of me.
There let earth show fertile line
Where perfect wild-fiowers leap and
shine
The Springfield Republican Feb
ruary i6) thus critically comments on
his writings:
Thompson was one of the men who
ought to have lived q hundred years,
for he was still growing. and there
were possibilities of greater humane
ness and larger outlook in his nature
for he was singular estray out of
the days of Greece when the satyrs
and fauns and nymphs were known.
and OF the ages Of Merrfe England.
plunged into this present busting age.
and not yet alive to its finer under
standing OF that nature to which he
gave so close an observation and so
warm an affection. Much as he en-
3<,vo<a Sho vnr>ekfn >. As5p17 M eoxY1d draw