The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1901-07-22

into print. Though not consciously imi.
tative OF any one. my early verse must
have reflected my early reading Poem
after poem was written I'm my bedroom
by the light OF dim oil lamp after
hard days work. and when there was a
good stock on hand l made a bonfire
wrote and wrote and burned and burn
ed and finally summoned up courage
and sent something 90 a little maga-
zine which, much TO my surprise, print
ed It. Equal luck awaited me I'm one or
two other periodicals. aud | was soon
a regular contributor TO The knicker-
booker Magazine, The Union Magazine.
Sartain's Magazine and others"
This. modestly told, is the story OF MIR.
Stoddards hoyhood and of his strug-
giles as he bridged the chasm between
poverty and mean streets and the
heights OF Parnassus In my hearing
recently a friend who knew him in
youth expressed surprise that a poet OF
such fire and imagination should have
been product of such environment and
such circumstances.
He had little schooling and practical
ly educated himself" said this friend.
An occupant of the poorest quarter in
the city, IL may almost be said that he
never saw flower or knew tree. BY
day he was an iron polder. by night
student and struggling poet. / have
never ceased TO marvel at his triumph
over adverse conditions"
AT the age of "a III health compelled
the young poet TO retire from the iron
business, and a year later Ticknor.
Reed a. Fields brought out his first
book entitled Poems" copy OF the
first edition recently sold for s63 About
this time he formed the acquaintance
of Bayard Taylor, and IL was a happy
one for both Of them, for they remained
friends till Taylor's death I'm Berlin in
1878.
at times" Mr.. Stoddard said recent
ly. I'VE lived in the same house, knew
the same people and belonged to the
same club-the Century. In 1852 | met
Hawthorne, and we became good
friends. There was but a meager none
tary reward for struggling poets in
those days, and while was content 10
cultivate literature on a little oatmeal.
matrimony made IL necessary TO har-
ness Pegasus and business together,
and through Hawthorne's influence
with his political patron, President
Pierce / obtained a position as inspector
of customs in the New York custom
house and retained IL ~ years. During
this time my pen was not idle. and
wrote a great deal for The Round Table
and Vanity Fair. the most able humor-
Gus journals we ever had. of which
Charles G.. Leland was at one time ed
itor and later Artemus Ward. For ten
years ! was literary editor OF the New
York World, and / have served The
Mail and Express in that capacity for
20 years"
Despite his lack of boyhood advan-
wonderfully we'll read in English po-
etry. particularly that of the earlier pc
RODS. and as far back as 1860 edited an
illustrated volume of the Loves and
Herolnes of the Poets" His latest
prose work is an Introduction to a de
luxe edition of Morris Life and Let
ters of Lord Byron" I'm Is volumes. now
in course OF publication i'm this country.
Lorimer Stoddard. the poets son. is
the dramatst who wrote those very
successful plays. Tess of the D'Urber-
villes," Napoleon" and I'm the Palace
of the King" and the poets WIFE Eliz-
abeth Stoddard. is soon 10 issue new
edition of her novels. She is the lady
Of whom Eugene Field wrote:
A tiny little woman, but so quaint and good and
smart
That II you asked me to suggest which one I !
OF all the stoddnd treasures ] should promptly
mention her
EARLE HOOKER EATON.