The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-22
JOHN TROTWOOD MOORE ;.
 THE AUTHOR. AT HOME
Tennessee Scenes and Stories Were the InSpir atOn
 for "A Summer Hymnap by the % Alabama Genius.
By W. M. Bunting.
a .sGsh

That truth is stranger than fiction." is well illustrated by MT. John Trotwooo Moore's "A Summer Hymnal, considered the most beautiful pastoral written in many years, and one of the most talked of books of recent publication It was the writer's good fortune to visit Coiump2ia' Coin,2nt Tenn, the home of the poet and novelist. whose late book has made such pro. nounced effect in the literary world, ana learn something of the life of the author and the circumstances under which this exquisite pastoral-story was written. it is little singular that the only thing m the plot of the story which some or the and improbable" are the things which are true, and upon which MT. Moore built his story. to wit: The enbezzlement fer, his suicide. and the subsequent find, ing of the money in a tomb in the old cemetery in which are buried the father also the famous drive of Marjorie. the race mare suggested to the author as an hitherto unwritten episode in the life of GoNernor psssuen. ,aSasnst | T Lean" Jimmy Jones. scored a mark on Tennessees first great "a thoroughbred horse to do so. But let us give something of the setting of the story and the life of the author before as said at first. is another instance of the fact that truth Is stranger than hc- ton. Moors lives moaesty at sSs. sis bsa9 .s 9 lumbia, Tenn. facing the United mite States, States grounds and buildings with a deep setting cal of the country around Columbia and is indeed inspiring.
 He leads quiet ideal home life. and his pure, personal life is exemplified in the character he exquisitely portrays in his stories.
 Mir, Moore was born in Marion. Ala. NlzwA and Howard College. At an early age he showed his fondness for literature, ara- cient history and the Greek classics. and led in college debates. After graduating. he edited the old Marion Common wealth. for year and showed consider able literary ability and made some repu, poems published at that time were widely copied by newspapers of the country:
 He taught six years In Butler and VII cox Counties and established the Moore Academy at Pineapple being very sue cessfui in this work. He studied law at night and passed most creditable exam nafne1 ss ss did DSe not take Kindly to law
 The love of nature and out-of-door life and his fondness for literary work caus- cd him to return to the country wnere ae and more serious literary work. He mW- ed to Columbia, Tenn, in 1885. and' being interested in fine stock. bought a, ssosK nS farm and has since made specialty of breeding and raising fine horses.
 He writes for the mere love Of It, ana not for pay, consequently never senas n.t & SSs gives it his best thought and talent He works on his books in the morning, anu Is up behind fine horse m & the aIIerH0En: tStns nature or out on the track speeding a fine horse with the trainers. He IS fond of mixing with the country people: study E ing their ways and getting material Tor stories from them. By nature, he Is in tenseIy sympathetic and despises shanns and pretenses. He is plain and simple in in his life and habits, retiring and tmld by nature and shrinks from notoriety.
 He is known personally by every man. woman and child in the town or Colum, ,, bia, and is familiarly called Trotwood ''But Trotwood is not my real name ne said to the writer. 1 was named Jonn Moore from my father, Judge John Moore of Marion, Ala. But when l nov, ed to Tennessee was astounded to find that there were as many John Moores m Maury County as there were John smiths Moore must have settled in this county 3ust after the Revolutionary War; He seemed to be a most prolific gentleman and evidently all his male descendants were named for him in some way or "As a boy I spent most of my spare time in reading Dickens and Of all his funny characters old Betsy Trotwood appealed most to my youthful imaglna- ton. Intensely fond of all kind or live stock, when began to write for those Journals used Trotwood as my pen name. Later, gave them stories and poems of the life in the Middle Basin. tion and when the demand came for them from magazines and other periodi- calls, tried to drop Trotwood. but found. ries did not go. Even Ned Carmack, who was at that time with The Commercial Appeal. saw one of my poems signed author Like the little fellow who had hold of the calf's tail, the experience also of many other literary people, found that I could not turn my pen name Mr. .Moore's fondness for horses lead to a position on The Horse Review of Chi: in America, and his writings, under '"Trotwood Department" have been read the world over. It was the story, Old Mistis" that first made him famous The story is considered his best short story. and Is now found in nearly every book of elocution in the country. The race scene in 1t is said to be more sympathetic and thrilling than Ben Hur's famous chariot race. Many of MT. Moore's sto- ries are considered classics. His poem on Sam Davis was pronounced the best ever written on Tennessees hero scout. His tribute to CA Sweet Pea is said to be one of his most artistic poems. As an illustration of its sweetness and the epi- grammatical terseness of the author, l give 1t in its entireness.
 TO A SWEET PEA, A (Which. climbing in a rose bush. had es-
 caped the first frosO
 Come, little fairy. with your substantial Tiptoeing,. with your cloudless eyes
 a-dread,
 Why art thou here late. the blue bird
 sings,
 And ali thou sisters drunk of Lethe'r post erH fear to die7 'tis but mental pain And each must sleep if each would wake
 again.
 An, child of rainbow and the setting sun
 Flirting all the summer where the pop Death came before your little task was 'HS has that way as we poor mOrtaIs Then why seek shelter meath the roses For each must sleep if each have perfect
 rest.
 Afraid to go clad in that gaudy gown?
 Poor little dancing spirit of wild joy. God made thee such; nor will He eveI On any work of His. tho sad tn alloy Go as thou are. if honest be this aim. For God made honor everywhere the
 same.
 Nor fear to go. on some far twinkuns There is nome for butterflies like thee As starnsr worlds for sterner spirits are So fatBeE worlds are sweeter beings be. Good-by. soTne day I'll catch thy faint Ar5 HIr1o~g ;t hJov,ntL 3-o-. ,,,,-.a-t q,