The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1902-05-06

francis Bret HGTte was born IN Albany
y y, august .. 1888. Of mixed English.
German and Hebrew ancestry. He re
csiFed q common school education His
father, professor II the Albany Female
College. died when tee boy was quite
young, and in 1854 the family removed to
California Living in the rude mountain
settlements Of the interior and mingling
with the rough characters there, the boy
obtained from natural experience many
Of the incidents which we're afterward en-
bodied in his writings. During the first
three years OF his life in California he
turned his hand 70 whatever promised him
livelihood. From San Francisco he &c
said 10 have walked to Sonora, where he
oTened a school. which Was a failure He
VS. subsequently a compositor in q news
paper Office in Eureka, q miner. and an
cypress messenger In 1857 he went to
San Francisco and became a COmDOsitoF
in the Office Of the Golden Era There
2 few sketches from his pen OF a Bo-
henian character attracted the favorable
notice OF the editor, and he was taken
from the case ana and put at the desk as
one Of the writer's for the paper. For q
time he was associated in the manage
nent of the Californian" a literary
weekly. in which nc printed his con
CenGcd novels" II had, however. but a
brief existence 1t was in 1863 that he
first became known in the East by one
OF his sketches. and in 1864, having IN the
meantime held some minor political ap-
pClltnents, he was made secretary OF the
United States branch Inint-a position
which he continued 10 hold for the next
six years. During this time he wrote
John Burns, Of Gettysburg The PHO
CeEe Skull, The Society Upon the stan
islaus," and other poems which had
wide circulation. IN July. 1868. the over
Iaad zsonthly" was begun, With Mr.. Hartc
as editor. II is said that the fact that
the first number OF this publication had
10 diztinctivcly Californian romance in its
pages attracted his attention and, having
the plct and general idea OF one in his
Mid he determined 10 write il cut for
the following number The result was
The Luck CT Roaring Camp ''-that never
to-be-forgotten idyl OF pathos and rude
natural beauty oddly enough, the story
was generally disapDroved in the Office.
being even considered immoral and CT
character likely to re injurious To the
general pubIic-not to speak CT its pes
sibIe effect on the future OF the Over
land Monthly" The prOofreader.
young lady, was with difficulty induced
70 continue reading it, after having risen
from its perusal with disgust. Mr.. Earte
was requested 10 withdraw the manu-
gcFfUt. but this he absolutely refused TO
do. making its publication determine the
question OF his remaining editor OF the
MAGAZINE. It was dolefully admitted, and
the number containing it sent out with
many misgivings on the part OF the pub
Usher In California the story made lit
tie impression. and what 1t did make was
unfayorabIe; but il the East 1t aroused
the whole reading public Letters and
complimentary notices came flooding in
through the mails. among them re-
quest from the Atlantic Monthly for
similar story. Mr.. Harte threw of in
an hour OF idleless, one day, the poem
of the Heather Chinee" C'Plain Talk
from Truthful James'D, and tossed 1t
carelessIy into his desk. Some months
after, the printer Of the Overland
Monthly needing z little copy, Mr. Harte
hunted among his manuscripts and select
ed this 1t was thereupon published and
became household word wherever the
English language was read. Several we'll
known sketches followed: The OuLcasts
Of Poker Flat" "AIiggIes,' - ''Tennessee's
Partner Miss and FLYNN or Viz
ginia," also "Dickins in Camp and the
"Greyport Legion" two OF his sweeter
poems, that viii never fail to touch the
heart In 1870 Mr. Harte was appointed
professor Of recent literature in the Uni
versity of California. but he resigned the
following spring, and retiring from MS
editorial position. settled in New York
Later an attempt to found literary mag
azine IN Chicago. under his direction,
proved q failure. and he devoted himself
to writing for the Atlantic Monthly" and
Iecturing on the -ATgonaut5 OF IS"
throughout the country. He was appoint
ed United States consul at Crefeid Ger
many. in 1873, and transferred to Glasgow.
Scotland, in 1880. where he continued IN
I'll 1856. Since that time he has resided
abroad. devotinr himself to literature.
No living writer, - according to the Lon
don Spectator" has struck so power
ful and original a note as he has sound