The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-04-18
JOHN BURROUGHS THE SILENT.
Presidents Companion Never Talks
for the Sake of Being Social.

Presidents Companion Never Talks
for the Sake of Being Social.
Chicago News.
John Burroughs, the poet-naturalist. who
is accompanying the President on his
Western trip, holds the American cham
ponship for taciturnity. He never talks
merely to be saying something or to be
agreeable. When the conversational muse
is with him he is the best company imagin-
able but when his inspiration has taken Its
flight there is about as much company In
John Burroughs as there Ia in deaf and
dumb person. He pays no more attention
to remarks addressed to him than If he
did not hear them.
Those who know of the remarkable de-
veIopments of this trait in the Presidents
travelling companion fear that Mr.. Roose-
Welt, who is prone to judge men by their
conversational powers. will experience some
lonesome times after he and Burroughs
shut themselves out from civilization in
the Yellowstone Park.
One of the Presidents intimates who also
knows Burroughs well says there is wide
difference in the way these two notables
commune with nature. The President is
he is in the White House. He likes to give
voice-and a loud voice at that-to his de-
light and admiration. Burroughs spends
his life in silent enjoyment, and 1t Is said
that he greatly dislikes any effort to change
his mode.
AS an instance of his remarkable ability
to keep his mouth shut. it Is related that
an aggressive magazine editor went to
visit Burroughs at his hermit retreat in
the Adirondacks a few months ago he
was well acquainted with the naturalist,
having had a number of business transac-
tons with him. Burroughs met the literary
man at the door Of his hut and offered
warm welcome. Then he took him on a
When they returned to the cottage he
shook hands warmly with the visitor and
said bood-bye and declared that he was
the most entertaining guest he had had
for q long time. Not word had been
spoken during the ten-mile walk and the
visit was absolute failure. from the
EDITORS point of view. but he did not pos
sess the ability TO break through the CLOAK
of silence with which Burroughs had en-
veloped himself.
Burroughs lived in Washington forty
years ago. He was then an army nurse. At
that time Walt Whitman was employed in
the Treasury Department, and these two
made the acquaintance of street-car con-
ductor, whose first name was Mike. The
three roomed together in q very humble
place, where the rent matched the endur-
ance of their pocketbooks. Mike, judged by
the worlds standard, was the best of, for
each month he received 500 in the depre-
ciated paper money of the time for his
services to the tramway company. He still
occupies this envable position, for he is
now the head baggagemaster at one of the
important stations on the Pennsylvania
Railroad.
Burroughs secured a little patch of land
near the capital, where the two made re-
treat. and this finally became so attractive
to Burroughs that he gave up his govern
ment position. There he tended to the cow,
raised vegetables, watched the trees grow,
and studied the bugs and birds. which were
ALWAYS welcome TO his patch. Human De-
ings were not invited there. They annoyed
the things Burroughs loved best. His only
human acquaintance were Whitman and
Mike 1t is quite likely that he would not
have tolerated them after he became en-
crossed in his nature studies had they been
talkative, but Whitman could sit still and
look at the garden for hours at time.
while the car conductor could always re-
member not to rub the naturalist the wrong
way and keep silent as his companions.
When Washington grew out to the retreat
Burroughs gave up his place. He Is not
happy in the noise and hustle of cfvtliza-
ton. He says he must have quiet.