The daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1904-1905, 1904-10-05

poet, who has many riends in Rich
mond, and who spent much Of his
time here some years ago at the pc
Rod he was striving for recognition
in the world of letters, is gradually
growing weaker as result of his bat
tie with dread tuberculosis, and ac-
cording to word received from Dayton
yesterday there is absolutely no hope
for the colored genius.
Some years ago when Dunbar was
in Richmond to give a reading he said
to friend relative to the race prob
lem:
II believe it is one that will solve
itself, and all the sooner if those in
terested in it will talk and write less
and work more. Individually, I
should have been very unhappy if
condemned to follow a handicraft,
and [ cannot agree with those who
would doom the race to mechanical
occupation. Give the negro, | should
say, thorough industrial training, and
if any among them are able to get
above this, let them do it,
Three years ago the poet had every
appearance of one suffering from tu-
berculosis, and was even then deplor
ing his probable Punishment from
Washington. To it, he declared, the
best negroes in the country gravitate,
his own circle Of congenial acquaint
ances being so large that he could not
entertain them all at once at his house
OF his literary work he said:
"My pen supports me. At one
time | added to my income by reading
in public, but since my voice has fail
ed IN have given that up almost en-
tirely. When | first began my career
[ sometimes accomplished 5000 words
in day. Now / write slowly-oh, so
slowly. I often spend three weeks on
a single chapter, and then am not sat
isfed with the result. | have never
succeeded in perfectly reproducing
what was in my own mind, but, for
tunately for the artist, the public
doesn't see the mental picture, and
the poor copy ism It unfavorably con-
trasted. My work has grown harder
to me, rather than easier, as | have
gone on, simply because | am more
critical of it. / have never reached
an elevated plateau, and [ am glad [
l
ceases to climb he ceases, also, to lift
his readers up with him. A year ago
in filling a prose order from Lippin-
colts magazine, | did do piece of
rapid work, writing $4,000 words in
thirty days, but have never recover
ed from the strain of it,
The poet prided himself on his
mixed African blood, and preferred
the term "negro' as applied to the
race. The descendant of several gen.
erations of slave ancestry. he was
born in Dayton, Ohio, in 1872, his par
ents, Joshua and Matilda Dunbar be-
ing natives Of Kentucky and his
grandparents from the eastern shore
of Maryland. His father, who follow
ed the self-acquired trade of plaster
er, died when Paul was - years old,
and in this connection he said:
"My mother, who has no education
except what she picked up herself, is
a very remarkable woman. She
taught me to read when / was four
years old, and my parents being both
fond of books, used to read aloud to
us as we sat around the fire in the
evening. To this I owe a great deal,
but generally speaking, the early in
fluences surrounding me were not con-
ducive to growth, and any deevlop-
ment in myself came from fighting
against them. Through the evening
readings l was introduced to Robin
son Crusoe,' 'Uncle Tom s Cabin and
many other things. The former l
have never read for myself, but [ did
run over the latter, and was disap-
pointed in IT, The author saw things
through the lens of her own intense
feeling. and they were magnified. I
was educated at the public schools Of
Dayton. graduating at the high school
and afterwards having two years of
study.
''My first attempt at rhymine was
made when I was years old I came
across a verse from Wordsworth, and
a gentleman living in Dayton happen
ing to have that name, / thought that
it was written by him. This impress
ed it upon my mind, and as l crossed
the railroad track In cnino home from