The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-12
Pt BIG kTIONS.
n. l.. STEVENSON Ar sARANAC.
DR.. Trudeau Tells OF the writer's winter In
The AdirNndAckS.
Busincs. colleges.


Robert Louis Stevenson spent the winter
Of lss7-ss at Saranac Lake. having been
advised by New York physician to do so
for the benefit Of his health While there
he became very friendly with Dr. L. l..
Trudeau who was in charge Of the Adiron-
dack Cottage Sanitarium. "reminiscences
Of the authors visit have been written by
the physician and appear in the Journal
Of he Outdoor Life, which Is published at the
sanitarium
Mr. Stevenson and his stepson, Lloyd
Osborne, saws DR.. Trudeau, arrived at the
lake early in the fall Of 1887 and settled in
the Andrew Baker cottage. where Mr..
Stevenson was soon Joined by his mother
most attractive woman. Stevenson re-
NAMED at Saranac Lake until the follow
ing April. The ice and snow and intenss
cold did not appeal greatly to his tenn
permanent, but his health was improved by
his stay.
He used to rail in such forcible but beau
tiful language at the cold says DR.. Tru-
deau land al the snow. the succession OF
cloudy days and the lack Of color and sun
shine that had his remarks been written
they surely would have made Saranao
Lake famous at any rate as having fur
nished an inspiration TO such beautiful
and picturesque language.
The big fireplace, full Of cracking logs
appealed to him more than the bleak, snow
covered Landscape outside. and usually
long before dark he could be found with
his feet to the fire a cigarette in his mouth,
ready for a chat on any subject the phy7
stefan might bring up. Stevenson and
Dr. Trideau had very different ideas on
many subjects, and the discussions were
,ffrnnf Tod g.
members at least one occasion on which
the limit Of parliamentary language was
almost reached.
His idealistic and artistic temperament
clung to all that was beautiful IN NE as
expressed in nature, in art in form, light
and color, in thought, IN poetry ana ltnagl-
nation. SAYS the physician, and Ire de-
Hberatey turned his back on the cold facts
of science and life ignored them as much
as Dossib g. and summed the discussion OF
such subjects az poverty. disease sorrow
and suffering. with which We were more
or less surrounded
Ills life had been spent among and bis
thoughts given TO the former things, while
I perforce had to do mostly with the latter.
so that we rarely could see things from
exactly the same point of view. But these
informal talks bv the freight SHAH always
consider "a a great and blessed privilege
one which at the time. regret 10 say, oIo
not fully appreciate. 80,
Wbiletalkfng Stevenson displayed his ner-
vous temperament, and when particularly
Interested be moved about the room al
most continually blowing clouds oi smoke
into the air while he talked brilliantly.
Aft,r these discussions DR.. lrudeau often
left the house with a sense OF having been
thoroughly worstod.
Only on one occasion, he says, wss their
rarting al all stormy and, strange as 1t
NAV seem. the topic OF discussion was
a mdicrously trifing one-the relative
advantage Of the foreign method Of trunk
transportation as compared with the amen
can checking system. Stevenson ardently
defended the foreign way OF doing thlngs
and would never recede one inch IN his dis
cussion. -
The author intensely disliked all social
functions and declined all invitations
On one occasion when be did accept an
invitation to dine and first caught sight OF
a Handsomely decorated dinner table he
remarked to Or. 1rudeau:
This sort of thing always gives me a
regular stage fright
On SATURDAY. afternoons, however,
Stevenson was al home 70 all who wished
10 see him. and many visitors at Sai anac
lake called upon him, But tho pleasure
was often one sided and u was apparent
that the conversation was irksome 10
remained too long. On one occasion
fashionable woman cornered him and
talked for a long time. When she had
gone Stevenson heaved sigh OF relief.
You kuC r. II Ism Z tae great un"dshel
which | dread, he remarked, put the
great washed.
In the sitting room Of the Baker cottage
y evenson received many prominent men
who had journcyed 20 Saianac Lake 20
mest him. IL was in TINS room, by the
light Of the fire, while Stevenson sat on
chair placed on the top Of a table which
had been moved into a corner. that Richard
Mansfield delighted him with his imper-
sonation Of Or. Jokyl and Mr.. Hyde.