The farmer and mechanic., 1906-12-04


behalf Of her writings. But / have tried
none but Pride and Prejudice" and
! sense ana Sensibility.' reading but
about a third Of the latter l regretted
| 10 sec one writer in The Bookman'
fail To appreciate J. \. Shorthousc's
exceedingly clever novel, John IEgIes-
ant" II says it is - q minor novel
If | had TO name one of the very best
novels since Blackmcrc published
ably designate John Ingicsant'
Looking over some papers ana
manuscripts recently in an old trunk
filled with such "cOmbustiblcs." /
found an editorial headed North Car
Olnians and the War" 1t was by that
veteran editor and staunch Democrat
the late Major Yates, OF the Charlotte
Democrat. an able weekly that did the
State much service at a time that
indeed tried mems souls when it
took Il Man to stand Staunch and i'm
movable. when 50 many able and in
fluential sons of North Carolina had
Jumped the fence" and landed secure
ly in the Republican party. there to
remain and suck the public teat." 1t
was September. 1870. that my appre-
ciativc and true friend said, and 1 had
forgotten all about it:
by d communication on our first
page it Will be seen that Dr r. r.
Kingsbury, of oxford. n. G., proposes
to write a history of North Carolina :
deavor to rescue from oblivion the
part taken by the State and the gal
liant deeds of her sons.
"As native Of North Carolina, who
thinks that the old North state is the
best in he world, we want to see JUS
tice done her gallant soldiers ana
statesmen. and we are glad Mr.. Kings
bury has determined to undertake tn.
work of preserving record of their
deeds. We hope every North Caro-
linian who loves his State viii help
forward the good work.
I have not the slightest recollection
Of having ever written such an an
nouHcement or having ever purposed 10
undertake such an important ana
much-nceded work. 1t was but five
years after the tremendous conflict
had ended when it appears / medi-
tated such an attempt. That history
is still very greatly needed and is still
uninterrupted. When will i pc begun
and who will undertake its accom-
pliShment? / was really aStonished
when | met with the editorial of Mai.
Yates. who was thoroughly North
Carolinian. In his editorial he said:
''Therc is no doubt but that facts
Will prove that North Carolina was
the backbone of the Confedoracy, and
that North Carolina troops did th"
received the least credit from the pens
Of sO-calIed historians who have pre-
tended to write hiStory.'
That was, remember, thirty-siX years
aSo or more. Up to now the justic"
uuC North Carolina soldiers has been
withheld, and strange statements are
made by enemies and gross insults Of
ferred. Major Yates mentioned that
the first man who lost his life while
in the discharge OF duty was NOrth
Carolinian from Mecklenburg county.
He also refers to the soldier Wyatt,
who was killed i'll battle at Bethel As
from EdSecombc county. That is cor
rect, but he was born in Richmond,
Va. and was, therefore. not ours to
claim. although a member of the First
North Carolina Regiment. Col. -. II.
Hill commanding. Some two or thre,
years after | sent the article to tn"
"DemOcrat' | was asked by several
Generals and Coloncls of North Caro-
lima to prepare such a history as Is
named above, and offered me $2,50o to
support my family while | Was dill
gently engaged in the preparation of
the important work. / declined the
task. although fully appreciating the
favor and honor bestowed so gencr-
Ously, and for reasons that dominated
my decision. I'm 1875. | issued Il pros
pcCtuS stating that | would soon un-
dertake to write Il 'I4istory of the
People of North Carolina" from the
first settlement to the beginning of the
great war in 1861. ] had no intention
of esSaying to touch upon the CrOWdlng
incidents aud results of that deadly
and very prolonged conflict. I made
preparations to begin the Work about
the first of November, 1875, and was
probably within q week of writing the
first sentence when my plans failed,
my house of cards was smashed l
then returned the works a generous
friend. Capt S. y. Ashe. of Raleigh.
had so kindly lent me. together with
the collection of Judge Battle, of the
Supreme Court, and another score Of
failure was entered against me- | ana
glad now that my prospects and hopes
were so early bIighted. If | had. as |
purpOsed devoted four or five years
to the writing of the stout octave of
about 500 pages, | would have f1ileI
my book with errors. for then the
tWenty-eight huge volumes of North
Carolina Colonial Records We're
inaccessible because unknown.
1t looked. to use Shakespeare, as if /
We're ''out Of suits with fortune"
But it WAS not so bad as it seemed, for
was saved from irksome failure. But
as some Yankee has said, every man
is certain to meet with his Waterloo.
Henry James. the foremost Yankee
living author, has steadily lost caste us
to his style for more than ten years.
| easily recall the time when the best
critics celebrated his good name as a
stylist and regarded him as one of the
best masters of English. and. among
Americans Of the last quarter of d
century, without rival. He has spent
most Of his last thirty years abroad,
mainly in England. Somehow he has
degenerated as q writer. and even his
most enthusiastic admirers have been
forced to recognize the decadence.
Even SO much Of Worshipper of him
as the New York 'Boolmdn," sees and
bemoans the decline. 1t says, for in
stance:
His style has gone from precosity
to eccentricity. He is playing down
to the level of the groundlings. Take,
for example. any Of the chapters from
his earlier books Of travel. such as
English Hours III Foreign Parts and
contrast them with such preposterous