Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-07-09

| s. r. Elliott, a close personal friend
Of the late Bret Hartc, contributes To
| The Reader some delightful recolec-
ti"as Of that brilliant American. The
two appear to have met for the first
time N the Office CT an eye specialist.
where Mr.. Elliott heard his future
friend quantity saying. Tears. idle
| tears. | know not what they mean.
Harte was then, as always, dressed
with much care, but we are told that
although his aim was rather to avoid
notice. as was shown by conventional
garments ana ways, there was still
something in his movements, and
especially in his walk, that recalled
1 the unconscious grace Of some wild
animal" If his Western experiences
had left any mark upon his character
it was not obvious. One could only
divine it from the easy carriage of
which Mr.. Elliott speaks. He says,
too, that Hartc was extremely mod
est lin relating the part borne by him.
self amid the scenes he SO douGhtily
dcScribcs," and continues with these
int resting memories:
once, indeed, on my remarking the
craving Of his hair, he told me it was
due To the continued influence Of fear
II while Il rider with Yuba Bill. Several
1f his predecessors in charge of the
specie caskot having been shot, he
never mounted the stage, so he de-
clared, without some apprehension of
a dark glen, Il flash thercfrom, re-
port ana a tumble from the seat: and
although he nervcd himself to his new
duties as best he could, they grew
more uncOngenial with every repeti-
tirn. Then it was he had noticed that
he was growing Sray around the tenn
pies. ! reminded him Of his own mill
tary carecr--rf his having enlisted as
4 volunteer in the war between the
Eel River ana Scott River Indians.
To wnich allusion he replied: Yes.
that WAS after the Humboldt Raw
massacre. | was escorted to The re-
crIllting officer by Indignation and
hunger! But although the hardships
and privations endured then left me
a feeble stomach and irritable nerves.
! came to no other harm. Having no
blood to spare, | shed my digestion for
lft edom. You See he continued II
never mad any sympathy for those
moSS-p"rk heroes, although their WAYS
and. above all, Their point of view.
We're To me an incXhauStible source of
amusement and interest | cared lit
tie whether they wore their own Scalps
on their heads or Wore the ScalpS of
"tllcfS to trim their buckSknS | ONLY
saw some reckless men ready to fight
Tor their country, as did IIampden.
washington, and'-With twinkle
JEFF Davis. For, after all. why was
not benedict Arnold the most conscien-
nous Of our Revolutionary heroes?
Washington died an impcnitent if
Sur"' sstul, rebel; Lafayette was only
1iibustcrcr; but Benedict Arnold
mad the courage of his convictions. He
atone had the grace to ground down
'ht weapons OF his rebellion and sin
against his King no more And now
W" all kneW-at least. all the initiated
kncW-that Bret IIarte was giving. q
habit attributed 20 Byron. But, OBJ
serving that these and such like fra .
VeSticS Of his were not ALWAYS taken
IN good part, especially by those re-
turned veterans who were still voting
Bret would say: Boys. don't take if
too seriously. / always was a Union
man. and ready to sacrifice, as Arte-
mus Ward said. ANY able bodied rela-
tive" I possessed. SO don't look 50
solemn"
Mr.. Elliott alluGcs to the pains his
friend took-and took in vain-to learn
the Indian dialects. but says that he
succeeded in mastering. instead. the
slang and photography which consti-
tutrd the SPOKEN tongue of the miners
and cowboys. II worked harder and
studied longer" Harte said, "to learn
that language than probably would
nave Sutiic"d for the requirement Of
french. ItaIan-or even English"
Thcr" was nothing accidental, Mr.. Ell
lott observes. about the Finish, of
Bret Ilartc's prose. He "often made
| Our or five copies of Il note acccutinc
III invitation to dinner He had 4
2r"at enthusiasm for the work of Rob-
ri browning, saying, Il cannot de-
-'f!i" now am affected by the man
HaN"r which rcrvadcs. 50 easily and
naturally, all that Browning does.
icn was fifteen Jack Oakhurst and
ms lll> seemed to he the male of my
species; now that my hair is gray. il
- Robert ErrWning" Mr. Elliott adds
r!'""t 81 Il talk he had with Hartc.
which II" suggested that the novel
st had created his first idol. The re-
| DIV was in the negative. "Oakhlrst -
"ni llAIt", was ricccI un from odI;
lnd ends of Western character. mncb
III In" way sculptor takes an arm
from a %lhdiat"r, 4 leg from the
NinS"d-f""t fraternity and a head
rom som" ones ,"vc. desired to
make the character possible and prob
ahl". and added what ! thought need
full" With these and other notable
sideiiGhts on IIarte's personality ana
work. Mr. Elliott fills ont an uncnrn-
m"lly significant paper.
The Harpcrs are publishing, under
the It'll" of Bind 4 story of n quaint
and altogether lovable little Chicago
| girl " mo is set down in an olI-faSh-
Toned Scotch village. There is the con-
ts+., 4 Ill.