Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-06
Bret Harte and His Family.

The unhappy condition in which
Bret Hartes daughter Jessamy recent
" found herself in Portland is bring
| ing into print some stories not alto
eether pleasant regarding the great
Californian writer's treatment of his
family during the last 20 years or ms
life. While the popularity of Harte's
writings have caused him to be sur
rounded by halo. 1t appears that. like
| many another genius, he does not
stand a close inspection. RI writer In
the New York Sun, who claims full
knowledge OF the facts Of the case and
to write without prejudice, gives the
public a story from which we make
the following excerpt:
For twenty years or more before
his death Bret iarte lived in London
in ease, receiving q large and steady
income from the sale OF his Writings
All this time his wife and two
daughters We're living in Plainf1eld
n. j., struggling to keep up appear
ances and TO make both ends meet.
Letters from the celebrated father
and hushan nd were f-w and FAR ne
| tween, and .remlttances came still less
| frequently What bitter thing it is
| for those who are refined. educated
and we'll torn to put up fight
against poverty! And still the brave
| mother and her daughters were never
! heard by their friends IN utter
harsh word against the husband and
| father WHO had taken himself out Of
their life and who lived in ease among
! the literary lights of London. So far
as the outside world ever knew, Mrs.
| Hartc, Jesaamy and Ethel looked upon
their father as wonderful man
and one of Americas greatest writer's
| The daughters were brought up to re-
we're him, while the mother bore her
| sorrow in silence.
| Why Bret Harte deserted his family
| SO cruelly--for it can be called moth
ling less than desertion-is mystery.
No doubt in years to come it will be
| laid to the eccentricities of genius
Never once, after going abroad late
| in the '70s or early in the sos. did
Bret Harte return to his native land
or did his wife and daughters visit
him. After his death in London a
| few years ago Mrs. Harte and the
youngest daughter went abroad. hop
| ing he might have left something that
would make their life a little smooth
err But the genius had left nothing.
Instead of getting a royalty on his
books from his publishers he had re-
ceived a stated sum annually. and this
| income ended with his death. All left
for the family was the memory OF a
man looked upon as great by all ex-
| cept those who knew.
Bret Harte also had two sons, but
they were able to take care of them
selves, and they did more for the
mother and the two girls growing up
to womanhood than their father ever
did. They left home years ago, and
neither is in this country, SO far as
former friends know. At last ac-
counts Mrs. Harte and Ethel. who
went to London after Bret Harte's
death and were discovered living In
poverty, were the beneficiaries there
of fund established by such proml-
ncnt authors as Gilbert Parker. Conan
Doyle. George Meredith and Anthony
Hone Hawkins.
Does it not seem strange that an
author whose fine mind and seemingly
inspired pen could blend love. senti-
ment, pathos and humor az Bret
Harte has dom in Miss" THE Luck
of Roaring Camp" "Salomy James
kiss and many other stories could
be So brutal toward his own flesh and
blood?