The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-12-04

Twelve Years OId-Novei Experience
With an Unknown Contributor-His
Work as q Reformer.
Richard Watson Glider, poet. lectur-
er and editor in chief Of the Century
Magazine, who recently died at the
home of q friend In New York city.
was born in Bordentown. N. j.. on Feb.
8, 1914. For more than quarter of
century he was regarded as an au-
thOrity on, literature.
Mr.. Glider came Of colonial stock and
inherited a scholarly bent. His father.
the Rev. William H. Glider of the
Methodist denomination. was the
founder Of Bellevue seminary. Borden
town. n. j.
Richard browsed about as boy in
the printing Office of the Long Island
Times in Flushing. While he still wore
short trousers he could hold his own
as setter of type. Perched on an
old soap box. he was wont TO set his
own compositions in type and print
them. He showed a precOciOuS lean
ing toward letters in his early youth
and before he was twelve years old
was writing, setting type for and pub
fishing the st. Thomas Register at
Flushing. n Y. whittier his father had
gone to establish st. Thomas Hall, an
academy for boys.
In the AntisIavery Cause.
His education was completed under
his fathers tuition. and when he was
sixteen he was following national is
sues. His ardor for the antislavery
cause led him at this period to unite
with two young colleagues in the pro-
duction Of newspaper in the support
of Bell and Everett for presidential
honors
He was always somewhat frail. but
when the civil war broke out he was
anxious to fight, and at the time when
the northern cause seemed threatened,
in the campaign of 1863. he enlisted in
Lands Philadelphia battery, serving
until Lee was beaten back from Penn
sylvania.
Mr. elders first serious editorial
venture on his own responsibility was
the establishment in 1868 Of the New
ark (N. j. Morning Register. a daily,
which he founded and edited with
Murray Crane The Register was not
a financial success. and he gave up his
connection with it in short time.
His literary ability had already re-
ceived wide recognition in New York.
which then represented the best
/ thought Of the country, and at the age
! Of twenty-six he was offered the edi-
/ by the ScribnerS. When this publica-
/ ton was absorbed in Scribner's Month
/ ly. organized shortly thereafter. he be-
came associate editor under DIR. Hol-
! land. retaining that post for eleven
years. When at DR.. Hollands death
| the magazine underwent further re-
/ organization and change of ownership.
/ becoming the Century, Mr.. Glider fol-
lowed it as managing editor. He held
/ this post from 1881 until his death.
During all the period of his editorial
work Mr.. Glider was writing from
/ time to time verse, which was the ba-
/ sis of his widest public appreciation.
His first book of verse. The New
/ Day," was published in 1885. and
among these and the six volumes
which have followed are included SON
nets and lyrics which have found a
setting in the American anthology and
have been rated by critics as sure to
pass into the heritage of the language.
Novel Experience With Contributor.
Magazine editors are often charged.
perhaps sometimes justly. with show
ing partiality in their acceptance OF
manuscripts. but far more often the
case is the reverse, and manuscripts
are accepted purely on their merits
without the editor knowing or realiz-
ing who the author may be. The fol-
lowing experience of Mr.. Glider while
editor Of the Century is case In
point: He was sitting at dinner next
to a charming young girl whom he
knew slightly as a clever young wo-
man with somewhat decided ideas,
which she spent great deal Of energy
In carrying out
what are you doing nOw?" he ask
ed interestedly OF his bright neighbor.
Nothing. really nothing in particular
lust now," was the reply, except, per
haps. some verses I have been writ
ing"
"Oh, my dear child. don't do thatr
cried the editor i'm a tone Of horrifed
regret. why do you know, you are
really wasting your time. People can't
get 25 cents for 5000 verses today"
Cant they?" with sad surprise. 81
ean, though she continued. ''for l re
ceived So for some l wrote las
month";
"My goodness exclaimed Mr.. GIL
der in mild amaZement. "WhO pait
you that
"Why, you did!' cried the girl
Mr.. Glider was far from being
recluse In him the cooperative spiri
was highly developed. He took an &C
tive interest i'm civic life and performed
valuable services to New York city a
a member Of the tenement house com
mission that eradicated many Of tn
l evils of tenement life.
He was a member of several club
and one Of the founders of noted Sc
eieties.
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