Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1909-06-03
REMARKABLE LIFE
OF DANIEL DEFOE.
A Story Of Success After Fail
ure That Still Lives in
Robinson Crusoe."
From the New York American


SO full of failure and loss. disappointment
and sorrow, was that of Daniel Defoe,
the immortal author of Robinson Cru.
Soc The man who was destined TO mako
so many millions happy was himself the
victim of the wry-faced Fate which pur-
sued him from early boyhood to the day
of his death
OF the thing men call success Defoe
knew but little. 1t was a dream. always
beckoninE to him, but never materiauz-
ing.
His first thought was to be a minister.
but after studying divinity he made up
his mind that he would give up the pulpit
and try something else. He has left US hia
reasons for not becoming clergyman. II
a man of brains and honesty enters the
ministry. he claimed. he must soon becoint
one of two things. hypocrlte sr Z
martyr. He did not wish to become eithen
80 he threw his theology overheard. not
however, until he had fired this parting
shot.
Wherever God ereets a house Of PRAYER.
The devil always builds a chapel there:
And twill be found upon examination
The latter has the larger congregation.
Throwing his theologue1 robe aside
Defoe Joined the Monmouth msurrection
and being fortunate enough to get Oft
without being hanged or transported,
turned to the more peaceable avocatiou
seven years In the stocking and under
shirt business the eX-preacher and trader
found himself insolvent.
Absconding from his incensed creditors
Defoe took to the high seas where liza
played the part of merchant adventu.er
Ion, some years
Later on he appears as one OF King
Williams bookkeepers, and soon after
losing his job i'll the royal establishment
he takes once more TO trade. or rather
to manufacture. The net result OF his
brick and tile making venture was a fail
ure to the tune of $4,000. a big sum for
that time.
Now, 1t happens that when a man can do
nothing else he can write, and 1t was to
tl:.s obliging and never falling thing that
itefoe now turned. He pitched into the
High Church party. and for his pains had
his ears cut off. was fined. pillorled and
thrown for two years into Newgate
prison.
While In prison his wife and children
we're kept from starving by the charity
of friend, and when free again Defoa
turned to fiction.
1t was q wonderful pen that Defos
handled. writing I'm verse. in prose on ey-
cry subject. in all over $50 works: but all
of them Improbable if not commonplace
not one of them destined for Immortality.
And now the little old middle-sized
man, spare, Of brown complexion and
drak- brown hair, hook nose sharp chin
and gray eyes. and a large mole near his
mouth, was nearing the three score
mark. Strange had been his lot, Well
could he sing:
No man hath tasted differing fortunes
l more,
For thirteen times have been rich and
poor.
I Dcfoe was In his 5sth year when III
wrote the story that was to make him ip.
mortal. and to furnish for the youth of
I humanity in all lands and for all time
.he delight tha. Is found in no other
book ever written.
/ stoned for all the failures that had come
iucton. In that one Incompatible pro-
4 AUCTION he scored the grandest success In
/ ie whole history of literary triumph q
/ dccess that must necessarily grow great
ar and greater as the generations pass by
for the number of boys aud girls on
earth is steadily increasing, and with that
Increase must come the enhanced popular.
| ny Of Robinson Crusoe"
This immortal story--What is it, by the
! WAY, but the strongest known proof of the
fact that we should be very careful about
/ calling any ones life failure? This
/ remarkable man with his lifes sun about
10 set. began thinking of what he had
| been through, OF the battles he had had
I go wage with assistance from amy ons
! nut himself and the result was "Crlsoe"
4 the lone tighter. cut off from all help save
\ which was to be found I'm his own strong
1rni and courageous soul.