Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-11-30
R. W. GLIDER, POET

Became a Publisher Before He Was
Twelve Years old-Novsi Experience
With an Unknown contributor-His
Work az Reformer.
Richard Watson Glider, poet, lectur-
er and editor In chief Of the Century
Magazine, who recently died at the
home Of friend in New York city,
was born in Bordentown, N. j., on Feb
s, 1914. For more than a quarter of a
century he was regarded as an au-
thority on literature.
Mr.. Glider came of colonial stock and
inherited 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
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 Antislavery 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 a 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 O.. j. Morning Register daily,
which he founded and edited with
Murray Crane. The Register was not
financial success and he gave up his
connection with it in a 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-
torship of Hours at Home, published
/ by the Scribners When this publica-
1 ton was absorbed in Scribner's Month
ly. organized shortly thereafter, he be-
came associate editor under Or. 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
tbis 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
setting in the American anthology and
have been rated by critics as sure to
pass into the heritage of the language.
Novel Experience With a Contributor.
Magazine editors are often charged,
perhaps sometimes justly, with show
ing partially 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 charming young girl whom he
knew slightly as 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
I'd interestedly of his bright neighbour.
Nothing, really nothing in particular
lust now" was the reply, except, per-
laps, some verses 1 have been writ
ng."
"Oh, my dear child, don't do that.'
:ried the editor in 8 tone Of Mortified
'egret. 'Why, do you know, you are
.eally wasting your time. People can't
get % cents for 5000 verses today"
Cant they" with sad surprise. 81
: IAN, though" she continued, "for l re-
.eived $25 for some I wrote last
month";
"hy goodness exclaimed Mr.. Gil
Ter in mild amazement. "Who paid
you that?'
"Why, you didw cried the girl.
Mr.. Glider was far from being a
:ecluse. In him the cooperative spirit
was highly developed He took an ac-
i've interest in civic life and performed
valuable services 10 New York city as
member of the tenement house CON-
mission that eradicated many of the
evils Of tenement life.
He was member Of several clubs
, Ind one of the founders of noted 60.
:ieties.