The Washington herald., 1912-06-30
Americas Greatest ROmancer,
Born July 4, 1O8 Years Ago

er OF this paper. who died OF starva-
ton. owing to the slenderness OF his
patronage"
Throughout his life Hawthorne kept
note books. in which he jotted down
daily thoughts. He always aspired 10
authorship. and would frequently ask
his mother how she would like TO see a
whole shelf OF books neatly bound. writ
ten by her son, and containing in gilt
letters the name Nathaniel Haw-
thorne."
Hawthorne went to BowdoIr College,
from which he was graduated, without
particularly distinguishing himself. At
college he met Longfellow and Frank
lin Pierce both Of whom aided him in
after life. After graduation he returned
TO Salem, where he remained for many
years in seclusion. He would stay in his
room reading and writing. Many times
he refused to leave his studies for lne
dinner table. and his meals were left
for him outside his door. During these
years he wrote much. but hastily tore
up and burned the products OF his pen.
After long apprenticeship to his chosen
profession, Hawthorne succeeded in sell
ing a few OF his tales TO New England
magazines. but his writings attracted
only trivial attention. During this peri
cd the author made a collection Of short
stories, which he termed Seven Tales
Of Ny Native Land" He took the stories
to seventeen publishers. and finding him
self unable to sell them, in a ft OF
despondency consigned them to the
flames. Writing OF this solitary period
OF his life in later years, Hawthorne
said: Here l sat a long. long time,
waiting patiently for the world to know
me, and sometimes wondering why Il
did not know me sooner, or whether II
would ever know me at sll-at least,
till were in my grave. And sometimes
II seemed as II were already in the
grave. with only life enough to be chilled
and benumbed. But. living in solitude
till the fullness OF time was come, I
still kept the dew Of my youth and the
freshness OF my heart"
Received Praise from LOnEfeIIow.
In 1897 Hawthorne published Twice
Told Tales" which was praised highly in
a critique by Longfellow. Two years
later the author was appointed a weigher
in the custom-house at Boston. under
George Bancroft. the great historian, then
Collector OF the Port. His duties were
to board vessels, and weigh coal and ice,
and other classes of cargo. The work
was by no means congenial, but It
brought the author 81, 200 per annum, and
gave him an opportunity to prepare him
self for future literary productions.
Il do detest all ofhces-all, at least. that
are held on a political tenure" wrote
Hawthorne with respect to his position,
land I want nothing to do with poll
ticians. Their hearts wither away and die
out of their bodies"
When the Wings came into power in
1s41. Hawthorne was removed He then
went to Brook Farm, that idealistic COM
munity where so many Of Americas
literati met, and lived the simple life. BY
reason Of his solitary temperament Haw-
thOrne was little adapted to the life at
Brook Farm which was founded on So
CiaI intercourse. Nevertheless, he entered
to some extent into the spirit OF the COM
and loaded manure. planted pO-
tatoes, cut hay. and swung the pick and
shovel After a year at Brook Farm he
" ent to Salem, where he was married to
Miss Sophia Peabody. Miss Peabody had !
been an invalid from her early youth, |
0ut soon after her marriage fully recov- |
cred. She always said that love had |
cured her.
Thou art the only person in the world |
hat ever was necessary to me- wrote |
Hawthorne to his wife. II think I was |
always more at ease alone than in any
oody's company until knew thee"
Hawthorne took his bride to the "Old |
Aianse" at Concord. where the couple ex-
Ierienced days OF extreme poverty. -Four |
years they lived there, during which time /
Hawthorne wrote Moses from an Old 1
Manse." Every day the author would |
AXE a long walk on ridge back Of the \
I'D mansion. which his wife was wont /
% call his Mount OF Vision On this
Edge Hawthorne planned his books and
got into closer relation with nature. After
our years at Concord, the Democrats
lgain came into power, and Hawthorne