Evening journal., 1912-07-25
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
A Glimpse at the Real
ThOreau
By Holland

Henry David Thoreau, who was
called by William Ellery Charming
the poet-naturalist, and whose name
is now firmly established among the
list of great American writer's, was
generally supposed TO be a misan-
thrope. rejecting the friendly ad-
vances of men, not knowing what the
sentiment of gratitude was, and pre-
ferring solitude to friendships
Yet those who knew Thoreau best
always asserted that he was a man
Of most kindly and sympathetic i'm
pulses. That was the testimony Of
the late George F. Hoar, so many
years United States Senator from
Massachusetts, who was student in
the school which Thoreau taught at
Concord, Mass. for a year or two
after he was graduated from Har-
ward College in 1887
About the time Thoreau was teach
ing the future United States Senator,
very brilliant woman, Margaret
Fuller by name. was associated with
Ralph Waldo Emerson in the editor
ship OF a monthly newspaper which
was called the Dial Miss Fuller was
thought TO be the most learned
woman in the United States She
knew Greek when she was only ten
years of age. and when she was not
more than fifteen had mastered not
only Greek and Latin but also
French and Italian. Mr. Emerson
was very fond Of Miss Fuller and ad-
mired her writings greatly.
Henry Thoreau had q secret ambi-
ton to become successful writer but
he was only a school teacher and did
not know exactly how he was going to
find the way by which he could enter
a literary career At last he wrote
poem which he sent 10 Miss Fuller
who was then the editor of the Dial
She not only rejected IT., but very
severely criticized its form. its meter
and the metaphors That criticism
and rejection cut Henry Thoreau to
the quick However. he did not per
init It to put an end 10 his literary
aspirations Not long afterward Mr..
Emerson accepted a prose contribut-
ion by Thoreau and that was the be-
ginning of Thoreau's literary carer.
Ten years later, in 1850, Margaret
Fuller, who had made a national re-
putation as a member of the STAFF of
the New York Tribune and who had
visited Italy. was lost in the wreck
of a sailing vessel which had ground
ed in a storm off Fire Island. New
York She was then no longer known
as Margaret Fuller. but as the Mar
chioness d'Ossoi. for she had mar
ried a learned and cultivated Italian
nobleman in Italy she had met the
great men OF the day and taken
prominent part in the struggle for
italian liberty
The instant Henry Thoreau at his
home in Concord Mass. heard that
the vessel upon which the Mar
chiones dOssoli-or. as he called
her, Margaret--her husband and her
/ infant son had set sail from Italy
and had been lost in a great storm
| off Fire Island. he packed a little
carpet bag, having hardly time TO
change his clothes. for he wanted to
take the first train for New York. On
the morning of the day after he left
! Concord he was at Fire Island. He
STAYED there three days; he tramped
! the whole length Of the beach time
and again: he was especially watch
ful when the flood tide hegan He
was anxious to find the bodies of the
dOssolis, or at least. the body OF
! Margaret Fuller. II was his purpose
if the bodies washed ashore. to have
them properly cared for at his own
expense. poor man that he was. and
If possible. taken to Concord for
burial. But after three days, when
the sea washed mp no more bodies
refusing 10 give up that Of Margaret
Fuller. who had rejected his first
venture into literature, Thoreau sor'
rowfully turned away and returned
to Concord and for many days his
manner was that of man who haf
lost one who was most dear and neal
TO him
Copyright. 1912. by f. J. Edwards
All rights reserved
Tomorrow MIR Edwards will tel
Of "A Famous Book That inspired
Another Best Seller