The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-06-25
Life Story of the Famous Au-
thor is Told by an Init
mate Friend.
BY JOHN y. WHEELER
III the New York sun.

- ms story OF Richard Harding pa
Wis was written a year ago. Their
is little to add now and little t.
change. except the tense. for Davis
is dead He read and approved this
article before II was printed
The creator OF Captain MaCklin. o.
the author OF Soldiers of Fortune.
lived the last year as h." had the
rest OF his lite. clean and hard. and
he died, as 10 many Of his heroes
In which he delighted. with his boots
on. He was debating telegram over
the telephone to the mayor of New
York city on preparedness. had just
finished when the Buglcr sounded
taps for Richard Harding Davis.
| had seen much Of Davis in the
last years of his life. and his death
was loss TO his fricndE and TO tn.
world, but especially to his friends,
FOR he was good one. There was
some consolation in il. Said one
friend to me on the afternoon Of the
day ncws Of his death reached
us:
Well. ne didn't miss much H.
lived and 70, all there was out OF
life. And ne died AS he wanted tc
die. in the only manner Davis could
die"
Let that be his epitaph lived
Here is story told OF him living
the only way Richard Harding Davi,
himself would want 1t told:
In most any profession when on,
member Of 1t. through ability. hard
work and superior skill. sticks hi.
head above the ranks Of m" regular,
every mediocre performer Is waitinr
for pot shot at his head. This
have discovered TO be- true among
lawyers. physicians ana artists. but
the condition is particularly agra.
waited among newspaper men. actor.
and authors. Success iu any line
breeds jealousy and tn. best anon.
us Is poor at concoalinr Il. no mat
ter how skilful we may bclicy" our
selves TO be
Richard Harding Davis attained
his success while he was sun eN
trcmely youthful and was recognize
as one OF the foremost writers Of tn,
/ country at an age when young m"r
are only putting the finishing touch
es on their college education. Sol
diers OF Fortune" and Captain
Macklin" came when Mr.. Davis wa.
about > > years Of age, and they mad,
. him over night.
Davis had done little work as
! war correspondent in recent years uu
f Ill the United States sailors landed
in Vera Cruz in the spring Of 1914
There were many who said Mr.. Davig
would not come back" when n,
started for the pseudo war. mani
who in fact secretly wished IT, hu
M Davis turned out the goods from
Mexico and delivered out more an.
better goods than any OF the othe
numerous correspondents so copious
y scattered over both places
Richard Harding Davis went I,
Vera Cruz for n newspaper syndicate
and after the first sharp engage
ment In the Mexican seaport Their
was nothing for the correspondent Il
DO but kill time on that barren. lop
lying strip OF the Gulf coast. hemme,
in on all sides by MeXicans and tn
sea. and time is hard to kill there
Yet, there was story 10 be got. bu
II required nerve to go after II.
In Mexico City was General Huer
Ia. the dictator OF Mexico. II news
paper could get an interview will
him II would be scoop" but tn
work was Inclined to be dangerou
TOR the interviewer. since American