The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-07-01
YOUNGEST AUTHOR
IS RICHMOND BOY;
MAGAZINE EDITOR

RICHMOND, Va, June 3o.-That
Richmond has. perhaps. the youngest
author and publisher in the world is
shown IN an article appearing in the
July number Of the American Mag
anne. 7ne youngster is Benjamin
Early, the seven-year-oid son Of Mr..
and Mrs. Everett E. Early, OF 2714
HiIlcrest road. woodland Heights. The
boy has not only written a number Of
stories, but Is now publishing a mag
agine Of his own, being his own editor
and contributing staff. Signed by
Rollin Lynde Hartt, the article in the
American Magazine is as follows:
ave had an authors reading in the
drawing room. and the author Is seven
years old. He was six when he wrote
the stories. He could read at four
At two and a half; he had a collection
OF picture cards representing flags,
and could name the country each flag
belonged to. At two, he played with
Photographic; he would lay twenty
four Of them face down on the rug
and pick out any portrait by its back.
Today, he publishes a magazine
written and printed by himself. He
Is editor, raconteur, humorist, and
Snowman, by name Benjamin Welsh
ger Early, and as handsome little
fellow as ever you set eyes on.
when first saw him perform,
said to myself, instinctively. 4 don
believe there is another pretty actress
alive who can SO bewitchingly imper-
senate a child Ben Early's case
differs entirely from those where
proud parent hobs up. and declares:
That Kids no miracle, / am Didn't
teach hint Well, rather?
Learns ny Asking Questions
No one has taught Ben. He has not
been at school. He has not had les
sens at home. Far from pushing him
ahead. his parents have tried to hold
him back. All that he knows, Re has
learned for himself by the simple,
childish method Of asking questions.
He had blocks with letters on
them. and gave the family no rest TIL
he had found out what the letters
were. He got hold of printed things,
ana insisted on being told what IIe
consultations OF letters meant. Then.
Just IN play, he took to printing"
EIGaGuNAgs ne Vas goAAS
about imaginary children and their
black mammies. dialect and all. They
are not mere echoes Of stories he has
heard. They picture real life a. he
sees IL A great Joker by instinct, he
sees It humorously.
You read, now and then. OF some
wonder child who has mastered
calculus and given lectures on - be-
fore the learned faculty. The accounts
describe him as q natural. normal.
babyish little creature, the very last
remove from a freak Well. maybe.
About Ben Early's naturalness. how
ever, there IL no maybe. II is real,
He does what other children DO. but
does it years sooner. II you imagine
that he wears Hpeetacies when not
At the photographsT'a. or that he de-
lights q tackiins the 'isms and 'olo-
giles, or that his dream t. 10 back you
into q corner and talk you a mono
graph. you have q clear and trust
worthy idea Of just the sort OF small
boy Ben Early Is not.
Authority - Msxis Starr.
He has no genius for arithmetic.
He loves the movies and Is g leading
authority on movie Gtars. Instead of
putting on the highbrow, he likes to
make a>crowd scream with laughter.
Z he sings comic patter songs and reels
on Jokes BY the half-houF At a
stretch. not 70 prove how bright he
Is, bot, for the fun OF watching you
hold your sides. Life. 20 Ben Early,
IL one grand. sweet circus. In an at
mosphere Of hiiarities got up by him
self, he .thFiVss and grows strong.
He is big for his age, and mus
eular. He nnsles with vitality. His
eyes shine. And so do his deeds. II
his preeOeity alarms his parents,
causing them uneasiness as regards
the management such d mind as his
viii require. IL has Immensely simpli-
ned the problem OF teaching him good
behavior, Thus far. he has been an
easy child TO bring up. He recog-
nizes the horse sense there Is In
doing tight and the Weirdly eomical
ldiocy there Is In doing wrong.
Despite his fOndness for Jokes, he
would rather see than be one,'"