The sun., 1919-10-08
Editor of "Harper's Magazine
Half a'Century Victim
of Pneumonia.
HIS LIFE AN INSPIRATION
Countless Writers Owe Their
Success to Veterans Help
full Guidance.

weeks ago. The funeral service will be
held tomorrow in the Cathedral of st.
John the Divine and will be conducted
by the Rev. DR.. Milo Fl. Gates, vicar Of
Chapel of the Intercession. Burial will be
in Metuchen, ". J..
Mr.. Alden, who has outi!vcd every
man who was his associate and comrade
when he first entered the famous cubby-
hole Of an office in Franklin SQUARE
was the oldest magaz zine editor, both in
point OF years and active service. He
guided Hdrpe,'s for half a century so
iaodestly that when he wrote a book he
would not let his name appear on 1t.
He helped countless writer's who learned
to look upon him as a valued friend
J. Henry Harper, in THE House OF
Harper" published in 1912. said Of him
Henry Mills Alden, the Nestor of
Magazine Editors, has been identified
with the house close on half century.
His dignifed presence, with his noble
head adorned with a chaplet of silver
hair, inclines the timid author to hesi-
tate as he takes his seat for the first
time at the desk in his diminutlve sane
tum. But after one look into his deep
set, impressive eyes, which are 80 reas-
suring. and at the sound of his voice
so gentle and impressive, all feeling of
dinidence passes away and the visitor
soon realizes the quiet power and diver
sified experience Of the veteran editor of
Hdrper's Magazine. II the writer's he
has SO cheerfully assisted and encour-
aged in his long occupancy of his edi-
torial throne could stand forth and tes-
tify, what a host could call him blessed"
Worked I'm Cotton Mil.
Mr.. Alden was "Mayflower descend
ant" but like Andrew Carnegie, born a
year earlier, he began to earn his living
as bobbin boy in a cotton mill. He
was the son of Ira and Elizabeth Moore
Alden and was eighth in descent from
John and Priscilla Alden. His mothers
uncle, Zephaniah Moore, was the second
president OF Williams and the first pres
ident OF Amherst College. When he
was n boy his parents moved from their
farm at Mount Tabor. VT. to Hoosick
Falls, N. Y, where he worked In a cot.
ton mill. Despite long hours. until he
was IA years old, he found time for some
schooling. BY surveying and teaching
school he was able to spend two years
at Ball Seminary, preparing himself fol
williams College. In college he sup
ported himself by teaching and other
wise.
Mark Hopkins was the president then
and among young Alden's fellow stu
dents were James A. Garfield, Horac,
L. Scudder, George Washington GladdeI
and John ]. ingalls,. From Williams
where he was graduated with honors II
1857, he went to Andover Theological
Seminary He intended to follow hi
mothers wish and become a minister
but after finishing the course found tha
his voice was inadequate. AT Andovel
he wrote two articles which appeared ir
the Atlantic Monthly, one OF which. or
"Eleusinian Mysteries" was sent to thu
magazine without his knowledge by hi:
friend Harriet Beecher Stowe. He con
tinued to write after returning TO Hoo
sick Falls, and Supplied" In pulpits OF
tho neghboring churches.
In 1861 he came 10 New York TO lee
ture In a girls school, and in that sum
raer married Miss Susan +. Foster. He
added to his small income with edito-
rial contributions to the Evening Post
and the Times. Meantime James T
Fields, editor OF the Atlantic. came tc
articles, told him they had been praised
by Lowell, Emerson and Wendell Phil
lips, placed $500 In his hands on &C.
count. and invited him to deliver twelve
lectures before the Lowell Institute In
Boston. Mr.. Alden did so. and at the
Fields home first met Emerson and Haw-
thorne. With the money from the lee
lures he paid debts incurred at Will
Jams and AnGover.
became Editor In 1850.
Mr.. Alden did his first work fer Har-
per & Bros. in 1862. II was n descrip-
tive guide book OF the Central Railroad
of New Jersey, which the publishing
house brought out. In 1868 he became
assistant editor of HGrpe1's weekly, and
six years later became editor OF the
magazine.
Then and for a long time afterward
he was editor and everything else. He
opened the mail, read all manuscripts
accepting or declining; planned the
magazine, corrected the proofs and car
ried on great correspondence will
writing folk all over the world. Later
when he had 10 have assistants, he wa:
exceedingly careful in their selection
ana made it n rule that they should laS
pclpTt nun any llslNuSNIlDl kIhil HttIDtC
to show even "A gleam of real promise
He used to say that the most important
work connected with magazine wai
that of judging contributions "Ever!
maga zine of general literature and wild.
appeal" he said, "ls dependent not 50
much upon the authors who have al
ready distinguished themselves as upoi
the young men and women who will b.
the distinguished authors of tomorrow
A careless or Incompetent reader easil!
could decline manuscripts not who'll!
suitable perhaps, but having somewher,
within them the spark OF genius whicl
needs encouragement. guidance and pa
tient culture"
On November II, 1906. many writer
gathered at the Franklin Square print
ing house in honor of Mr. Alden
SEVENTEEN birthday. One who could no
be there but who sent letter beginnin,
Alden. dear and ancient friend. II Il
a solemn moment: you have nov
reached the age OF discretion" wa
Mark Twain. The letter also said
"You will carry with you another thing
too--the affection OF the scribes, 70
they all love you. in spite OF you
crimes. For you bear kind heart II
your breast. and the sweet and w!nnin,
spirit that charms away all hostilitle
and animosities and makes of you
enemy your friend and keeps him So"
Wrote Essays in His Home.
For forty years Mr.. Alden lived at Me
tuchen. y. j.. whittier no went 30 swift,
when his office day ended that he wa
little known in the city outside of the III
erary craft. There he wrote the essay
II. -
title "The Editors Study" and thre
hooks "Gnh In His Wnrld - A St,ih,. I,