Evening star., 1938-07-21
FAM0USN0VEL|ST,
0WENW|STER, DIES
Author of The virginian' is
Fatally Stricken at
Summer Home.
~ the Associated Press.

y the Associated Press.
NORTH KINGsTOwN, r. l.. July
2l.-Owen Wister. '7S. famous novelist,
died Of q cerebral hemorrhage this
morning at his summer home, Crow
field, in this town. He arrived there
for the season on July 8 and became
i'll only yesterday.
In recent years, Mr.. Wister had lived
quietly during the summers in South
County and his last public appear
ance was at the Animated Magazine, T"
a charity entertainment in Narra-
gansett, in 1885.
With the writer at the time Of death
were his daughter. Mrs. Walter Stokes
of North Kingstown and Philadelphia,
and three sons, Owen J. Wister Of New
York City, William r. Wister and
Charles K. B. Wister, both Of Phila-
delphia. There Is another daughter.
Mrs. Andrew Dasburg Of New Mexico
and four grandchildren, also survive.
Mr.. Wister's body will be taken to
Philadelphia for the funeral, the date
Of which is undecided.
Trip to West Changed Career.
A visit to the West, necessitated by
failing health, transformed Owen
Wister from a little known musical
composer and author to one of the
best known novelists Of his day.
The impressions gained on that
trip left a lasting mark upon his
mind and some time later Mr.. Wister
determined to write novel based upon
experiences in the West.
A short time later he published THE
Virginian" and leaped to fame. Mr..
Wister wrote other books based upon
his knowledge of the West, but none
attained the popularity of "The Vir-
ginian." That book later was drama
tized with success.
Caustic Political Pen.
Tender and expressive in his nov
els. Mr.. Wister nevertheless welded a
caustic pen when he undertook to
write about politics. His political
writings ofttimes brought down upon
him the wrath Of the figures to whom
he referred. and many were unable to
reconcile the human passages In the
novels written by Mr. Wister with the
heavy bludgeon he welded in his po-
litical writings.
Mr. Wister was a political idealist.
On several occasions he undertook to
upbraid the people of Pennsylvania
for their submissive compliance to
the orders Of political bosses In one
article he denounced the Pennsylvania
German stock In his native State as
a most supine class of voters. The
fact that Mr.. Wister himself had a
strain Of Pennsylvania German In
him did not prevent the members of
that folk from denouncing the novel;
ist for his uncomplimentary refer
ences.
Friend Of Theodore Roosevelt.
The Philadelphia novelist came Of a
distinguished ancestry. Born July IA,
1860. he could trace his ancestry back
to prominent Revolutionary generals
and statesmen. At Harvard he was a
classmate Of the late President Theo-
dore Roosevelt. and a strong attach
ment grew up between the two young
students that lasted far into the years
when each in his field became a ma
tional figure. Mr.. Wister, after his
graduation, first turned his hand to
music and to the practice of law, hav-
ing been . member Of the PHILADELPHIA
bar. Both proved unsatisfactory, and
in 1892 he settled upon writing az the
profession to which he was naturally
fltted.
In addition to "The virginian."
among Mr.. Wister's best known works
are THE Dragon of Wantley-His
Tail" RED Men and White" Lin
Mclean" The Jimmy John Boss"
u. S. Grant. Biography; "Philoso-
ply T." Journey in Seach of Christ
mas" Lady Baltimore The Simple
Spelling Bee," Mother" THE Seven
Ages of Washington" Members of
the Family" The Pentecost of Calam-
ity." The Ancient Grudge of
Straight Deal" and indispensable In
formation for Infants" He also was
a contributor to magazines on many
subjects.