Evening star., 1946-05-20

in re-Revolutionary DAYS, and
Monsieur Beaucaire' preceded it.
An editor who took a fancy to
Cherry accepted it, but the manu-
script languished in a desk drawer
until Monsieur Beaucaire" ap-
peared in McClure's Magazine.
This immediate success won pub
licatiOn for The Gentleman From
Indiana and delivered Cherry
from obscurity as well. Running
into countless editions. Monsieur
Beaucaire' has remained one of
the most popular of Tarkington's
books
Son of Civil War Soldier.
Born in indianapolis July %, 1863,
he was the son of Judge John
Stevenson Harrington, Civil War
soldier and lawyer, and Elizabeth
Booth Harrington. He was named
Newton Booth for an uncle, who
was Governor of California and
United States Senator in the early
'70s, but chose to be known as
Booth"
At Purdue University, where he
studied for two years after his
preparatory education at Phillips
Exeter Academy, he was known as
"Tark." George Ade and John T
McCutcheon were among his fra
ternity brothers in the Sigma Chi
chapter house at Purdue until
Harrington entered Princeton in his
Junior year. He was graduated from
the New Jersey institution in 1887
Mr. Harrington was twice mar
ried. first on June l8. 1902, to Laurel
Louisa Fletcher. member of an In
dianapolis banking family. They
were divorced and on November 6.
1912, Mr.. Harrington married Su-
sannah Robinson of Dayton, Ohio
A daughter, Laurel Harrington. was
born of the first marriage
Mr.. Harrington remembered his
college days with affection and
amusement. He stood we'll in his
classes, drew pictures and wrote foY
college publications, sang and acted
He said, years later: No doubt l
imbibed some education there
though it seems to me that I tried to
avoid that as much as possible
Mr.. Harrington hoped at first. to
become an illustrator He sold a
pen drawing to Lite in 1895. but
81 subsequent efforts drew re-
jections.
Il kept on writing and quit draw
ing ne said
Insurgent in Politics.
However, a sketch he had made
III his college days of two bewigged
individuals became the nucleus for
his Monsieur Beaucaire."
In his early 3Os me plunged into
politics. Elected to the Indiana Leg
islature in 1902 as a Republican. he
speedily became an inSurgent.
This characteristic was no better
illustrated than during a vote on
a law banishing cigarettes. AS
member after member arose to eX-
plain his vote, Mr.. Harrington en-
tered the chamber. cigarette
dangling from his lips.
No" he shouted, as the clerk
called for his vote, and I have
nothing to explain"
Writing Hardest Job.
Writing is the hardest Job I've
ever struck he once said of his
work. I'D rather be a stone ma
son. So far as my work is con-
cerned l don't care a whit about
entertaining my readers. What I've
tried to do is show the truth about
peoples insides-but I never want
to be considered a realist. Realism
is simply talking about an ugly
thing in an ugly way. and I feel
that if you must talk about a pain
full subject you should at least be
good enough sport to treat it
with light touch
Referring with impatience to
modern sex fiction. he remarked:
You don't have to mention spit
toons to be realistic
His boy stories, Mr. Harrington
said, cost no effort. He could do
any of them. he added, in a day
and a half and held the opinion
anybody could do it
He was an authority and collector
of antiques and art. Both in In
dianapolis and Kennebunkport he
surrounded himself with books, an
tiques and pictures
Funeral services will be conducted
privately tomorrow from Mr.. Tark-
ingtons indianapolis home DR..
Russell Galloway, assistant pastor
of the First Presbyterian Church,
will offciate and burial will be in
Crown Hill Cemetery