adventures and letters-第4章

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chard　had　devised。　　But　as　I　recall　these　outings　they　were　not　very　joyous　occasions；　as　Richard　was　extremely　unhappy　over　his　failures　at　school　and　greatly　depressed　about　the　prospects　for　the　future。

He　finished　the　college　year　at　Swarthmore；　but　so　unhappy　had　he　been　there　that　there　was　no　thought　in　his　mind　or　in　that　of　his　parents　of　his　returning。　　At　that　time　my　uncle；　H。　Wilson　Harding；　was　a　professor　at　Lehigh　University；　and　it　was　arranged　that　Richard　should　go　to　Bethlehem　the　following　fall；　live　with　his　uncle；　and　continue　his　studies　at　Ulrich's　Preparatory　School；　which　made　a　specialty　of　preparing　boys　for　Lehigh。　　My　uncle　lived　in　a　charming　old　house　on　Market　Street　in　Bethlehem；　quite　near　the　Moravian　settlement　and　across　the　river　from　the　university　and　the　iron　mills。　　He　was　a　bachelor；　but　of　a　most　gregarious　and　hospitable　disposition；　and　Richard　therefore　found　himself　largely　his　own　master；　in　a　big；　roomy　house　which　was　almost　constantly　filled　with　the　most　charming　and　cultivated　people。　　There　my　uncle　and　Richard；　practically　of　about　the　same　age　so　far　as　their　viewpoint　of　life　was　concerned；　kept　open　house；　and　if　it　had　not　been　for　the　occasional　qualms　his　innate　hatred　of　mathematics　caused　him；　I　think　my　brother　would　have　been　completely　happy。　　Even　studies　no　longer　worried　him　particularly　and　he　at　once　started　in　to　make　friendships；　many　of　which　lasted　throughout　his　life。　　As　is　usual　with　young　men　of　seventeen；　most　of　these　men　and　women　friends　were　several　times　Richard's　age；　but　at　the　period　Richard　was　a　particularly　precocious　and　amusing　youth　and　a　difference　of　a　few　decades　made　but　little　differencecertainly　not　to　Richard。　　Finley　Peter　Dunne　once　wrote　of　my　brother　that　he　〃probably　knew　more　waiters；　generals；　actors；　and　princes　than　any　man　who　lived；〃　and　I　think　it　was　during　the　first　year　of　his　life　at　Bethlehem　that　he　began　the　foundation　for　the　remarkable　collection　of　friends；　both　as　to　numbers　and　variety；　of　which　he　died　possessed。　　Although　a　〃prep；〃　he　made　many　friends　among　the　undergraduates　of　Lehigh。　　He　made　friends　with　the　friends　of　his　uncle　and　many　friends　in　both　of　the　Bethlehems　of　which　his　uncle　had　probably　never　heard。　　Even　at　that　early　age　he　counted　among　his　intimates　William　W。　Thurston；　who　was　president　of　the　Bethlehem　Iron　Company；　and　J。　Davis　Brodhead；　one　of　Pennsylvania's　most　conspicuous　Democratic　congressmen　and　attorneys。　　Those　who　knew　him　at　that　time　can　easily　understand　why　Richard　attracted　men　and　women　so　much　older　than　himself。　　He　was　brimming　over　with　physical　health　and　animal　spirits　and　took　the　keenest　interest　in　every　one　he　met　and　in　everything　that　was　going　on　about　him。　　And　in　the　broadest　sense　he　saw　to　it　then；　as　he　did　throughout　his　life；　that　he　always　did　his　share。

During　those　early　days　at　Bethlehem　his　letters　to　his　family　were　full　of　his　social　activities；　with　occasional　references　to　his　work　at　school。　　He　was　always　going　to　dinners　or　dances；　entertaining　members　of　visiting　theatrical　companies；　and　on　Friday　night　my　mother　usually　received　a　telegram；　saying　that　he　would　arrive　the　next　day　with　a　party　of　friends　whom　he　had　inadvertently　asked　to　lunch　and　a　matinee。　　It　was　after　one　of　these　weekly　visits　that　my　mother　wrote　Richard　the　following：


Monday　Night。　MY　DARLING　Boy：


You　went　off　in　such　a　hurry　that　it　took　my　breath　at　the　last。　　You　say　coming　down　helps　you。　　It　certainly　does　me。　　It　brings　a　real　sunshine　to　Papa　and　me。　　He　was　saying　that　to…day。　　I　gave　Nolly　a　sort　of　holiday　after　her　miseries　last　night。　　We　went　down　street　and　got　Papa　a　present　for　our　wedding　day；　a　picture；　after　all；　and　then　I　took　Miss　Baker　some　tickets　for　a　concert。　　I　saw　her　father　who　said　he　〃must　speak　about　my　noble　looking　boy。〃　　I　always　thought　him　a　genius　but　now　I　think　him　a　man　of　penetration　as　well。　　Then　Nolly　and　I　went　over　to　see　the　Russians。　　But　they　are　closely　boxed　up　and　not　allowed　to…day　to　see　visitors。　　So　we　came　home　cross　and　hungry。　　All　evening　I　have　been　writing　business　letters。

Papa　has　gone　to　a　reception　and　Charley　is　hard　at　work　at　his　desk。

I　answered　Mr。　Allen's　letter　this　morning；　dear；　and　told　him　you　would　talk　to　him。　　When　you　do；　dear；　talk　freely　to　him　as　to　me。　　You　will　not　perhaps　agree　with　all　he　says。　　But　your　own　thoughts　will　be　healthier　for　bringing　themas　I　might　say；　out　of　doors。　　You　saw　how　it　was　by　coming　down　here。　　Love　of　Christ　is　not　a　melancholy　nor　a　morbid　thing；　dear　love；　but　ought　to　make　one　more　social　and　cheerful　and　alive。

I　wish　you　could　come　home　oftener。　　Try　and　get　ahead　with　lessons　so　that　you　can　come　oftener。　　And　when　you　feel　as　if　prayer　was　a　burden；　stop　praying　and　go　out　and　try　to　put　your　Christianity　into　real　action　by　doing　some　kindnesseven　speaking　in　a　friendly　way　to　somebody。　　Bring　yourself　into　contact　with　new　peoplenot　John；　Hugh；　Uncle　and　Grandma；　and　try　to　act　to　them　as　Christ　would　have　you　act；　and　my　word　for　it；　you　will　go　home　with　a　new　light　on　your　own　relations　to　Him　and　a　new　meaning　for　your　prayers。　　You　remember　the　prayer　〃give　me　a　great　thought　to　refresh　me。〃　　I　think　you　will　find　some　great　thoughts　in　human　beingsthey　will　help　you　to　understand　yourself　and　God；　when　you　try　to　help　them　God　makes　you　happy　my　darling。

MAMA。


It　was　in　this　year　that　Richard　enjoyed　the　thrill　of　seeing　in　print　his　first　contribution　to　a　periodical。　　The　date　of　this　important　event；　important；　at　least；　to　my　brother；　was　February　1；　the　fortunate　publication　was　Judge；　and　the　effusion　was　entitled　〃The　Hat　and　Its　Inmate。〃　　Its　purport　was　an　overheard　conversation　between　two　young　ladies　at　a　matinee　and　the　editors　thought　so　well　of　it　that　for　the　privilege　of　printing　the　article　they　gave　Richard　a　year's　subscription　to　Judge。　　His　scrap…book　of　that　time　shows　that　in　1884　Life　published　a　short　burlesque　on　George　W。　Cable's　novel；　〃Dr。　　Sevier；〃　and　in　the　same　year　The　Evening　Post　paid　him　　1。05　for　an　article　about　〃The　New　Year　at　Lehigh。〃　　It　was　also　in　the　spring　of　1884　that　Richard　published　his　first　book；　〃The　Adventures　of　My　Freshman；〃　a　neat　little　paper…covered　volume　including　half　a　dozen　of　the　short　stories　that　had　already　appeared　in　The　Lehigh　Burr。　　In　writing　in　a　copy　of　this　book　in　later　years；　Richard　said：　　〃This　is　a　copy　of　the　first　book　of　mine　published。　　My　family　paid　to　have　it　printed　and　finding　no　one　else　was　buying　it；　bought　up　the　entire　edition。　　Finding　the　first　edition　had　gone　so　quickly；　I　urged　them　to　finance　a　second　one；　and　when　they　were　unenthusiastic　I　was　hurt。　　Several　years　later　when　I　found　the　entire　edition　in　our　attic；　I　understood　their　reluctance。　　The　reason　the　book　did　not　sell　is；　I　think；　because　some　one　must　have　read　it。〃

In　the　summer　of　1882　Richard　went　to　Boston；　and　in　the　following　letter　unhesitatingly　expressed　his　opinion　of　that　city　and　its　people。


BOSTON；　Wednesday。

July　1882。　DEAR　FAMILY：


I　left　Newport　last　night　or　rather　this　morning。　　I　stopped　at　Beverly　and　called　on　Dr。　Holmes。　　He　talked　a　great　deal　about　mama　and　about　a　great　many　other　things　equally　lovely　in　a　very　easy；　charming　way。　　All　I　had　to　do　was　to　listen　and　I　was　only　too　willing　to　do　that。　　We　got　along　splendidly。　　He　asked　me　to　stay　to　dinner　but　I　refused　with　thanks；　as　I　had　only　come　to　pay　my　respects　and　put　off　to　Dr。　Bartol's。　　Dr。　Holmes　accompanied　me　to　the　depot　and　saw　me　safely　off。　　Of　all　the　lovely　men　I　ever　saw　Dr。　Bartol　is　the　one。　　He　lives　in　a　great；　many　roomed　with　as　many　gables；　house。　　Elizabethan；　of　course；　with　immense　fireplaces；　brass　and　dark　woods；　etchings　and　engravings；　with　the　sea　and　rocks　immediately　under　the　window　and　the　ocean　stretching　out　for　miles；　lighthouses　and　more　Elizabethan　houses　half　hid　on　the　bank；　and　ships　and　small　boats　pushing　by　within　a　hundred　rods　of　the　windows。　　I　stayed　to　dinner　there　and　we　had　a　very　jolly　time。　　There　were　two　other　young　men　and　another　maiden　besides　Miss　Bartol。　　They　talked　p