THE HERO OF THRUMS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2677, 5 July 1905, Page 72

THE HERO OF THRUMS.

* — J. M. Barries Life Story. — From tyro tiny rooms and a garret in "Thrums" to a mansion in Kensington, from weaver's son to front-rank novelist, from hack-work in an obscure journal to editions de luxe — these changes indicate in some degiee J. M. Barn-e's measure of success. While despising none of these things, Mr Barrie finds most content in th-e fact that his mothei — whose life he has immortalised in that idyl of motherhood, ' -.xargaret Ogiivy" — said in her last days: — "You used to come running into the house to say, ' lihere's a proud dame going down the Mary well bra© in a cloak that is black on one side and white on the other ; wait till I'm a man, and you'll have one the very same.' And wh-en I lay on gey hard beds you said, ' When I'm a man you'll lie on featheis. 1 You saw nothing bonny, you nev-er heaid of my setting my lveart on anything, but what you flung up your head and cried, ' Wait till I'm a man.' You fair bhanred me before the neighbours ; and yet I wan windy, too. And now it has all come tiue like a dream. I can cull to mind not one little thins; I cttled for in mv lusty days that hdsna been put into my hare's in ray auld age. I sit hsre useless, surrounded by the gratification of all my ■« ishe.3 ar.'' all my ambitions, and at times I'm near tcirified, for it's as if God had mista'en me for some other woman." This quotation gives a very vivid idea of the woman who is the chief heroine of all Sir Bame's books and of the son who did so much for her happiness. Kirriemuir, or "Thrums," where Mr Barrie was born in 1860, is a little weaving town in Forfaishhe. His father was a weaver, and his son built him a house opposite to the cottage where all the events recorded in "A Window in Thrums" hap ptned.

2 — Youthful Ambition. — Mr Barries favourite books as a boy f , were "Robinson Crusoe" and '"Tlie Pil- - grini's Progress." So enamoured was he 1 : of the latter book that he turned the gart [ den into Sloughs of Despond, with pea- ■> | bticks to represent Christian, on his travels, > and a buffet -stool for his burden. 3 But this did not satisfy young Barrio. : ] He wanted to write books on his own account, and set to work on a three-volume novel. This was sent to a publisher, who offered to publish it for a consideration, and stated that the writer must be "a clever iady-." After some education at Dumfries, young Barrie went to Edinburgh University at the age of 18. There the M.A. degree was conferred upon him, and he took honours in the English literature class. When he left the University he was asked by two maiden ladies what he was to be ; and when he replied brazenly, "An author," they flung up their hands, and one exclaimed reproachfully "And you an m.a. r — A Start in Journalism. — ■ His mother w-ished him to be a minister, but he set himself to court journalism. One day he saw an advertisement for a leader-writer on an English provincial paper, and secured the post. Then it occurred to him that leaders were the one thing, lie had skipped in reading papers. So tie household was set to finding all the oid newspapers in the place — those that lined boxes, those under carpets, and some even in the chimney. ".Surrounded by these," says Mr Barrie, "I sat down, and studied bi>w to become a journalist." He had already don© some journalistic work. He had reported cricket matches for the Dumfries papers, and once had the impudence to write a letter signed "Paterfamilias," advocating longer holidays for schoolboys! l.\e paper o» which he was engaged as leader-writer was the Nottingham Journal — now merged into the Express, Despite the fact thata^he , had no journalistic training, Barrie soon, succeeded in brightening the paper. Those who want to know all" about those.' day<s- should read Mr Barries lirst nov§l, "Wien a Man's Single," in which he describes with much humour the early adventures of "Rob Angus,"' a young journalist. — A Supposititious Examination.— Here is a delightful extract : — "Ah. just let me put you through your paces," said Simms. "Suppose you're up iSv an exam, in journalism, and that I am your examiner. "Question 1 : ' The house was soon on fire ; much sylnpath-y is expressed -with the sufferers.' Can you translate that into r.ewsaper English V" "Let me see,'' answered Rob, entering into the spirifc-of the examination. "How would this do? 'In a moment the edifice was enveloped in shooting tongues of flame. The appalling catastrophe has plunged the whole street into the gloom of night.' " "Good ! * Question 2 : 'A man hangs himself.' What is the technical heading for this? " "Either ' Shocking Occurrence ' or ' Rash Act.' " "Question 3 : r Have you every known a newspaper which did not have the largest circulation in its district, and was not the most influential advertising medium? ' " "Never." — Days in Fleet Street. — Fortunately Mr Barrie could do better work than was demanded by "Simms," or he would have died with the Nottingham Journal. In his leisure time he wrote sketches for the London papers. His first was sent to the Pall Mall Gazette, when j Mr Stead was its editor, under the pen name of "Gavin Ogilvy." The title of this first sketch was, "How Penny Dreadfuls Are Written." A second sketch, called "An Auld Licht Community" — a small religious body — was sent to the St. James's Gazette, and appeared on November 17, 1884. This was the first of the series of papers which were afterwards published in a volume under the title of "Auld Licht Idylls." Both editors ask-ed for more, and in the spring of 1885 Mr Bairie presented himself in London. He became London correspondent of the Edinburgh Evening Despatch. Dr Robertson Nicoll, of the Biitish Weekly, sought his contributions, and soon the name of "Gavin Ogilvy" became noted for the uniqueness of the matter to which it was attached. Mr Bagrie'iJ mother did not hesitate to laugh at the editor who accepted this stuff. She thouah he was a fine fellow, but slightly soft. Says Mr Bariie: "You may picture the editor in his office thinking he wa« behaving like a shrewd man of business, and unconscious that up in .the north there w^s an elderly lady chuckling c-a much at him that she could scarcely f crape the potatc.es." —The Book that Won Fame.— Mr Barries first published book was 'Better Dead," i&sucd in 1887, without making much stir. This wrs the story of the S.D.W S.P.— the Society for Doing Without Some People. "Auld Licht Idylls," which made "Thrums" famous, v,.-g published hi 1888, and was followed in the next year by "When a Man's Sinole." In 1889 "A Winuow in Thrums" was i',suecl. and Bairie's name was famous. To show the infinite p t ..ms which, he took with his woik. it may be mentioned that some of the chapteis in this last book were written no lr^s than 10 times before they were vublibhtd. "My LaJy Xicoiine" appcaied^ in 1890, and "An Edinburgh Eleven" about the snme time. "Tlie Little Minister" saw the light in 1891. Since then have come "Sentimental Tommy." "MorjMiet Ouilvv." "Tommy and Giizol," and "The Little White Bird.'" — The Ameikan Interviewer. — Now that the nanirs of Mr Barrio's books have been mentioned, tlie fatuity of

an American interviewer will be ap« r predated. One of these we at up to him, . and said that he was chaimed with "Beside , the Bonnie Brier Bush" — written by lan . Maclaren. When he was corrected he said that of , course he meant ''The Stiekit Minister'" — written by Mr Crockett. When he found that he was again mistaken he declared , that what he really meant was "that . charming serial now running in the Cen- , tury, called 'Silly Tommy.' " He had evidently heard something* about "Sentimental Tommy !" If Mr Barrie didn't take to the American . interviewer, he took immensely to the \ American girl. When asked what he thought of her, he replied .- '"I am not going to tell you. I shall tell no one except the American girl herself. I think I have already told it to one or two. The ones I liked best were the Smith College girls, and the Smith gill I liked best — no, I won't tell you. Those Smith girls made mo promise not to address any other colleges for girls." ' — Success as a Playwright. — Everyone was surprised when it wag known that Mr Barrie had written a play. "Walker, London,"' as it was called, was a huge success, and had a tremendous run at Tpole's Theatre in 1892. It was followed by "Jane Anne,'' written in conjunction with Dr Conan Doyle, "The Pro- ! fessor's Love Story,"' and others. His first play might have been called * "The Novelist's Love Story," for such it- proved. Miss Mary Ansel! , who charmingly played one of the parts in "Walker, London," became Mrs J. M. Barrie. The play was first produced in Kirriemuir, July 9, 1894, with iVliss Ansell in the cast. — Personal Traits. — Mr Barrie, although his books are known everywhere, is not much of a public character, and is not often seen at- literary gatherings. In figure he is slight and small, and* this fact used to rc3ke his mother afraid for him to see the editors, lest it should be a disadvantage for him. He speaks in a slow, distinctly Scottish fashion, and gives one the impression of shyness. Once he wrote a- sketch for the National Observer on "J. M. Barrie at Dinner," in which he satirised his own conversational shyness in, his own- inimitable way. Mr- ■G. W. Cable, ths novelist of the Creoles, says that in Mr_ Barrie he found "a smallish, sedate, reticent man, of s> breadth and squareness of brow that would cfaim the attention of any passing stranger. His shoulders, too, were, square and sturdy, his eye pensive, and' his hands prone to seek his pockets for rest and hiding, while he let his fellow travellers order matters as seemed to them best. When he spoke his words came in slow procession, as though he were writing them, and yet with &n effect neither, studied nor languorous. His voice is soft in tone, and I do not remember tha.t in my three days of constant intercourse with him it ever rose to a high note." He loves Noture as a Scotsman should. As to Barrio's work, lan Maclaren says thaj hs "stands by himself — unapproachable and inimitable." His favourite novelists aje Thomas Hardy and George Meredith. He defines ambition as a '"desire to get a chance." When he got his, he used it. — Leeds Mercury.

— Some of the finest concert hails in the world haye been made so by cloubl«c l oubl« panelling. Ths wall of the room is thin wood, thoroughly seasoned. A wall made of hard cement or plaster is totally unfit for musio or oratory. The ancient Greeks secured a certain, amount of resonance by placing an enormous number of thin earthen pots in tho room, with their open, enc's towards the orchosfoa. the vibration of the sides, assist-ip.-z greatly in the volume of sound.