Book 3 — JOURNALISTS AND WRITERS.

Stephen Bonsal.

A most industrious contributor to magazines and writer of short stories is Stephen Bonsal. He was born in Virginia in 1863, and educated in St. Paul’s school, Concord, New Hampshire. After finishing his studies in this country he went to Gottingen and Heidelberg, Germany. Returning to this country, he entered journalism. In this connection he is best known as representing the New York Herald during the Bulgarian-Servian war. In the service of that newspaper, he also went to Macedonia, Morocco and Cuba. Leaving newspaper work, he next entered the United States diplomatic service and was secretary of legation and chargé d’affaires in Pekin, Madrid, Tokio and Corea from 1890 to 1896. Besides his magazine work, he is the author of several books, including Morocco As It Is and The Real Condition of Cuba.

Richard Harding Davis.

Like many other authors, Richard Harding Davis comes of literary stock, his father being S. Clark Davis, editor of the Philadelphia Public Ledger, and his mother Rebecca Harding Davis, whose works of fiction have brought her a certain amount of public notice. After graduating from the Lehigh university of Pennsylvania, Mr. Davis made a reputation for himself in newspaper circles in his native city. He is a versatile writer and prefers fiction to fact. He first attained prominence through the medium of his Van Bibber Sketches. War correspondent as well as novelist, his life has been filled with stirring incident. Mr. Davis has been charged with egotism by his critics, but every man who is conscious of his individuality is subject to such attacks. Married Cecil Clark, daughter of J. M. Clark, of Chicago, April 4, 1899.

Hamlin Garland.

One of the best-known makers of magazine literature is Hamlin Garland, who was born in West Salem, Wisconsin, September 16, 1860, of English-Dutch parentage. In 1881 his studies were completed in Cedar Valley seminary, Wisconsin, and he next spent some years in traveling and teaching in the east. Later he took the lecture platform, was an occasional writer of sketches and short stories, and spent some time in Boston studying and teaching. He is an ardent advocate of the single tax doctrine and several of his works have to do with the struggles of the poor against existing conditions. He has also written a number of books of fiction.

David G. Phillips.

David G. Phillips, one of the latest of American authors to achieve a measurable success and to give promises of a literary future, was born in Indianapolis in 1866, his father being a banker in that city. After a season spent in the local public schools and a preparatory collegiate course, Mr. Phillips went to Yale, and while there determined to become either a journalist or an author. On graduating he decided to go into newspaper work and so became a member of the reportorial staff of the New York World. It was not long before he attracted the attention of Mr. Joseph Pulitzer, the proprietor of the World. Mr. Phillips was in consequence given an editorial position. After some time spent in the service of the World, Mr. Phillips resigned in order to turn his attention to novel writing. Of his books A Golden Fleece and The Great God Success have been fairly well received, but his last work, The Confessions of a Crœsus, is distinctly the best thing that he has done in the way of pure literature.

Charles George Douglas Roberts.

C. G. D. Roberts inherited his literary instinct. His father was the Rev. G. Goodrich Roberts, and he is a cousin of Bliss Carman, the poet, while several of his ancestors were professors in English universities. He was born in Canada in 1860. Graduating from the university of Brunswick, in 1879, he afterward and for several years taught in educational establishments in Canada, but in 1895 devoted himself exclusively to literary work. In 1897 he became associate editor of the Illustrated American, but is best known as a writer of nature stories, several of which have passed through two or three editions.

William Thomas Stead.

William T. Stead, the founder of the Review of Reviews, and a constant contributor to a number of American newspapers, was born on July 3, 1849, at Embleton, England, being the son of the Rev. W. Stead, a Congregational minister. When fourteen years of age he was apprenticed to a merchant at Newcastle-on-Tyne, England, and began to contribute to local newspapers. His journalistic promptings at length became so imperative that he deserted the commercial world, and after a preliminary struggle became assistant editor of the Pall Mall Gazette. Later he founded the Review of Reviews, and subsequently the American Review of Reviews. He takes an active interest in the larger questions of the day, such as international arbitration, psychological problems, etc. Mr. Stead has a place in his generation and fills it admirably.

Vance Thompson.

Vance Thompson, a well known journalist, author and playwright, was born on April 17, 1863. He graduated from Princeton in 1883, and was subsequently a student of the University of Jena in Germany. He is well known in metropolitan journalism, having held the position of dramatic critic for more than one New York newspaper, and he has also contributed liberally to leading magazines and daily publications in general. He is also known as a musical critic. Mr. Thompson founded a fortnightly publication entitled Madamoiselle New York, which was characteristic of both him and his, and is the author of several plays, pantomimes and books. In 1890 he married Lillian Spencer, of New York.

Stewart Edward White.

Stewart Edward White, the author, was born at Grand Rapids, Michigan, March 2, 1873. He studied at the high school of the town of his birth and graduated from the University of Michigan in 1895. Subsequently he came east and took a course in the Columbia law school. Mr. White is still a bachelor, is a fruitful contributor to magazines, and has written some novels which have been given a respectful hearing, these including The Westerners and The Claim Jumpers.

Owen Wister.

Owen Wister, who is best known to the public through the medium of his novel, The Virginian, was born at Philadelphia July 14, 1860. He prepared for college at St. Paul’s school, Concord, New Hampshire, and was graduated from Harvard in 1892, being admitted to the Philadelphia bar some years later. Instead of following the profession of a lawyer, however, he engaged in literary work. Apart from his novels, he has been a prolific contributor to magazines and other periodicals. His books are eminently readable, if they are nothing else.