Cortland Evening Standard, Saturday, December 10, 1898.
A CORTLAND COUNTY BOOK.
Homer the Scene, and the Late David H. Hannum One of the Characters.
A novel which is making quite a sensation, and of which more than 500 copies were sold in the city of Syracuse alone in a few weeks, has recently been published by D. Appleton & Co. of New York City under the title of "David Harum, A Story of American Life," by Edward Noyes Westcott. The author was a Syracusan, past 50 years of age and engaged in the prosaic business of banking, and the book was finished while he lay upon his deathbed. It is now published with an introductory notice by Mr. Forbes Heermans of that city, which is interesting, appreciative and written in the graceful and finished style of which Mr. Heermans is master.
"David Harum" is a story of central New York, and while a love story, as all stories are apt to be—neither the love nor the lovee is the center of interest. The book derives its spice and fascination from its portraiture of the character of a local banker, who is assumed and to a certain extent truthfully to be a type of the central New York native of the latter half of the nineteenth century.
The author, whether truly or not we cannot say, is asserted to have been a relative of the late Mrs. David H. Hannum of Homer, and many of Mr. Hannum's favorite expressions and stories are said to be embalmed in the words of "David Harum." But while Mr. Hannum may have been the foundation of the character who gives the name to the book, the author has largely built upon and added to it. The book is said to be the result of many years of observation, with the making of it always in view, and the peculiar wit, humor, eccentricities, good and bad qualities of many natives of the region described, seem to be united to form this leading character.
The name is true to some extent as to the region where the scene is laid. There is no mistaking many of the names which the author had in mind under the thin disguises which he uses. Freeland county is Cortland county; Homeville is Homer; Syrchester is Syracuse; Peeble is Preble; Buxton is Truxton; and Stafford is Spafford. The name "Billy P. Cullum" also suggests a former resident of Cortland. The scenery of Homerville as it is described, however, seems a combination of the natural surroundings of the classic village of Homer and those of Cazenovia.
David Harum, who is really most of the book, is a decidedly entertaining individual. He is a country banker and horse trader, quaint, illiterate, shrewd, keen, observant, cheerful, full of dry humor, rather rough and uncouth, with his own peculiar ideas as to the morals of a "hoss trade," yet kind at heart and appreciative of good, and in his way a student of human nature and a philosopher of no mean perceptions and judgment. Some of his sayings would not do discredit to one of George Eliot's most picturesque characters. Here are a few: "A reasonable amount of fleas is good for a dog—they keep him f'm broodin' on bein' a dog." "It aint a bad idee in the hoss business to be willin' to let the other feller make a dollar once 'n a while." "Small farmin' ain't ca'lated to fetch out the best traits of human nature—and to keep them out." "Do unto the other feller, the way he'd like to do unto you, and do it fust."
But equal to any or all of these combined is David's description of how he "did" a deacon in a "hoss trade," who had first "done" him. The deacon had a reputation as a horse-trader, but Harum was too much for him this time. A portion of this story is too good to keep." It runs as follows:
"Wa'al," said David, "it come about like this: After I'd got the hoss where I c'd handle him I begun to think I'd had some int'restin' and valu'ble experience, and it wa'n't scurcely fair to keep it all to myself. I didn't want no patent on'r, and I was willing to let some other feller get a piece. So one mornin', week before last—let's see, week ago Tuesday it was, an' a mighty nice mornin' it was, too—one o' them days that kind o' lib'ral up your mind—I allowed to hitch an' drive up past the deakins' an' back, an' mebbe git somethin' to strengthen my faith, et cetery, in case I run acrost him. Wa'al 's I come along I seen the deakin putterin' 'roun' an' I waved my hand to him an' went by n-kitin'. I went up the road a ways an' killed a little time, an' when I come back there was the deakin, as I expected. He was leanin' over the fence, an' as I jogged up he hailed me, an' I pulled up.
"'Mornin', Mr. Harum,' he says.
"'Mornin', deakin," I says. 'How are ye? An' how's Mis' Perkins these days?'
"I'm fair," he says, "fair to middlin', but Mis' Perkins is allin' some—asusyul', he says."
"They do say," put in Mrs. Bixbie, "thet Mis' Perkins don't hev much of a time hers'lf."
"Guess she hez all the time the' is," answered David. "Wa'al," he went on, "we passed the time o' day, an' talked a spell about the weather an' all that, an' finely I straightened up my lines as if I was goin' on, an' then I says: "Oh, by the way," I says, I jest thought on't. I heard Domine White was lookin' fer a hoss that 'd suit him.' 'I haint heard,' he says, but I see in a minute he had—an' it really was a fact—an' I says: 'I've got a roan colt risin' five, that I took on a debt a spell ago, that's as lively an' nice ev'ry way a young hoss as ever I owned."
The deacon had his eye on the horse David was driving, and David knew it, and the deacon was persuaded to go to David's barn. Of course the roan colt didn't suit, and David knew it wouldn't, and the deacon went back the proud owner of the horse that had caught his eye—"a case of love at fust sight," as David said. To continue David's story:
"Wa'al, the day but one after the deakin sold himself Mr. Stickin'-Plaster I had an arrant three four mile or so up past his place, an' I was comin' back along 'bout four or half past, it come on to rain like all possessed. I had my old ambrel'—though it didn't hender me, I'm gettin' more or less wet—an' I sent the old mare along for all she knew. As I come along to within a mile f'm the deakin's house I seen somebody in the road, an' when I come up closter I see it was the deakin himself, in trouble, an' I kind o' slowed up to see what was goin' on. There he was, settin' all humped up with his ole broad-brim hat slopin' down his back, asheddin' water like a roof. Then I seen him lean over an' larrup the hoss with the ends of the lines fer all he was wuth. It appeared he hadn't no whip, an' it wouldn't done him no good if he'd had. Wa'al, sir, rain or no rain, I jest pulled up to watch him. He'd larrup a spell, an' then he'd set back; an' then he'd lean over an' try it again, harder 'n ever. Seat my—! I thought I'd die a-laughin.' I couldn't hardly cluck to the mare when I got ready to move on. I drove up alongside an' pulled up. 'Hullo, deakin,' I says, 'what's the matter?" He looked up at me, an' I won't say he was the maddest man I ever see, but he was long ways the maddest lookin' man, an' he shook his fist at me jest like one o' the unregen'rit. 'Consarn ye, Dave Harum!' he says, I'll hav the law on ye fer this: 'What fer?' I says. 'I didn't make it come on to rain, did I?' I says. 'You know mighty well what fer,' he says. 'You sold me this damned beast', he says, 'an he's balked with me nine times this afternoon, an' I'll fix ye for 't,' he says. 'Wa'al deakin', I says, 'I'm 'fraid the squire's office will be shut up 'for you'd git there, but I'll take any word you'd like to send. You know I told ye', I says, 'that he'd stand 'ithout hitchin." An' at that he only just kind o'choked an' sputtered. He was so mad he couldn't say nothing, an' on I drove, an' when I got about forty rod or so I looked back, an' there was the deakin a-comin' along the road with as much of his shoulders as he could git under his hat an' leadin' his new hoss. He, he, he, he! Oh, my stars and garter! Say, Polly, it paid me fer bein' born into this vale o' tears. It did, I declare for 't!" Aunt Polly wiped her eyes on her apron.
"But, Dave," she said, "did the deakin really say—that word?
"Wa'al," he replied, "if it 'twa'nt that it was the purtiest imitation on't that ever I heard."
Mr. Heermans says of Harum: "This horsetrading country banker and reputed Shylock, but real philanthropist, is an accurate portrayal of a type that exists in the rural districts of central New York to-day. Variations of him may be seen daily, driving about in their road wagons or seated in their 'bank parlors', shrewd, sharp-tongued, honest as the sunlight, from most points of view, but in a horse trade much inclined to follow the rule laid down by Mr. Harum himself for such transactions: 'Do unto the other feller the way he'd like to do unto you—an' do it fust.' The genial humor and sunny atmosphere which pervade these pages are in dramatic contrast with the circumstances under which they were written. The book was finished while the author lay upon his deathbed. It was not granted that he should live to see his work in its present completed form."
How the book is received by the reviewers may be judged from the following extract:
The main character ought to become familiar to thousands of readers, and will probably take his place in time beside Joel Chandler Harris and Thomas Nelson Page's and Miss Wilkins' creations.—Chicago Times-Herald.
To Cortland county readers "David Harum" ought to be specially interesting. We don't know where an investment of $1.50 will bring to an appreciative mind more keen enjoyment than will be found in this most original and delightful volume. It can be obtained of the publishers direct or through the local booksellers.
[Copied punctuation and printer's errors on't—CC editor.]
OPPOSED TO PAVING.
Such a Statement Signed by Tompkins-st Property Owners.
It has been supposed in many quarters that Tompkins-st. would surely be paved next season, and the report has become current that a petition in favor of paving has been in circulation among the owners of property on that street. The report last referred to is not true, and from developments in the past few days, it seems certain that no paving can or will be done on that street for some time to come.
Mrs. Ardelle Van Bergen who lives at number 78 and who is one of the largest property owners on that street in point of feet frontage, has in the past few days been circulating a paper stating in effect that the signers are not in favor of paving the street. She was seen at her home this afternoon by a STANDARD reporter, and she stated in very positive terms that she was opposed to paving for the reason, first, that a great many of the property owners on the street were not in a condition, financially, to pay their share of the expense of the improvement. It would be a great hardship to them, and would ruin many of them financially. Besides, she said, a pavement is not needed on a residence street and a pavement is too noisy and dusty. She said that she wanted to find out who want paving and who are opposed and thinks she has secured nearly if not entirely half of the frontage on the street which will effectually stop paving on the street for some time to come. She has the signatures of twenty-nine property owners, and says that she is not through circulating the paper yet. She intends to give every property owner an opportunity to sign or refuse to sign.
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| Cortland Hospital, North Main Street, just north of Arthur Avenue. |
A PLEA FOR THE HOSPITAL.
Children as Well as Older Ones Urged to Aid This Public Institution.
To the Editor of the STANDARD:
I know well that a comparative stranger in a town cannot gracefully criticize any of its charities or established organizations. I disclaim any inclination to criticize the town or any of its good works. There is, however, one important enterprise being carried on in our midst in which I would seek to interest every person in Cortland. Not only now at the glad approach of Christmas tide, when all Christians are uniting in loving preparation to celebrate again the birth of the world's Redeemer, but for every day, week and year yet to come in the history of our village. I refer to the hospital on Main-st. that is open freely to all needy ones without distinction. I chanced not long since to avail myself of its privileges for some days, I used my eyes to find out its needs and I came out determined to use my pen to publish them.
The board of managers are doing all they can in justice to themselves to put this institution on its feet; not number one feet, but good big number nines. Their house will soon become too small. In fact, they have outgrown it already. "Every room full," was the reply I received on applying for a place, and the kind superintendent said if such a room is not vacant by such a time, "I'll give you mine." A superintendent ought not to feel obliged to do this. She needs her own room where she can retire for rest from the great strain she is so frequently called to bear.
Where are the dear little girls who meet weekly in the various churches to sew and learn how to be helpful to less favored ones? Even so small a thing as a few dozen soft washcloths would be most welcome every few weeks. Why! one of the good nurses said as she handed me a some what dilapidated one, "We use them up so fast, it is hard work to get enough." Ingenious little fingers can make towels, sheets and all the simpler things needed for an invalid's comfort. Kind little hearts can devise the ways and means.
Pray do not think for one minute that I am going to stop at washcloths! Milk for babes, strong meat for men. Oh! for some one to step to the front and build a fever ward. The hospital has made a noble record in that she has never lost a case of typhoid fever committed to her care. But for a patient nervously ill it is not well to hear the mutterings and wanderings of those in adjoining rooms.
What a blessing a maternity building would be, where could be safely launched into this stormy old world helpless little waifs! How fortunate those whose homes and families happily combined can give every needed care and luxury to their own sick ones! But there are some of us who must ever depend on the gentle hand of the trained nurse. And still many more who can never give their loved ones in the hour of extremity the care they would receive in a well appointed hospital. To take care of the old and the sick is one of the great distinctions between heathendom and Christendom. We are a Christian town and at our hospital they are overcrowded and often overworked. They need thousands of dollars where they are now getting but one. Many in Cortland have within a year thanked God for the hospital. Many have praised the work of the nurses. Will ten dollars measure the appreciation of those who can as well give a hundred or a thousand? Why not a mass-meeting to stir up our pure minds? The good doctors weary toil, the board may struggle, and all to make mites do the work of dollars, but unless the people of means help with their money the workers wear themselves out in vain almost.
As the years glide along and here and there we miss a familiar face or listen for the "sound of a voice that is still," we are gently reminded that soon we shall need the care we bestow now upon others, and as clouds in the evening sky more darkly gather, "And shattered wrecks lie thicker on the strand," where can we better bestow our alms than in gathering these into one place and making cheer for their days of suffering. Why not do this?
SUSAN AYRES HOUGHTON, Dec. 8, 1898.
BREVITIES.
—A farmers' institute will be held at Locke, Dec. 23 and 24. A. R. Eastman will be the conductor.
—The Onondaga County Bar association has adopted resolutions petitioning the board of supervisors for a new courthouse.
—Rev. Lathrop C. Grant of Hamilton, N. Y., will preach at the Presbyterian church to-morrow morning and evening in the absence of the pastor.
—Mrs. Anna Ross, who suffered a severe operation at the hospital last Tuesday morning, is much improved. The operation was performed by Dr. Reese, assisted by Drs. Higgins, Dana and Henry.
—New display advertisements to-day are—Glann & Clark, Queen quality shoes, page 6; Burgess, Make the boys happy, page 8; L. N. Hopkins, Palms and jardeniers, page 6; Stowell, Christmas presents, page 7.
—The second in the series of winter assembly parties was given in Taylor hall last evening, and was attended by about fifty couples, and a very enjoyable time is reported. The next party will be held Dec. 16.
—The regular meeting of the Women's Auxiliary of the Y. M. C. A. will be held in the Y. M. C. A. parlor, Tuesday afternoon, Dec. 13, at 3:30 o'clock. Arrangements are to be made for New Year's reception at this meeting, so it is hoped all members will be present.
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