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Show m STANLEY AT HOME 'PEN PICTURE OF THE EXPLORER AS HE WAS AND IS. A. Letter from One Who Knows the Trav-, Trav-, aler Well The Changes That Time Has , Wrought A Man of Many Qualities, 'ot All of Whirh Are Severe. (Special Correspondence ' New York, Nor. 20. When a man lias passed throngh an experience like that of Henry M. Stanley and conquered his right to fame by the hardest kind of battle; when, after spending years in fighting his way among savag, plodding plod-ding day in and day out throngh African jungles, carrying his life in his hand and for months not speaking his native tongue; when, after opening a continent to civilization and bringing baok with him a long missing explorer, he returns to Europe, honored by kings and princes, exalted by scientists and praised by all men; and finally, roaching his American home, he greets his old friends with the simple, nnuffected cordiality that characterized char-acterized the beginning of his career-it career-it must be confessed that success has . neither turned his head nor heart. ' I was prepared to see Stanley changed both physically and socially. It seemed impossible that a man could experience so much vicissitude and not somehow show its impress. But despite the jealousies jeal-ousies he has encountered, the dissensions dissen-sions among some of his lieutenants, the ingratitude of Emin Pasha, the ugly controversy that has grown out of the killing of Maj. Parttelot by a savage chief, who, it is alleged, thus resented an injury done to his wife, the criticisms of the foreign press, and lastly tho tortures of the inquisition he bus undergone at the hands of the interviewers notwithstanding notwith-standing all these afflictions, 1 found him the loyal, warm hearted friend of old. In the presence of others than intimate acquaintances, however, the strong individuality in-dividuality of file man asserts itself, and his bearing is cold and dignified almost j to tho degreo of sternness. Physically, or rather physiognomio ally, the change was more apparent and startling. When we parted sixteen years ago his figure was like that of an athlete in superb training, his face round and unwrinkled and his hair dark. Now he looks prematurely old. His hair ia " STANLEY WHEN HE STAHTED TO FIND LIVINGSTONS. white and there appears to bo less elasticity elas-ticity In his movements than formerly, all of which Stanley ascriies to the African Af-rican fever and thehardshfjand anxiety incident to his last expedition. There is no mistaking the keenness of his eye, however, and the determination written in every lino of his bronzed features. Personally Stanley never Vas a handsome hand-some man, although his brO&d shoulders and thick neck would attract any one who admired strength, but his face was always, as it is at present, rndowed with an intellectuality that is unmistakable. It is the face of a man born to command, com-mand, resolute, aggressive, and one that et times may become dangerous in its expression. For this reason it is not difficult to understand why even alone and single handed ho could both intimidate intimi-date and encourage his savage followers. Doubtless it is this imperious manner, added to rigid discipline, that not only kept bis white associates in check, but aroused the spirit that has since their arrival in England found vent in recrimination recrim-ination and complaint. The most vital points of interest connected con-nected with Stanley's last expedition having been already made public with much detail, our conversation chiefly concerned early reminiscences, and it was a surprise to observe how closely his memory retained the incidontaof a moet-ing moet-ing that took place as far back as 1874. He was then on a visit to New York, after having found Livingstone, although his reception was very diFerent from that which has been accorded him now. In fact, some of the newspapers doubted his exploit and pronounced him little less than a fraud. He felt it ke'uly. He reminded me, too, of his propsition during dur-ing our interview at that tirna to organize organ-ize an American company with a capital of only $100,000. of which he proposed to advance from $25,000 to $40,00(1, for the purpose not merely of continuing his explorations, ex-plorations, but to establish tntding posts in the neighborhood of Lake Tanganyika and otbr localities he had visited, where were to be found immense stores of Ivory, oils and gums. An endeavor was made among some of the capitalists in Wall street the very next day to raise the rwjuired sum, but to a man they turned their back upon the proposition, ; and tilMs lost at once a chance to realize reat fortunes, and to do what Stanley afterward induced the king of the Belgians Bel-gians to undertake, namely, to plant his llag there and establish a state. Stanley also humorously recalled what lie termed one of his "castles in Spain," that he saw growing up as the result of his newly accumulated wealth. After t'Stablishing the company above do-scribed do-scribed he was to return to New York, marry, erect a great mansion on the Hudson, surround it with bnngaloos built in central African style, where all the jouftlalists of New York could meet and enjoy themselves, and stock the groCtiuls with wild animals. F. G. ce Fontaine. |