Salt Lake Telegram | 1911-08-05 | Page 4 | T. B. Aldrich's Hero

T. B. Aldrich's Hero It waa more than forty-thre year ago that Thomas Bailey Aldnca laid down hie pn after writing the Bnal words. "So and th story of a Bad Boy," av the New fork (inn. Thcr ar few pur!y awry books th:it li.iv had quit th xperince of this on. Farris Orenslt in hi life f Mr. Al-drich Al-drich aav: "In the forty yar that hav gon bv aiac thea. It has had a constant yearly aale that would be regarded re-garded aa excellent for a now book." "Th book possesses a dual quality," writ Mrs. Aldrirh, the widow of tbo not, in th Outlook. "It ia a book for children end a etorv for grownup. I remember Mr. W. W. 8tory saying to Mr. Aldrieh that th book was always oa a t.-ibl -t the head of bis bed, aad he had beguiled many hour with that inimitable ftory on the nights when he could not aleop. - "Mr. Aldrieh died in tb spring of 1907. In th early summer of that year there wa published in tb Portsmouth Chronicle a su(tstion that th town of PorUmouth should buy th old Nut-tar Nut-tar boos and keep it aa a memorial to hr distinguished eon. whose eye had (rat opened there on sea and sky. Th rospons to that suggestion was quick ana erset- - "Aa association waa at one formed and incorporated under the name of th Thomas Bailey Aldrieh memorial a fund of $10,000 raised by popular sub acriptioa ia sum of from 1 to SI 000. 'Tb bou, which many years ago had passed into alien hands, wa bought and work at one begun to restore the house and garden to their former eon-diton, eon-diton, which fortnnatalw could be done, a the heir gladly gave hack all that wa taken from it at th death of Grandfather Nutter: 'th old- silver in th sideboard, th china in the closets, van th little dresses that- were made by loving hands for tba Srat bora. "Not only are th material thiaga restored, re-stored, but that which is much mors difficult, th afmoepbf of the past, which is so tangible there that the stranger feels impelled to hasten hia rti ere the family return and find him. The house stands oa a narrow street at th foot of which ia th Piara-taqua Piara-taqua river. But th Nutter house and ita surroundings ar described ia 'Th 8trv ef a Bad Boy.' "Mr. Aldrirh do not soesk ef th garden, but h has often told me of the Inezhauitlol territory of pleasure and rlav it waa at tint swarming with avians, in .ambush, behind every bush and tree then, preato, change! It was transformed into an Englieh f.nrest through which rode Robin Hood and hia men again . th piratea had it t lun Kti burviug his t-faesre ia flic m.nnlichr- si.ne H'Arr tiroudly riding on her whit steed with banner flying and here, maav' time, was solemn sol-emn I red the marriage of Pocahontas and Captain John Smith.".