Helamentedasanirreparablelosshishavingmissedseeingthatnightanabsent—mindedbrotherinliterature，whocameinrubbershoes，andforgetfullyworethemthroughouttheevening。ThathospitablesoulofRalphKeeler，whohadknownhiminCalifornia，buthadtrembledfortheiracquaintancewhenhereadofallthehonorsthatmightwellhavespoiledHarteforthefriendsofhissimplerdays，rejoicedintheunchangedcordialityofhisnaturewhentheymet，andpresentlygavehimoneofthoserestaurantlunchesinBoston，whichhewasalwayssumptuouslyprovidingoutofhisdestitution。Hartewasthelifeofatimewhichwasperhapslessafeastofreasonthanaflowofsoul。Thetruthis，therewasnothingbutcarelessstoriescarelesslytold，andjokesandlaughing，andagreatdealofmerelaughingwithoutthejokes，thewholeasunliketheidealofaliterarysymposiumaswellmightbe;buttherewaspresentonewhometwiththatpleasantBostoncompanyforthefirsttime，andtowhomHarteattributedasuperstitionofBostonseriousnessnotrealizedthenandthere。"Lookathim，"hesaid，fromtimetotime。"Thisisthedreamofhislife，"andthenshoutedandchokedwithfunatthedifferencebetweentheoccasionandtheexpectationhewouldhaveimaginedinhiscommensal’smind。AtadinnerlongafterinLondon，whereseveralofthecommensalsofthattimemetagain，withotherliteraryfriendsofalikeageandstature，Hartelaidhisarmswellalongtheirshouldersastheyformedinahalf—circlebeforehim，andscreamedoutinmockingmirthatthebulbousfavortowhichtheslimshapesoftheearlierdatehadcome。Thesightwasnotlessarapturetohimthathewashimselfthepreyofthesamepracticaljokefromthepassingyears。Thehairwhichtheyearshadwhollysweptfromsomeofthosethoughtfulbrows，orleftspindlingautumnalspears，"orfewornone，"to"shakeagainstthecold，"hadwhitenedtoawintrysnowonhis，whilehismustachehadkeptitsyouthfulblack。"Helooks，"oneofhisfriendssaidtoanotherastheywalkedhometogether，"likeaFrenchmarquisoftheancienregime。""Yes，"theotherassented，thoughtfully，"orlikeanAmericanactormadeupforthepart。"
　　Thesayingcloselyfittedtheoutwardfact，butwasofasubtleinjusticeinitsimplicationofanythinghistrionicinHarte’snature。Neverwasanymanlessa’poseur’;hemadesimplyandhelplesslyknownwhathewasatanyandeverymoment，andhewouldjointhewitnessverycheerfullyinenjoyingwhateverwasamusinginthedisadvantagetohimself。Inthecourseofevents，whichwereinhiscasesoveryhuman，itcameaboutonasubsequentvisitofhistoBostonthatanimpatientcreditordecidedtorighthimselfoutoftheproceedsofthelecturewhichwastobegiven，andhadthelawcorporeallypresentatthehouseofthefriendwhereHartedined，andintheanteroomatthelecture—hall，andontheplatform，wherethelecturewasdeliveredwithbeautifulaplombanduntroubledcharm。Hewasindeedtheonlyoneprivytothelaw’spresencewhowasnottheleastaffectedbyit，sothatwhenhishostofanearliertimeventuredtosuggest，"Well，Harte，thisistheoldliterarytradition;thisistheFleetbusinessoveragain，"hejoyouslysmotehisthighandcrowedout，"Yes，theFleet！"Nodoubthetastedallthedelicatehumorofthesituation，andhispleasureinitwasquiteunaffected。
　　IfhistemperamentwasnotadaptedtotheharshconditionsoftheelderAmericanworld，itmightverywellbethathistemperamentwasnotaltogetherinthewrong。Ifitdisabledhimforcertainexperiencesoflife，itwasthesourceofwhatwasmostdelightfulinhispersonality，andperhapsmostbeautifulinhistalent。Itenabledhimtodosuchthingsashedidwithoutbeingatallanguishedforthethingshedidnotdo，andindeedcouldnot。Histalentwasnotafacilegift;heownedthatheoftenwentdayafterdaytohisdesk，andsatdownbeforethatyellowpost—officepaperonwhichhelikedtowritehisliterature，inthatexquisitelyrefinedscriptofhis，withoutbeingabletoinscribealine。ItmaybeownedforhimthatthoughhecametotheEastatthirty—
　　four，whichoughttohavebeentheveryprimeofhispowers，heseemedtohavearrivedaftertheageofobservationwaspastforhim。Hesawnothingaright，eitherinNewport，wherehewenttolive，orinNewYork，wherehesojourned，oronthoselecturingtourswhichtookhimaboutthewholecountry;orifhesawitaright，hecouldnotreportitaright，orwouldnot。Afterrepeatedandalmostinvariablefailurestodealwiththenovelcharactersandcircumstanceswhichheencounteredheleftofftrying，andfranklywentbacktothesemi—mythicalCaliforniahehadhalfdiscovered，halfcreated，andwroteBretHarteoverandoveraslongashelived。This，whetherhediditfrominstinctorfromreason，wasthebestthinghecoulddo，anditwentasnearlyasmightbetosatisfytheinsatiableEnglishfancyforthewildAmericanolongertobefoundonourmap。
　　ItisimaginableofHartethatthistemperamentdefendedhimfromanybitternessinthedisappointmenthemayhavesharedwiththatsimpleAmericanpublicwhichintheearlyeighteen—seventiesexpectedanyandeverythingofhiminfictionanddrama。Thelongbreathwasnothis;hecouldnotwriteanovel，thoughheproducedthelikeofoneortwo，andhisplaysweretoobadforthestage，orelsetoogoodforit。Atanyrate，theycouldnotkeepit，evenwhentheygotit，andtheydenotedthefatigueortheindifferenceoftheirauthorinbeingdramatizationsofhislongerorshorterfictions，andnotoriginallydramaticefforts。
　　Thedirectioninwhichhisoriginalitylastedlongest，andmoststrikinglyaffirmedhispower，wasinthedirectionofhisverse。
　　WhatevermindstheremaybeaboutHarte’sfictionfinally，therecanhardlybemorethanonemindabouthispoetry。Hewasindeedapoet;
　　whetherhewrotewhatdrollycalleditself"dialect，"orwrotelanguage，hewasapoetofafineandfreshtouch。Itmustbeallowedhimthatinproseaswellhehadtheinventivegift，buthehaditinversefarmoreimportantly。Therearelines，phrases，turnsinhispoems，characterizations，andpictureswhichwillremainasenduringlyasanythingAmerican，ifthatisnotsayingaltogethertoolittleforthem。
　　Inpoetryherosetoalltheoccasionshemadeforhimself，thoughhecouldnotrisetotheoccasionsmadeforhim，andsofarfailedinthedemandsheaccededtoforaPhiBetaKappapoem，astocometothataugustHarvardoccasionwithajinglesotrivial，sooutofkeeping，soinadequatethathisenemies，ifheevertrulyhadany，musthavesufferedfromitalmostasmuchashisfriends。Hehimselfdidnotsufferfromhisfailure，fromhavingreadbeforethemostelectassemblyofthecountryapoemwhichwouldhardlyhaveservedthecarelessneedsofaninformaldinnerafterthespeakinghadbegun;hetookthewholedisastrousbusinesslightly，gayly，leniently，kindly，asthatgoldentemperamentofhisenabledhimtotakeallthegoodorbadoflife。
　　ThefirstyearofhisEasternsojournwassalariedinasumwhichtookthesoulsofallhisyoungcontemporarieswithwonder，ifnobaserpassion，inthedayswhendollarswereofsomuchfartherflightthannow，butitsnetresultinaliteraryreturntohispublisherswasonestoryandtwoorthreepoems。Theyhadnotprofitedmuchbyhisbook，which，itwilldoubtlessamazeatimeoffiftythousandeditionssellingbeforetheirpublication，tolearnhadsoldonlythirty—fivehundredinthesixthmonthofitscareer，asHartehimself，"Withsickandscornfullooksaverse，"
　　confidedtohisCambridgehostafterhisfirstinterviewwiththeBostoncounting—room。Itwasthevolumewhichcontained"TheLuckofRoaringCamp，"andtheotherearlytaleswhichmadehimacontinental，andthenanallbutaworld—widefame。Storiesthathadbeentalkedover，andlaughedover，andcriedoverallupanddowntheland，thathadbeenreceivedwithacclaimbycriticismalmostasboisterousastheirpopularity，andrecognizedasthepromiseofgreaterthingsthananydonebeforeintheirkind，cametonomorethanthispitifulfigureoverthebooksellers’counters。Itarguedmuchforthepublishersthatinspiteofthisstupefyingresulttheywerewilling，theywereeager，topayhimtenthousanddollarsforwhatever，howevermuchorlittle，hechosetowriteinayear:TheirofferwasmadeinBoston，aftersomeoffersmortifyinglymean，andothersinsultinglyvague，hadbeenmadeinNewYork。
　　Itwasnothisfaultthattheirventureprovedofsuchslightreturninliterarymaterial。Hartewasinthemidstofnewandalienconditions，—
　　—[SeeacorollaryinM。FroudewhovisitedtheU。S。forafewmonthsandthenpublishedacomprehensiveanalysisofthenationanditspeople。
　　Twain’srebuttal（Mr。Froude’sProgress）wouldhavebeen’apropos’forHarteinCambridge。D。W。]——andhehadalwayshistemperamentagainsthim，aswellasthereluctantifnottheniggardnatureofhismuse。Hewouldnodoubthavebeenonlytoogladtodomorethanhedidforthemoney，butactuallyifnotliterallyhecouldnotdomore。Whenitcametoliterature，allthegayimprovidenceoflifeforsookhim，andbebecameastern，rigorous，exactingself—master，whosparedhimselfnothingtoachievetheperfectionatwhichheaimed。HewasoftheorderofliterarymenlikeGoldsmithandDeQuincey，andSterneandSteele，inhisrelationswiththeouterworld，butinhisrelationswiththeinnerworldhewasoneofthemostduteousandexemplarycitizens。Therewasnothingofhiseasy—goinghilarityinthatworld;therehewasofaPuritanicseverity，andofaconsciencethatforgavehimnopang。OtherCaliforniawritershavetestifiedtothefidelitywithwhichhedidhisworkaseditor。Hemadehimselfnotmerelythearbiterbuttheinspirationofhiscontributors，andinaregionwhereliteraturehadhardlyyetreplacedthewildsage—brushoffrontierjournalism，hemadethesand—lotsofSanFranciscotoblossomastherose，andcreatedaliteraryperiodicalofthefirstclassonthebordersofcivilization。
　　ItisuselesstowondernowwhatwouldhavebeenhisfutureifthepublisheroftheOverlandMonthlyhadbeenofimaginationorcapitalenoughtomeetthedemandwhichHartedimlyintimatedtohisCambridgehostastheconditionofhisremaininginCalifornia。Publishers，menwithsufficientcapital，areofagreatlyvaryinggiftintheregionsofprophecy，andheoftheOverlandMonthlywasnottobeblamedifhecouldnotforeseehisaccountinpayingHartetenthousandayeartocontinueeditingthemagazine。Hedidaccordingtohislights，andHartecametotheEast，andthenwenttoEngland，wherehislasttwenty—fiveyearswerepassedincultivatingthewildplantofhisPacificSlopediscovery。Itwasalwaysthesameplant，leafandflowerandfruit，butitperenniallypleasedtheconstantEnglishworld，andthencetheEuropeanworld，thoughitpresentlyfailedofmuchdelightingthesefastidiousStates。Probablyhewouldhavedonesomethingelseifhecould;hedidnotkeepondoingthewildmining—campthingbecauseitwastheeasiest，butbecauseitwasforhimtheonlypossiblething。Verylikelyhemighthavepreferrednotdoinganything。
　　IV。
　　Thejoyousvisitofaweek，whichhasbeenheresopoorlyrecoveredfromthepast，cametoanend，andthehostwentwithhisguesttothestationinasmuchvehicularmagnificenceashadmarkedhisgoingtomeethimthere。Hartewasnolongerthealarmingportentoftheearliertime，butanexperienceofunalloyeddelight。Youmustloveapersonwhoseworsttrouble—givingwasmadesomehowafavorbyhisownunconsciousnessofthetrouble，anditwasamostflatteringtriumphtohavegothimintime，oronlyalittlelate，tosomanyluncheonsanddinners。Ifonlynowhecouldbegottothetrainintimethevictorywouldbecomplete，thehappinessofthevisitwithoutaflaw。Successseemedtocrownthefondesthopeinthisrespect。Thetrainhadnotyetleftthestation;
　　therestoodtheparlor—carwhichHartehadseatsin;andhewasfollowedaboardforthoselastwordsinwhichpeopletrytolingeroutpleasurestheyhaveknowntogether。Inthiscasethesweetestofthepleasureshadbeensittinguplateafterthosedinners，andtalkingthemover，andthendegeneratingfromthattalkintothemeregiggleandmakinggigglewhichCharlesLambfoundthebestthinginlife。Ithadcometothisasthehostandguestsattogetherforthosepartingmoments，whenHartesuddenlystartedupinthediscoveryofhavingforgottentogetsomecigars。Theyrushedoutofthetraintogether，andafterawilddescentuponthecigar—counteroftherestaurant，Harterushedbacktohiscar。
　　Butbythistimethetrainwasalreadymovingwiththatdeceitfulslownessofthedepartingtrain，andHartehadtoclamberupthestepsoftherearmostplatform。Hishostclamberedafter，tomakesurethathewasaboard，whichdone，hedroppedtotheground，whileHartedrewoutofthestation，blandlysmiling，andwavinghishandwithacigarinit，inpicturesquefarewellfromtheplatform。
　　Thenhishostrealizedthathehaddroppedtothegroundbarelyintimetoescapebeingcrushedagainstthesideofthearchwaythatsharplydescendedbesidethestepsofthetrain，andhewentandsatdowninthathandsomesthack，andwasforamomentdeathlysickatthedangerthathadnotrealizeditselftohiminseason。Tobesure，hewasable，longafter，toadapttheincidenttotheexigenciesoffiction，andtohaveacharacter，nototherwisetobeconvenientlydisposedof，actuallycrushedtodeathbetweenamovingtrainandsuchanarchway。
　　Besides，hehadthenandalwaysafterward，theimmensesuper—compensationofthememoriesofthatvisitfromoneofthemostcharmingpersonalitiesintheworld，"Inlife’smorningmarchwhenhisbosomwasyoung，"
　　andwheninfinitelylesswouldhavesatedhim。Nowdeathhascometojoinitsvagueconjecturestothebrokenexpectationsoflife，andthatblithespiritiselsewhere。Butnothingcantakefromhimwhoremainsthewitcheryofthatmostwinningpresence。Stillitlookssmilingfromtheplatformofthecar，andcastsafarewellofmockheartbreakfromit。
　　Stillagaylaughcomesacrosstheabysmoftheyearsthatarenownumbered，andoutofsomewherethehearer’ssenseisraptwiththemellowcordialofavoicethatwaslikenoother。