Richard

Ok, so Richard wasn't a major poet by today's standards- he, however, built the Century magazine into the top-selling magazine of his day. He was liked and trusted by everyone. Twain and Cleveland considered him a confidante. What becomes apparent as one digs deeper into his life, is his mischievous nature and his sense of fun.

Here's Richard in 1892 at the dedication of the Washington Memorial Arch. The guy in the center with the mallet is William Rhinelander, the head of the committee that raised the money; right behind him to the left is Stanford White, the architect of the arch; and on right in the top hat is Richard, looking just as stuffy as the rest of them. Richard was secretary for the committee.

This is an early remembrance of his sister's:

"Exciting as was my cousin Emeline's debut, it was nothing, so far as my feelings went, compared to the first appearance of my brother on the stage. A recitation by him was sandwiched in somewhere between the 'compositions' and the music. He looked very smart in his black velvet suit, with a big white collar and a Scotch plaid sash tied across his breast. He was a little nervous, but he came manfully to the front of the platform and made his bow to the applauding audience. Then he raised his childish voice, and recited with inappropriate gesture these familiar lines:

'Oh, ever thus from childhood's hour,
I've seen my fondest hopes decay;
I never loved a tree or flower
But 'twas the first to fade away.
I never nursed---'

Then he paused and looked appealingly around, and began again with a trembling voice:

'I never nursed----I never nursed----'

Covering his face with his hands, he ran frightened from the stage, for he had completely forgotten his lines."

from "Autobiography of a Tomboy" by Jeannette Gilder

The Gilders' father died in 1864. This scene is probably shortly after that. Richard is around 21, his sister 16.

"Now was the time for me to realize my ambition- to work for my living. I remember well the evening that I announced my decision to Dicksey, who had assumed a fatherly position in the family. He was digging in the garden, and I was hoeing by his side.
'Dicksey, ' said I, leaning on my hoe, 'I want to speak to you on a matter of great importance.' He stopped to listen, with one foot resting on his spade.
'Speak, and let the worst be known, speaking may relieve you!' he quoted jocosely.
'Dicksey, I have made up my mind to work-- to help support the family.'
'Oh no,' he answered, while an expression of pain crossed his brow. 'I can do it all well enough. I couldn't bear the thought of my sister going out into the world to work.'
'Even if you could do it all, I should want to do something; but that is impossible, we are too large a family. I'm going to do my share.'
'I wish you wouldn't talk that way.'
'I am determined to hoe my own row.'
'You are doing that now,' said he, smiling, and pointing to the implement upon which I was leaning.
'I'm serious; don't joke.'
'What do you propose doing?'
'The first thing I can get to do.'

I got a position in an office a few weeks later and began work."

from "Autobiography of a Tomboy" by Jeannette Gilder