EGGLESTON, Edward, American novel ist and miscellaneous writer: b. Vevay, Ind., 10 Dec. 1837; d. Joshua's Rock, Lake George, N. Y., 3 Sept. 1902. He entered the ministry of the Methodist Church and was more or less engaged in pastoral work for a number of years, at the same time contributing to various period icals. He became literary and afterward super intending editor of the New York Independent; later, editor of Hearth and Home. From 1874 till 1879 he was engaged in the work of an independent church founded by himself (the Church of Christian Endeavor, Brooklyn), but in the latter year his health failed and he re signed his position as pastor. Subsequently he devoted himself entirely to literary work. Among the most important of his works are 'The Hoosier Schoolmaster' (1871) • 'The End of the World> (1872) ; 'Mystery of Metropolis vine' (1873) ; 'Schoolmaster's Stories for Boys and Girls> (1873) ; The Circuit-Rider' (1874) ; 'Christ in Literature' (1875, edited) •, Christ in Art> (1875, edited) • 'Roxy> (1878) ; 'The Hoosier School-boy' (1883) ; 'The Graysons: a Story of Illinois' (1887) ; History of the United States and Its People' (1888) ; 'House hold History of the United States and Its Peo ple' (1888) ; 'The Faith Doctor' (1891) ; 'Duf fels,' a series of short stories (1893) ; 'The Be ginners of a Nation' (1896) and 'The Transit of Civilization' (1900). His work as an histor
ian possessed much merit, in that it was based upon careful investigation and exhibited sound judgment. Yet it is by his early storks of the Middle West that he will always be best known. These stories gave to those who read them at that time a real delight. They were written without the slightest trace of literary art; but their themes were wholly novel, and the un studied simplicity of their narrator made them so natural and so life-like as at once to charm and surprise all sorts of readers. 'The Hoosier Schoolmaster' may be regarded as the first of a class of stories of which 'David Hamm) and Holden' are much later examples. The book in reality marked a new departure in our national literature, for it owed absolutely noth ing to any model, but was a tale told directly from life, and from American life of a primitive kind which had not before made its way into printed books. He became in 1900 president of the American Historical Association. See HOOSIER SCHOOLMASTER, THE.