The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1879-03-14


tho cnse between them had boon reversed, the
ruthless Gath would by this time have sold
toilm BVbgip'rn BVg'e ll0y times over
Mr.. Lumun IL the responsible author oil inc
Townsend Imagined Rc had discovered very
importnni secret wh"n hc asrrrtuned that L1-
mon had hnd some assistance in the pr"purh-
ton pi tla wuik. fflis iul"rmWinn Do" ms rom
time to time dressed up In various styles. and
sold us often To- th" pap"rs for which tr turv'ys
literary ~ vol ~ social und political GOSSIP.
But, uning very hard up TOR a toni. with which
to pad ont n snum letter ir'm New York. hccon-
tho Washington H1dM Accordingly. h. now
served il uU in "a style ~ oifons We IA ppsSlhl'.
and seasoned II with grpnt deaf " grauitous
or material to Mr.. Lannon's book.
LdmOn replied with u very Just portrnituro OF
rived his DESCENT from tho " Guth family" VI
whose natural prorliyiti"s KING David stood IN
surh horror that he w9nid permit none ot ms
proceedings 10 le pullishrd 10 tirin, l',st iiicV
should steal the ointment provided for his
curonution.' This was moi far-hi"nrd. AMI 1t
OF the finer strokes OF Townsend himself But
to make sure of being fully even with his gross
assailaut. Mr.. Lamon also likoncd him 70 nm
uuhrokpn and unhridled literary stcrr, which
must have abandoned It's h"rhiNOrous tastes,
for Il line or two further on lie makes him feed
worm docs on putrid flesh" This, with an
effective aIlusion To Annnins. us person hnv-
ing many Hiilnities with George Alfred, COM
plotted Mr.. Lannon's rejOiudcr.
To this George Alfred responded with an
apology very much in the style and matter 81
the Africans letter. which began hndy and
ended worse. Apologize he saws, Tor nav
ing so long regarded him as a sort of Sancho
Panza To- the lean but knighiy figure OF our
wounded Pres dent in whose dead corpse aud
bloody mantle | had supposed he added tho
posthumous gnshes. II was unjust. for Lam9n
all the while was conscious and sensitive. lie
did not issue the Life Of Lincoln. horse fash.
ion, without knowing any hotter. regard
him rs rminrnty man OF tone and shirt
collar. with "A deep biblical rumble. and next to
George w., VINO was the ilrSt gentleman III lti-
rope, Ward Lnmon is the first gentleman in the
world-and the last cannihul"
George Alfred. IT appears. has become deeply
attached to the memory Of the mnrtyr Pr"si-
dent and cnn scarcely retain his manly tears
when he thinks Of the injustice don" him 10y
He regards Mr. Lannon's biographical accuracy
with nearly as much contempt ~ he does the
other trait ot personal devotion to hi- friend
and hero. George Alfred soorns such moral re-
str8ints rs these Why be- truthful when L j. 50
easy and generally 80 profitable to lrI II Mr.
LHmon must needs write "A biography. why
should he not have composed il. like George
Alfred correspondenc", without H." least rel
erence t. the facts IL IL gHid that when George
Alfred first saw this volume he wcrt conyul-
siycly. There Is no scene IN history tocomparc
with II except Mark Twain ~ the grave Of Adam.
George Alfred YOU will say. must hnv" been n
most devoted friend OF Mr.. Linroin's when that
wrote am lies about him IN the dead pinch Of
the war, or poured coarse irony ON his troubled
because he hlHrkguurlcd him most cruelty
| when he was alive thHt he Is now So extremely
| pious over his memory. At all events, Mr.. La
! mon responded 10 the dlatrihe quoted ahpvn
| with the suggestive remark that. III Booth had
| wrapped his bullet IN shred OF Townscnd's
CORES pund"uce. he might have lodged u Niudi-
cation ot his crime in the brain of his victim"
Georgc Alfred had enough. He cried Derrdri,
! and closed the elegant and interesting cuutru-
versy with "A second apology. which seems sum-
! GENTLY humble when conrasted with the first
one. Here il is
Ieeoii thi. is my birthday thirty eight Belinda %
wt To- er1e ~ ,3' rs I Ii had s,gT , IN,
10 ID If %