The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1882-08-09
Piracy.

NJ. Ellie Berthet relates an odd adventure
which happened to him in the old days Of
literary freebooting, and which very naturally
impressed him with the necessity OF endeay-
oring to check the prevailing hwlessness in
respect of these matters 1t may be COM
mended TO the notice of any writer who
should seek to add a few chapters to Isaac
D'Israeli's delightful book on the sCalamities
of Authors. Aboat inc time when Louis
Desnoya-s was neditatng his association
scheme, nj. Re;thet, then Il very young man,
had published q little story entitled Ella
Mesange Blet," in a journal called Paris
Elegant. It was short. and NJ. Berthet
modestly adds, of no Importance. CAS- a
matter of fact, it is q charming tale. of
which Dickens would not have disclaimed
the authorship, being in the style of some of
his best Christmas stories. Such as it was.
the author owns to having felt a tenderness
for this particular creation of his brain
which appears to have been the first printed,
and che had bravely signed 1t with his name. /"
1t was in those days his custom to dine once
week at the house OF some aged relatives
of whom he was extremely fond
They were excellent persons who lived
entirely out OF the world scarcely knowing
anything OF what Went on outside their own
house, except by mean of newspaper
u EstGtstte = Which they received every
morning. The paper ia question is not to
be COMPOUNDED with It's later namesake. J One
day NJ Berthet arrived at the usual hour.
when, after the first greeting, the lady said,
quite seg rly II have kel you yesterday
paper. There is little story III it which
positively made me ey, You who think
OF composing novels, You ought to take it as
modei.,...,.. There, see.....,...read it aloud,
please | should like to hear it again Tie
story, as the judicious reader has guessed,
was the Mesange Bleue." The young author
exclaimed, but, Madam, it is | who wrote
it." Whereat the old lady looked very grave.
as did the old gentleman, They pointed out
to their now exasperated kinsman that it was
signed with initials which were not his, and
gave him well-meant lecture on the beauties
of candour and truth. aud the wickedness OF
envy and of attribu;ing 10 oneself the praise
due to another
Finding that his unsupported protestations
were only received with n sorrowful incred-
ulity, he entreatsd them to put OFF the dinner
hour over so little; he would return home.
and in half an hour bring them proof of the
truth of what he had asserted At the time
appointed he was back and of course, when
they saw the Paris Elegant, with its earlier
date, and the name "E,ie Bertheti' signed in
full. the worthy old couple were loud in apol.
ogies and compliments. They had not be.
lieved that so serious aud wonderful thing
as printed newspaper could possibly have
been guilty of Henceforth, what
could be held worthy of implicit faith Tho
false initials are, of course only too easy OF
explanation. NJ. Berthets tale was well
worth reproduction, but his signature, at that
time, was not. Hence a discerning person
skilled in the manipulation of scissors ant
paste, had selected what was unquestionably
good, and had thought to recommend it still
further by signing 1t W tn the initials of well
known writer on the stat of the Estafstts.