The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-10-25

need of putting into a form outside of medical
opinion. His new novel is the fourth that he
will have published in a year and a halt.
From London | hear that the rumor Of Henry
Irving's contemplating the production of a play
based on the story of Arthur and Guineyere is
premature. Mr.. Wills, author of Charles /"
and the adaptation of Eugene Aram," has in
mind the general scheme of writing such q play
for Irving and Miss Terry, but it is still in the
air. / don't mean by this that Mr.. Wills's mind
is, like the air, vacant, though it is in some ways
a curious mind, / am told. Wills is a painter as
we'll as a playwright. and a somewhat eccentric
character. Some years ago it was his custom to
have a page in buttons come into his room every
morning and grind a hand-organ, waking him to
to the sound of music. Thus inspired, he would
take pen and paper, and, lying in bed, go to work
on one OF his dramas, AS a painter he is crude,
put with that good fortune which usually attends
indifferent artists in securing commissions
from royalty, or from our Congress and local
governments, he has succeeded in getting him
sen employed to make portraits of several mem.
oers or the English royal family. He even made
a picture of Queen Victoria herself. In connec-
ton with this there is an amusing story. Mr..
Wills, 1T seems. is very absent-minded and for.
getful OF his engagements, and has rather an easy
conscience about keeping them. On a peculiarly
fine morning in summer an artist friend came
into his studio in London, and said: Il have
made up a boating party for to-day to go up the
Thames. Can't you join usY' After brief hesi-
tation Wills said he would. and began getting
together some sketching materials. Suddenly
he stopped. i've just remembered he an
nounced, that this is one of the days when the
Queen gives me a sitting at Windsor"
That's too bad" his friend exclaimed. "Of
course you'll have to give up going with us,
then"
"No 1 shant," said Wills 'Just wait till l can
send off a telegram to Windsor, and Iii be with
YOU" And he actually telegraphed to her Ma
jesty that he should be unable to appear at Wind
sor that day.
Henry James, ir. the novelist, is coming
home this winter to visit his brother, Prof.
William James, of Harvard, who lives in Old
Cambridge. The last time he made a trip to
this country it was generally understood that he
would not reappear in it for a good many years
but 1T seems to have been a farewell only in the
sense of a Salvini or other theatrical star. A
report has also been current that Eiihu Vedder.
the American artist, who has lived so long in
Rome, intends to establish himself permanently
IN New York. He is said to have cleared from
his Illustrations to the Persian poet, Omar Khay-
yam, $50, 600. which / hope is true. Some of our
authors are busy writing short sketches of their
own lives, for publication in a series to be
brought out during next year by Lipincott's Mag
azlne under its new editor. 1t is not clear what
good is to be gained by this scheme; and prob
ably Walt Whitman will not 60 into it, for he
has written:
As if any man really knew aught of my life!
Why even l myself l often think know little or moth
ing OF my real life.
Nine Thousand agents are perambulating the
country with General Grants memoirs; a small
army, or at least a very respectable skirmish
line. The sales of this book already represent
money enough to build the desired monument at
Claremont, and judging from the hardness of
subscriptions for the latter object, the book is
likely to be the best monument of the great
commanders memory.
The Thackeray letters which Charles Serb
ner's Sons are to publish are still held in reserve,
but l have just heard of another series in Eng
land, which will not be published until the nov
elists daughter. Mrs. Richie, gives her consent
or, perhaps, not until after her death. These.
letters were written to an intimate friend, and if
given to the world will throw a bright light on
the true history of Thackeray's life. Thackeray's
wife. as many people know, became insane and
remained so, and these letters show the heroism
and self-sacrifice of bis character. 1t is said
that they indicate that all that he wrote for the
world was simply what he was able to accom-
plish under the most adverse circumstances, and
that he never had a fair chance to disclose his
full powers. | have heard them spoken of most
enthusiastically as casting a positive glory upon
his character. Permission for their publication
was given at one time, but afterwards with
drawn. 1t is a great pity thatthey are not made
known to the world.
GEORGE PARSONS LATHRoP.