The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-02-07
MINOR MENTION.


SINCE the publication of what they are pleased
to term Mr.. Gilbert's Insulting letter" to the
Harper Brothers. leading Boston and New York
publishers have been interviewed. and are unan-
imous in the assertion that English authors are
much more literally treated by them than are
American writers in England This is hardly an
argument for minded and honest men to use
London publishers may not pay writer's in this
country cent for appropriatinG the work
of their brains, but that circumstance does not
justify anything less than square dealing on the
part of others If "liberality" consists as in
Gilberts case. in doing out pitance as favor
or gratuitously, most authors would prefer that
justice be substituted. To take mans book
without saying ''by your leave" to print and
sell it. and to salve the conscience by RENTING
less than just share Of the profits, is not an
honest proceeding, though the law sanctions it
and reputable firms set the example. AS Mr.
Lowell remarked on a recent occasion, STEALING
will be stealing"
IT has frequently been said of Henry James
that he cannot write tragedy but it must be adj
mitted that he comes very close to it in the final
chapter Of 'The Bostonians" The tearing of a
star suffrage speaker from the hands of her
friends and trainers, and while an audience COM
posed of Boston's best people" is impatiently
waiting in front. and carrying her off at
the moment of her expected triumph is dar-
ing conception, and is thrillingly described
The anguish of the disappointed Miss Chancel-
lor over the surrender of the fair Miss Verona.
though it may not appeal so directly to the sy m
pathies of the reader as do the sufferings of a
rejected lover, are scarcely less tragic. Regret
for her distress, however, is greatly mitigated in
the readers mind by satisfaction over the hero
ines timely escape from the awful horrors of
the equal-suffrage stage and all Identification
with ''the cause" Mr.. James certainly has an
appreciation of the dramatic and groteeque in
modern American life
THE trial of the hotel boarders charged with
murder came to sudden end yesterday, and the
accused were discharged. The examination of
one of the men, who was shown to have helped
in killing the fellow. demonstrated the fact that
it was justifable homicide.
The accused testified that they were all at
dinner when the deceased made the remark for
Wnlcn ne was moDOed and Killed.
What was it he saidl' asked the Judge
We'll, he was kind 'stuck-up like, anyhow
and when he came to dessert he asked for pump
kin pie Of course. no gentleman would stand
that SO we just jumped onto him and pounded
the life out of him."
The accused were at once discharged. the court
ruling that no man who said "pump-kin pie was
70 Iva I'D will ha
elected to another term.
A DRUGGIST with a hair-trigger conscience
has been found at Springfield, O. Three years
ago he came to the conclusion that it was wrong
to sell cigars and tobacco, ard closed out his
stock and sold none thereafter On Thurs
day afternoon ne surprised the public
by taking all his wines, whisky and other
liquors and pouring them into the street He
explained that for three years he had enter
tanned doubts as to the propriety of Christian
men keeping whisky, even for medicinal pur-
poses, and had come to the conclusion that it was
not right He voluntarily pledges himself not
to sell another drop as long as he lives, and will
not even sell bitters that he knows contain
whisky. His conversion is evidently sincere.
Now, if he will only engage not to make vanilla
syrup of tonka beans, he will be ready for
translation.
In addressing the New York Nineteenth
Century Club on Wednesday, on 'The Place
Religion Should Have in Colleges President
Eliot, of Harvard, prefaced his speech with the
curious remark that being a layman chemist,
Unitarian and administrator in a peculiar col
lege, he felt dffdence in approaching the sub
ject. The reason is not at once apparent why a
laymau, If he be intelligent or even chemist
should hesitate to define his views on religious
subjects. There are people, it is true, who
maintain that Unitarian knows nothing about
religion, but this is the first instance in which
member of that sect has seemed to confess the
fact. President Eliot should not be ashamed of
that degree of religious light to which he has
attained.
AN Uncle Toms Cabin" company. out West
ate their donkeys to keep from starving during
late blizzard. Donkeys are handy to barn
storming parties If they don't eat them they
can ride home instead Of walking when business
becomes ''yaller.' But no heightened donkey
will join fortunes with an Uncle Tom combina
ton.
MRS. CARRIE HOWARD of Morrisville, n. Y,
"a comedy woman of graceful figure and bear
ing. has been acquitted of numbering her hus-
band. Minnie Walkup, ''a beautiful creole belle
from New Orleans was acquitted of the same
crime in Kansas Come to think Of II. it is .