The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1889-09-28
A NAME FOR A BOOK.

vas nevertheless manly instrumental I'D
the circulation of the journal
o which he was attached by his happy
,hoice of subjects and generally reliable
One day he received let
er from an anonymous correspondent,
with the usual compliment
,ary phrase, "You who know every |
hing" and terminating by rather puz-
.ling query: "Why did NJ. Alphonse
Karr select for volume of tales pub
ished some twenty years ago the in
title of 'Vendredi SoirT
Friday Evening"
"Not bad idea of my friend, the
writer, whoever he may be-" said Le-
comte, with a chuckle of satisfaction,
''to apply to me, as happen to be the
only person able to answer the question
l may as well crafty him, particularly
the bourse and the boulevard are pretty
well used up, and a retrospective article
for once in way will be novelty"
Not having the paper by me, and Gem
PEELED therefore to trust to my memory,
1 can only attempt to reproduce the sub
stance of one of the lively chronicler's
most amusing feuilletons, related some
what in the following terms:
A good many years ago, when l first
essayed to gain a living by my pen, AL
phonse Karr, if not already famous, was
at least regarded as one of the most prom
ing young authors of the day. He then
occupied tiny apartment on the top
foor--the seventh--of a house in the
Rue Vivienne, where l occasionally
passed half an hour with him, when--a
frequent occurrence, alasi at that period
of my career-I had nothing better to
do One afternoon, after clambering up
his interminable staircase, found him,
contrary to his wont, sitting in de-
iected attitude at his window and look
ing the picture of misery.
"What is the matter?" l inquired.
Anything wrongY
Everything" he replied, drumming
his knuckles impatiently on the window
pane. 81 have bill for 300 francs due
today, and no funds to meet it"
"Diablel''
ct must be understood that in Louis
Pbilippes reign, to literary man, liv-
ing as it were from hand to mouth, 800
francs appeared fabulous sum.)
"Not q sour he continued, "and that
isn't all; Tuesday is the last day of the
carnival, and / have promised pretty
neighbor of mine to escort her to the
ball at the Varieties, which of course en-
tails supper"
"And champagne" suggested.
EXACTLY, and where on earth am to
find the money!
This was a poser, and for some min
utes we looked despondently at each
other.
Suddenly an idea struck me.
"Why not ask your publisher" said l,
''to advance it to your"
"No use," he muttered, will a melan-
choly shake of the head. 81 am in his
debt already"
IF he won't, Ipersisted, "others may,
And, now I come to think of it, why moi
collect those tales and sketches you have
written for different reviews? They
ought to make vclumc."
YES" said Karr, with n dedication
a preface, plenty Of margin and AN in
dex, perhaps they might"
| Every well, then. Put on your hat
and come with me to Souverain."
"Your publisher? You don't mean tC
say there is any chance of his taking it,
"Why shouldn't hep replied. "Ht
will be only too glad to have your name
in his catalogue. At all events, there il
no harm in trying"
The establishment of NJ. Hippolytt
Souverain, the fashionable publisher O
| the period in question, was in the Rut
des Beaux-Arts, and on our arrival ther,
we were directed by one of the clerks t
a restaurant in the Rue Jacob, where tn,
great man was in the habit of dining
He had nearly finished his repast anC
shook hands cordially with me as l III
troduced my companion. l thought il
best to act as spokesman on the occasion
and explained as briefly as possible tn
object of our coming. Souverain lis
tened attentively while slipping his coffee
Very happy to know NJ. Karr," h,
said. 1--WE will talk the matter over on
of these days"
"That will be too late," replied de
cisively. "It must either be settled nov
or never. II it doesn't suit you, we viii
try Gosselin."
''But, my good sir" objected the pub
Usher, ''you cannot expect me TO pur
chase book without having the leas
idea what il isl"
"Oh," said 1, "if that is all, there will
be no difficulty in satisfying you. Kar
is ready TO sign an agreement, making
over to you, say for five years, the ex
elusive right of republishing in any form
you choose certain specified tales an,
sketches which have appeared in variou
periodicals, In consideration of the sun
of five hundred francs received by hin
from YOU"
"Not in cash!" hastily interposed Sou
verain. "A bill at three months, per
haps."
"Out of the question. Karr has ont
of his own due, and to pay it he mus
have money down"
VERY sorry, but make it rule neve
TO pay cash until my bills fall due"
I'm that case, said Alphonse, wh'
was chatting at the delay, lit is no us
wasting any time. and we had better SCI
| 0pSSelln.
"Wait moment, expostulated Souve
rain, You don't suppose carry 3Ol
francs about with mcI'
eve said 500, not 30O," quietly oh
served Karr when you have finishe,
your coffee, it is but step TO the Rue de
BeauX- Arts"
''You are in such desperate hurry
Can't you wait until have thought i
over?"
"Bills won't wait" | retorted, ''as yoI
know very well. So, unless you decide
quickly, there is an end 10 the matter"
Him." muttered ,Souverain, visibll
perplexed; 1--WE said 400, did we not?'
NO" emphatically replied Karr. mo
a sou less than 500."
quarter of an hour later we wer'
seated in the publishers room, where 5,
many illustrious colleagues, Balzac anC
/ EradarfQ Nn1lfa ananu, flo MIN, l.a.. has