The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1890-12-28

pronounced, peculiar and adhered to
tanaciously, but as regards cremation ne
fesltates about putting himself on record,
takins' refuge behind the assertion that lie
has nOU yet questioned himself. But SUBJ
Join his own words:
What you ask OF me In your letter, my dear
conftefe, Is paragraph from my will. Crema-
ton has cOnyeniences in Its favor, only believe
that It's establishment will be slow, for 1t wounds
/ know not In what, the idea, perhaps false,
which We have formed of our tenderness for our
DEAD AS 10 my personal taste, have not yet
questioned myself, and 1t Is my belief that the
best thing Is to leave the care Of the decision to
can be pleased or panied by what is done in the
premises. Cordially, EMILE lola.
The eminent translator of " Hamlet"
Henri de Bornier, the only dramatist who
has ever succeeded in adequately rendering
the immortal Shakespeare's sublime poetry
IN the French language, INDUCES In curses.
lie IS somewhat OF bon vivant and it
seems that my inquiry took away his appe-
tite for his dlnner-a heinous crime on my
part. Read his indignant outbhrst:
Curses upon you! You prevented me from
dying Yesterday and from sleeping last night.
You ask me which Is my preferencr-t0 be In
cinerafed or inferred. had never put that dell
cate and but little enivening question to myself.
down at table. aud. In spite of myself began
botheiing my brains with the inquiry. Well, IFS
hOrrbei
No.. don't want to think about it-beIng re-
duced 10 ashes or soup after ones death. pre-
fer not to choose just now would rather be
borne away like the prophet Elijah in fiery
cnarlot! Have me made prophet. though
don't attach much Importance 10 being one at
the present time, send down the fiery chariot for
from dining and sleeping with your troubling
question! Very cordially yours.
HENRI DE BoRNIER.
DE Isles INDIGESTION.
That clever litterateur, Leconte de Lisle,
admits painful state of indecision which
ne thinks Will endure for several years
longer. He evidently prefers Paris, with its
excitement and literary honors as well as
emoluments. to either the crematory or the
grave: His brief note reads as follows:
Dear Monsieur: You demand Of me whether
desire TO be buried or burned After having
have 10 avow o you that desire neither the one
nor the other. This very painful state OF indie
clsi s VIII iast 1or some years yet before can
out too much impatience.
LEcoNTE DE Isle.
Sarcey, the keen critic and widely read
feuilletonist, whose "Chroniques " always
create such decided sensation, declares for
cremation theoretically, but SO far as he
himself Is concerned does not seem to have
have any decided opinion unless he should
die in Paris. This is the way in which he
puts it:
My Dear Confrere-lf I die in Paris, l
mated. the word is frighiful. II l die at
Nan,erre, ma fol, don't care enough
about the ceremonial by which ! shall be sent
into The other world to have myself borne to the
crematory furnace. Theoretically, cremation
appears TO me preferable mode OF finishing
with that rag, the body. But am neither intol
Grant or exclusive In anything. Yours,
FRANCIsQUE SARCEY.
Leon Cladel consents to cremation, but
makes a condition. He seems to have been
tr'fie taken aback at first, but his view of
the matter is at once practical and strongly
indicative of family affection.
What question! Well, this Is nv answer:
Will be burned. but on condition that my ashes
60 to re1oin those OF my mother and the children
1 nave iost, 10 The ground In which they are
buried. LEON CLADEL.
sARDoU WISHES TO BE BURNED
Sardou, the greatest dramatic author
alive to-day in France, writes in no uncer-
tain tone. The author of "Fedora" aud
cleopatra" does not hesitate for an
instant in making his choice-he is even
and decisive as it Is, reads like line from
one Of his plays. Take glance at il, for it
can be read at glance:
My Dear Cogfrere-Burned! burnedi would
take great deal more pleasure in being
burned! Cordially. SARDoU.
Armand Sylvestre, whose short stories in
Gil Bias and L'Echo de Paris vie with
those of Catulle Mendes in causing foreign
readers TO blush, and In giving them a
rather terrible idea of French morality, an
swers quite POLITICALLY; but then Sylvestre
courts the muses. as well as the genius of
Algerian peculiarlties. Hear him;
To become speck OF smoke In the sky or the
turf which covers the t0mbs, such Is tue choice
which Is given us. Ma fol, prefer the soil
whence spring the flowers for lovers to infinite
space To- which the stars are. perhaps, but the
last lle OF the gods. ARMAND SYLvESTRE.
The veteran humorist. Pierre Veron, who
edits and writes for almost all the comic pa
pers Of Paris, and has published more books
than could name did l devote the whole Of