The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-11-28

his life as he has frequently told them TO
his friends, not even 1.-The Innocents
Abroad" has had a larger sale than such
q biographical novel would secure. Some
of the anecdotes of Edison's earlier expe-
riences are humorous to the highest de-
gree, and have a charm which most humor
does not because these stories are true.
Some of his experiences were pathetic,
some of them dramatic and many of them
exciting, and in the hands of skillful
novelist could be conferred upon plot and
counterpart so as to make most graphic,
Instructive and delightful tale
The novel which Edison is understood to
be writing is story of electricity. but his
pen thus far drags heavily, and while he
knows that he has the story in his head, it
does not come out on paper as he would
like to have it. He talks himself but little
about it, and all that is known about his
work is CLEANED from hints which his
friends are spreading abroad.
Edison regards the writings of Tyndall.
the lectures of Faraday, and above all the
prose poems of Ruskin upon art as per-
haps the highest achievements of the sci
entists and specialists, and he has long had
a secret yearning to do some literary work
which would compare with that of these
writers. But literary effort, that required
for single magazine article even, entails
toll upon Edison even greater than that
which he has given to some of his inven-
tions.
He can command the highest price for
magazine work Not long ago an offer
was made to him that he name his own
price for a series of articles descriptive of
his work as a scientist, and he was Obliged
to decline it, although his friends knew
perfectly we'll that it would have given him
the greatest delight to have furnished such
a series provided he felt that he could do it
and gain thereby literary reputation. The
money that would have been paid TO him
would have been the least of considera-
tions.
If Edison would write story of few
thousand words, telling his experiences in
the telegraph office in Boston before he was
famous, and telling them exactly as he mar
rated them to Congressman Cummings
and Professor Barker and party of friends
a few years ago, the story would become
immortal Edison's delineations of char
acter, his description of his encounter with
a rapid telegraph operator who was trying
to break him-that is, to send faster than
Edison could receive; his description of the
machine which he invented to wake him
up when he was catching catnaps during
the dreary hours of the night; his delicious
ly funny experiences with the reaches
which infested the Office at night, and
which he by an electrical device extermi-
mated, are as amusing as any of the crea-
tons of Mark Twain, or even the humor
of John Phoenix.
Mr.. Edison is one of the most cordial of
men in his relations with others, and there
was q time when ne had rather be imposed
upon than break with one whom he called
friend But there is one writer upon
scientific subjects with whom Edison's re-
lations are not cordial, and while il would
not be proper to speak Of purely private
breach of friendship, yet it is known that
Mr.. Edison and Park Benjamin do not
have the same friendly relations which at
one time characterized them.
Benjamin is one of the most delightful
and accomplished writers on scientific sub
jects of the present generation. He has
the ability TO take a technical matter Of
science, and especially Of applied science,
and treat it with great literary charm. so
that his writings have for many the fas-
cination almost Of romance. To the gen
eral public his name is not so familiar as is
that of some other writer's, but ia the sci
entiic world he stands at the head cf
writers upon such subjects. As an Ameri-
can he has Joined science and literature
with such happy results as Tyndall and
Faraday attained in Great Britain
Those who are friends boeh Of Mr.. Ben
jsmin and Mr.. Edison are surprised that
there should not be harmony between
these two men, aud most amusing are the
stories which are told OF the cause Of the
rupture Il Is sufficient 70 say that this
cause Is generally ascFi5ed 90 the sensitive
ness of Edison regarding his literary ca
pacitv, and me rupture Itself is looked
upon BIZ the friends OF both as the strong
est. although an incidental indication q
Edison's honorable desire % gain literary
repute. Z. j. EDWAEDS-
Raisin. Mushrooms All the Year Round.