The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-08-11

1
: my study of the law, which had befor
my enlistment mixed with my hterar,
pastime. If ever you get your finger
on The Fair God you will see tina
the beginning shows the youthfulnes
of the writer. 1t does not show tn,
maturity of the last part. All which
includes the entry of Cortez and tn,
sNoche Triste was written off and OF
after my return from Mexico. / wa.
engaged in law and politics and the
writing of The Fair Cod about twelve
years. ] wrote this story only fol-
pastime-never thought of the publica-
ton of it. 1t filed up evenings and idle
hours generally. Going to New York
on one occasion I concluded for curiosi.
ty TO slip the manuscript into my trunk
and submit it to publisher. White
law Reid gave me an introduction tc
the house of Osgood, Ticknor & Co.,
Boston They referred the manuscript
to readers with the result that they un-
dertook the publication of it on the
usual terms
Then I wrote a number of maya
zine articles, and about 1874 conclud-
| ed would amuse myself writing nov
elette, of which the principal circum-
stances should be the meeting of the
wise men in the desert and the birth
of Christ. The episode of the meeting
in the desert was always a point of in
terest to me- Who were the-?
Whence did they come? How did IT
happen that they met for that singular
purpose? All there is of it is few lit
tie verses of the Gospel, but it was very
interesting to me. My purpose was to
zine, it seemed SO suitable for illustra-
ton. When it was finished put away
in my desk very carefully prepared
manuscript. A conversation with a
distinguished gentleman not long after
ward set my mind going again. 1 had
never studied the Scriptures, had
no opinions one way or another
respecting God or heaven or hell.
My condition upon THE subject
and all involved in it was pro-
found Indifference. The conversation
referred to made me ashamed of myself,
and resolved to investigate as well as
could and reach my own conclusion.
With that in view l thought of impos-
ing task on myself which would COM
tinue the theme of the manuscript in
my drawer (which ended with the birth
of Christ, and is now the first book of
Ben Hur') to the death of Christ, the
crucifxion. i was engaged about four
years on this subject, reading and meai-
tating. ! came out firm believer in
God, and without doubt in the Divin-
ity of Christ, and-with Ben Hur.'
upon the publication of Ben Hur,'
Gen. Garfield, the president, an old time
friend, read it and sent for me. In the
interview, he said: L want to send you
as minister to Turkey. The labor will
leave you plenty of time for writing, and
! want you to give me book on Constan-
tinople.' He gave me my commission,
and in the lower left-hand corner, in
his own handwriting, were the words
and initials: Ben Hur. J. A. c. 1
never saw him again. sailed soon aft
erward for Europe, and at Liverpool re-
ceived by cable the information that he
had been shot"
With what patience and fidelity and
ability Gen. Wallace has fulfilled the
literary part of his mission the public
will soon be permitted to judge. The
book on Constantinople is within a few
pages of completion. 1t is story of
romance laid for the most part about
Constantinople in the period of 145O,
the catastrophe being the assault and
capture of the city by Mohammed.
During his term of service there Gen.
Wallace had abundant opportunity to
study the locality and lay in the out
line of the work on which he is still en-
gagged.
1.-The sultan was very kind to me-"
he says, permitted me to go where I
wanted to and under the most favor
able circumstances.
Down in the front hall hangs an in
teresting portrait of ABDUL Hamid, the
sultan. have never seen the sultan,
but | should think this might be faith
full portrait of him. Surely it looks as
if it might see and hear and speak and
smoke hookah.
Eyes, it is good likeness" said Gen.
Wallace, without any affectation. 81
made 1t little at time and had to be
very sly about it, for the Turks hold it
to be an offense against religion to
make picture of the ruling sultan. 1t
would have raised great row if it had |
been known that | was making this |
one. No; the sultan himself did not |
know it. Every time I saw him made |
a mental note of some one of his fea-
lures, and then when | reached nv
room l fastened to add it to the por- |
trait"
Beside this portrait hangs an evidence
of the sultan's high regard for Gen. |
Wallace. 1t is the order comforting the |
decoration of the Medjidie first class) |
upon him-a very rare distinction and /
an exclusive one, since on the death of |
the holder il reverts to the sultan, never
again to be conferred on mortal man.
In this front hall hang Gen. Wal
lace's military and diplomatic swords; a
battle flag of the Seventeenth Virginia |
cavalry, captured at Monocacy, and |
still bearing the blood stains of the /
poor fellow who chung to it until death;
a number of Indian relics, mementoes
Of the Mexican campaign, and a
statuette of Ben Hur, which the author
says in all seriousness is good like
ness, for to him Ben Hur is as real a
parsonage as if he lived and moved on
earth to-day.
Personally Gen. Wallace is delight
full man He bears his sixty-five years
as if they were but fifty. Tall, erect,