The Indianapolis journal., 1892-02-16
ABOUT PEOPLE AND THINGS.

MRS. RICHMOND RITCHIE is writing q BIZ
ography of her father, William Makepeace
Thackeray.
NINE. MoDJEsKA was recently invited to
give recitation at dinner party. She
complied with the request, her defamation
impressinR the company deeply, although
no one could understand word of Polish.
the tongue in which she spoke. Subss-
quently it appeared that she had merely
recited the numbers from one to 230. having
forgotten the verses she intended TO give.
Mrs. BELvA LOCKWOOD is an elderly
woman of o distinctly mAtronly appear
ance. In figure she is anite portly. and her
face is fair, plump and placid. She lauchs
easily and talks we'll in voice that has In
il no trace of masculinity, and. in fact,
there is no indication in her demeanor of
the vinegarish traits OF character with
which some people have unjustly credited
her.
MRS. HUMPHREY WARD may we'll he sup
posed "the prey of mingled emotions"
when she reads the hot-pressed criticism of
q famous London authority that her new
book, David Grieve," produces the effect
shadows" And ell because the critic
thinks Mrs. Ward was never in her life at
tho wicked French dive she calls The
Three Rats"
MIR. T-BRooME died In Ber-
lin few days ago. Mr.. Plsntagenet as he
preferred to be called. was well-known
character in the German capital, where he
taught English to various members of the
imperial family, princes and representatives
OF the Prussian aristOcracy. He was
favorite at court. He was also a great
friend of Americans. and was usually found
ac their entertainments The dead man
prided himself on his descent from the
English Plantagenets.
THIS Is Emmerson in 1S4s. as described
by David Scott. the painter: HE has
small-looking face and head, topping the
rather siOpinR shoulders of q tall, long
necked. somewhat slender man, and his
bearing is easy. with dignity and .oompos-
ure. His hands are prominently large IN
proportion 10 his head, his nose beaked,
and underlip little projecting Altogeth-
er there Is. on first view, the impression OF
severity OF character. and on meeting him
i'll private that Of steady gentleness and
power"
II HAVE never" writes Whittier to an
English correspondent, desired or hoped
to found a school of poetry, nor even
written with the definite object of influence
ing others to follow my example. have
only written rs the spirit came and went.
often unable TO give utterance to the best
poems that were In my heart, the utter
ance being holden, bnt 1t has been tue
crOwping joy of q prolonged old age that
my life has not been entirely valueless and
that have been allowed TO see tho end OF
slavery In my country"
In recalling a reception ct the house of
Mrs. James T. Field, in Boston, where
many brilliant people were present and
where Hawthorne was expected. Clara
Louise Kellogg says: Nathaniel Haw-
thOrne vas such a retiring. shy man i did
not meet him. although he came to Mrs.
Fields for that purpose. Many people
were in the drawing-roOms expecting to
see the author of the Scarlet Letter every
minute. He was upstairs but could not
summons su ufficient courage to come down
and mingIe with those who had only words
of praise for him."
MRS. JULIA A. CARNEY. of Galesbura. ILL.,.
is not widely known in tie world of letters.
and yet she is the author of that interest
ing little poetical moroccan beginning Lit.
tie drops of water, Little grains of sand"
etc. On the theory that 1t does not matter
who makes nations laws, provided you
can write its songs. Mrs Carney ought to
feel happy In the delectatiOL she has given
the infantile mind. 1t il not. perhaps.
singular that the verses referred to have
been claimed by al English clergyman.
and that they have been ascribed to half .
dozen different authors.
MUCH Indignation Is felt in literary cir
cles over the putting on sale. as has been
done, Of the personal letters of the late
Miss Booth, long editor of Harper's Bazaar.
In the many years which abe occupied tins
position she naturally received an accumu-
lation of letters from prominent writers.
many still living. Some, many indeed. OF
the women writer's were on terms OF cordial
Intimacy with Miss Booth, and their letters
often coupled with business frank
references TO private affairs. Such will
81 l,l fo
derstood that the letters are scheduled and
stinct which thus sacrifices good taste and
proprIety to business enterprise is to be de-
plOred.
WHEN the present Ameer of Afghanistan
was yet On exile he made pretense of
stupidity which deceived a great many
people. But after being invested with his
present authority he displayed surprising
keeDnese. On one occasion the Russian
commandant in Turkestau sent him word
that 1t wns proposed to tai ke 500 artillery
men and cavalry out for exercise on the
Afc han frontier, and expressed hope that
&c would not give rise to apprehensio on
the part of his Highness. Abdurrahman
replied that he had no objection. because.
as il happened, be was about to exercise
5OOc cavalry artillery and infantry on his
side of the frontier aS the same place, and
there was plenty of room for both. The
hint was enough. The Russians wrote
thanking the Ameer. but intimating that
they had found another site for their
maneuyres