Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1893-02-11
PERSONAL AND LITERARY.


1t is said of William Morris, the
poet, that he never clothes his burly
limbs in anything but blue serge, in
which he looks for all the world like a
bluff sea captain. If he be asked to
dinner the first thing he stipulates is
for the serge garments and no swallow
tail.
When Abraham Lincoln, while
studying law in Petersburg, Ill, was
paying Mr.. Alfred Gordon for his board
by splitting rails, he had the same envi-
able reputation for doing thoroughly
good work in that occupation as in the
more exalted work he performed in aft
er years. Some of these rails are still
in use, forming part of the fencing on
the Alfred Gordon farm.
French novelists are forming a
powerful association for the protection
of their interests against the publish
ers. The society is being promoted by
one of the most eminent living French
writer's of fiction. The authors chief
grievances are that the publishers sell
their books at any price they can get
for them, and that they print and sell
larger number of volumes than they
account for.
The duchess of Lauraguais, who
was somewhat given to making poetry,
could not think of a word to rhyme with
coiffe. Turning to Talleyrand, who
CHANGED to be by her side, she said
'Prince, give me a rhyme to coiffe. !"
Impossible, Duchess" replied Talley-
rand, without moments delay; ''for
that which pertains to the head of a
woman has neither rhyme nor reason"
An enraged Partisan poet lately
brought an action for damages against
his publisher because some of his
rhymes were spoiled by printers blum
ders. He lost his suit, the court hold
| ing that in withdrawing the book as
soon as the error was discovered and in
correcting the off Tending line the pub
| Usher had done all that could reason
ably be expected of him.
Noted writers are to be sent on a
voyage around the world to discover
| literary material for descriptive stories
| and romantic fiction based on the lives
| and scenes of foreign lands visited.
Julian Hawthorne is to lead the expedi-
ton, and he will take an artist, a geolo-
| gist, a naturalist and q conchologist. A
schooner. to be named the Sargasso,
will be chartered, and will sail from
New York.
Julia Ward Howe began the study
of ancient Greek in her old age, but
probably with no greater interest than
that with which Queen Victoria took
up Hindustani at seventy. That was
three years ago. and her majesty is still
bending her energies to acquire per-
feet command of the language of her
oriental subjects. She has added a
staff of Hindoo servants to her house
hold, to whom she gives orders in Hin.
dustani, and whenever rajah from
her far eastern dominions visits heI
palace, as in the case of the gaikwar Of
Baroda. she converses with him in his
native tongue.
Joel Chandler Harris, the "Uncle
Remus" of current literature. lives neal
Atlanta, on small estate thickly
grown with trees, vines, and flowers
among which magnolias and Cape jas
mines predominant. There is happy
family of six children in the house, anC
the author leads an existence that is nj
agreeable combination of city ant
country life. Mrs. Harris raises hel
own poultry and attends to her pc
Jersey cows with maternal solicitude
while her husband, who was reared OF
u plantation, drinks glass of butter
milk with his noontime dinner with al
the gusto of youth.