The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1893-08-09
H. WALTER WEBB.


for the United States government sailed
for France last spring to take part In the
discussion before tho Behring sea court Of
arbitration, they. took with them in addi-
ton to their briefs and bulky legal doci,-
ments a score or moro of the best and latest
novels which the publishers had upon their
b~ookshelves, md one of the most eminent
lawyers in the United States expressed de-
light that he was able to procure such a
novel as Opie Reid's"A kentucky Colonel"
while another equally famous lawyer was
expecting to get great pleasure from this
reading of Conan Doyle's two stories, 1.-THE
White Company" and micah Clark"
Another member of the Century club, a
man who has had great experience as n
publisher and editor, then said: "fhackaray
was once asked whether the larger number
of his readers were men or women, and he
replied instantly women, whom he thought
comprised Is per cent Of his readers. But
II that was true Of England it is not true
Of the United States, " this publisher added,
"and Thackeray's warmcst admirers here
are numbered among our most virile in
t~ellects. In fact, it has been my experience
that the ablest men we nave either in pro-
fessional or business life are, as q rule, ex-
~travagantly fond OF fiction, and not of the
SS "a AGAAAooiS CSAAOoA ~ IbiOl "
which they have small liberation"
There followed some comparison of notes
after this statement, by which it was made
to appear that Mr.. j. Pierpont Morgan, a
man who seems to be wholly absorbed in
the conduct Of Il very great banking bust
ness, nevertheless finds as much pleasure
in a good sterling work of fiction as does
any youth whose Imagination is vivid. k.x-
Mayor Grace is a reader of fiction, although
absorbed both in business and political
matters, and upon a recent holiday he spent
the entire day reading Marion Crawford's
"a Roman Singer" Ex-Postmaster Gen
eral James is u voracious reader Of eXcit-
ing but high class current fiction and re-
grets that there is not more of it. He has
the capacity which Russell Lowell and the
late Justice Lamar had of absorbing phases
of a novel at what seems to be IN instnn-
famous glance.
Major II. Walter Webb, whose achieve
ments in the establishment of fast trains
have been the comment in the railway world
for a year or more, Is passionately fond of
Dumas and Of Thackeray and finds his
chief mental recreation in the reading of
these and other stimulating works of lc-
ton. Bishop Potter loves a good story, es-
pecially if there be hume in it, and Presi-
dent Dwight Of Yale college when he goes
to his country resort in the Litchfcld hills
in Connecticut %rejoices in being able to
take with him a really great work Of fiction.
He is a fond admirer of the novels of George
Eliot and read with kecnest interest Mrs.
Humphry Wards two stories, "Rohert
Elsmere" and 1.-The Story of David Grieve."
William D. Bishop, the creator Of the New
York and New Haven railway system and
once q member of congress, Is q constant
reader of fiction, and when the stories Of
DR.. Holland were being published was q
great admirer of them, being especially
pleased with Arthur Bonnicnstle."
Ex-Speaker Reeds delight in fiction was
. matter Of wide comment at the time of
his election to the speakership, and he re-
joices equally in the romances OF Dumas
and some of the American tales which nave
the flavor of the soil of tho west within
them. Judge Jeremiah 6. Black, one of the
greatest legal intellects the country has
ever produced, and Justice Lamar, lately
of the supreme court, were voracious read
ers of novels, and so ex-senator Ingalls, has
been.
Just after General Logan's nomination
for the vice presidency some of his friends
from Illinois called upon him at his rooms
In Washington and found him absorbed in
one Of Mark Twain's tales. Roscoe Coax
ling loved romantic tales and historical
stories and was especially fond of Ouida,
one of whose novels he read through at q
time of great political excitement through
which he was passing.
Chauncey M. Depew, notwithstanding
his literary inclination, is one of the few
distinguished men Of affairs who have lost
their early fondness for fiction. He said
recently that he had not read u Il novel in q
years and that he found enough of plot aud
incident, hunor and pnthos passing before
his eyes every day to satisfy him.
4. j. EDWARDS.