The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1896-02-27

since his wife's money has enabled him to
write at lcisure-and he's clever; but i do
| think he lacks resource. See here, this is
from the morning paper:
- sale of autograph letters was held yes
terday at the rooms of Messrs. Lethbridge,
! White & Co., when some high prices were re-
corded.
! !" small LOT Of six very early and interest
! ing letters written by Charles Dickens when
he was reporting for the Morning Chronicle
fetched 800; two short notes by Lord Ten
nyson, written prior TO his marriage i'm 1850,
and having reference TO In Memoriam. sold
for Sol; n four-page letter written by John
Ruskin in 1912 was bought for $780, three
early letters written by Mr.. John Fairbairn,
and the title page of the original manuscript
of his famous novel, The Vision of Present
Things. were secured by Mr. Watchet after
a brisk competition, for SIC. A batch of
30 short notes and post cards6y Mr.. Gladstone
fetched S42, and few minor lots were dis
posed of, +"
That's how things stand to-day with Fair
bairn; anything Of his sells-including his
autograph.
But -four years ago his position with the
public was very different, and / am going TO
tell you how small thing was really the
turning push which veered the needle round
on the dial, and then set il fair for his futufe.
Fairbairn and / both played at being bar
risters after we left Oxford, and both found it
necessary to do bread-and- butter work for
journals whose editors considered our stuff
worth raying for.
This went on for couple of years. when,
by the death of a relative, came into work
ing share of patent pill From that time
found ample scope for my literary ability in
writing advertisements for the pill.
But Fairbairn had TO keep his nose to the
grindstone. and wanted the leisure to do his
best work; and then he got engaged to Elinor
Hay Her father Andrew Hay, was n wealthy
North Country manufacturer, retired from
business; man of whims and crochets which
were strong in proportion to their unreason-
ableness.
Among his crochets were IN absurd belief in
Bloxam's pills. which can't hold an invalid's
night light to mine; a fancy for horse-hair
sofas and dining-r room chairs, which, besides
being most uncomfortable and slippery, are
terribly wearing TO ones trousers; an extra
ordinarily high opinion Of successful and
well-known authors and an entire contempt
for those not eminent.
But the man was curiosity in other ways;
lie would spend large sums on his hobbies,
the collecting of old silver plate and auto
graph letters, and yet believe he was almost
paTsmonious about his household expendi-
lures.
They We're afraid to tell old Hay about
their engagement, for Elinor told Fairbairn-
who was quite frank with her about his
mcans-in what light her father regarded
authors who had yet to arrive.
And so the affair was very awkwardly
-. 4.
me at kenley-he had given up the Temple
was perpetually asking me what he ought
10 do.
lie didn't like keeping his engagement
dark, and he didn't want to run the risk of
being told by old Hay not to go TO his lHay's)
house any more.
This was at the time when "shillng
shockers " were very popular and, TO give
FairbaiTn leg up, / suggested he should
write one for me- full Of interest-afier the
style of :" DR.. Jekyll and Mr.. Hyde but
should let the magic medium lie finally
revealed in the last chapter as Pinkerton's
Pills instead of the powders brought in by
T. /. Stevenson.
But Fairtairn would have nothing to do
with it. subsequently, j had novel
written for me on this plan: il went splendid
Is, and some, of the reriewers-who, / am
told, don't always read the books they review
never spotted the idea and the thing was
huge success.
One afternoon, after about three months of
this ciandestiDe engagement Miss Hay was
calling on my wife, who was in the secret,
and, when asking ms TO 20 TO dinner nj
Eastbroos, said 10 me. g do wish. Mr..
Mildmay, you wonld think of some plan to
make father think more of John; II is so
Wretched"
Miss Hay / answered, as n thought
flashed Oil ne, LET MS make a compact. If
] succeed ia making your father think highly
OF John as an author, viii YOU sit TO my
artist for Brought up on Pinkerton's Pills?'
A first-lass black and white poster, you
know, a huEdred-dollar fec and free pills for
lile'
She Laughed, but assured her / meant it,
and finally the compact was made
Fairbanks fance was 20, and she had
confaed 10 my wife that she conldn't touch
the money that came TO her from her mother
if she married without her Eather's consent
under the age Of p.
On the following Monday we went 10 din
neT at Mr.. Hays. The only other guests
were Fairbairn and a Miss Peters, friend
TO Elinor's
-A1Aci diunGl iifc Oil gob sifONfDS MS
some of his things. and Fairbairn, at my ad-
yising, played up to old Hay and admired
Iae autograph letters when he pulled out his
pr iolios
] remember one he showed ms was q little
scrap written by Charles ii, when q boy. to
his guardian. the Earl Of Newcastle. who had
been Gliding him for not taking his medicine:
My Lord. would not haze you take too
much Phisick: for il doth allwaies make me
worse and think il will do the like with
you, . ran this letter, and nearly sent Hay
into iit when ! suggested he should lend it
10 me for facsimile reproduction, with the
addition, Take pinkerton's Pills. Charles
p" Mr. Hay died last year, and his daugh-
ter recently gave me Charles lis letter You
may like TO See il an naturel before il goes on
tine bGardings.)
Later in the evening the old gentleman
showed me some recent acquisitions and
aaiong them was anearly letter he had bought.
al high price, written by Mr. George
Meredith.
That's what / call an author. sir 80 he
exclaimed. as he gazed at his purchase: Al
haven't read him, and don't know what he
writes about but its good enough proof for
me Of his position when | have 10 pay in
bank notes for his letters" and the old man
glanced dispaTagingly in Fairbaim's direc-
| ton.
This remark at once suggested TO me my
plan of action. i thought it out rs went
home and the next day set 10 work.
First / went "a a Y Joodop