The San Francisco call., 1896-07-08
BRET HARTE is A LION,
The Famous Old Garrick Club
Is More Exclusive Than
Ever.
Free Coinage of Silver in It's Relation
to American Securities Held in
England.

Colonel Alex 6. Hawes is in town again,
after an absence of little more than a
year. He has been living in London since
he left San Francisco, early in the sum-
mer of 1895, and will return to England
next month for another years sojourn
abroad. Among the old timers of Califor-
MA that the colonel frequently met at the
Savage Club in London was Paul Fran
zeny, an artist, whose talent is recognized
in two henispheres. Franzeny belonged
with Tavernier, Hamilton. Irwin and otb-
ers TO group of artists that pro-
duced some OF the best pictures ever
painted in San Francisco. He left here in
49, and subsequently sent some spirited
sketches of frontier life in Arizona and
New Mexico to Harper's Weekly For a
long time he was lost sight of, but was
again seen as an attache of Buffalo Bili's
Wild West Show in Paris. The London
Illustrated News gave his work special
prominence some years ago.
Franzeny has great schems on hand
now and 1t seems pity that Tavernier
Is not alive so the two might get rich to-
gether. Franzeny's scheme is to utilize
the waves OF the ocean to generate light
and produce power. When he gets it in
operation according to the plans in his
Imagination he will supply power for
manufacturing in London. The scheme
is not original by any means, but this de-
tracts little or nothing from its beauty.
Bret Harte, whose fame abroad was
gained by the "Outcasts of Poker Flat
and other stories in the old Overland
Monthly, is popular in London. Harte is
good deal OF lion in literary and swell
circles. His work is appreciated in Eng
land and his constituency of readers is
large and loyal.
II. J. w. Dam, formerly connected with
the press of San Francisco, is living in
London. He has produced one play that
has had steady run since its introduc-
tion to the public He is fairly prosperous
and correspondingly happy.
Colonel Hawes went abroad to direct the
management of the affairs of the New
York Lie Insurance Company in Great
Britain. Attention to duty in this regard
OF course required much of his time, still
he had leisure and opportunity to enter
tain many visiting Americans. He veri-
tles oil that has been said about t.Nealy'
Sullivan's success as singer in London.
When asked about the Garrick Club, to
which Thackeray and Dickens belonged,
and where they quarreled about the recog-
milton of Yates, Colonel Hawes said it was
still a famous institution. 1t is an exclu-
slve club to which strangers are seldom
admitted. Angels may be entertained
there unawares, but if so they are enter
tanned in the strangers dining-room, a
place set apart for dinners given by a
mem Der to non-members.
Admission 10 the haliowed inner pre-
cincts of the club can only be obtained bv
permission of the board of directors, and
the permit only allows the favored person
to pass through the fooms and note the
treasures contributed by the famous
authors and actors whose genius was
recognized the world over. The club is
rich in treasures OF this character. The
original sketches and paintings are highly
priced.
In coming across the continent from
New York to San Francisco Colonel
Hawes received another installment on
account of the Atlanta campaign OF 1854
and anticipating the advice of his physi-
clan, went to bed as soon as he got here.
He beard and saw enough at Chicago and
other places to convince him that the. ad-
vocates OF the free coinage of silver intend
to make vigorous fight in this campaign.
He cannot tell what effect free-coinage
victory would have on American credit
abroad. So much confidence is reposed
in the faith of the United States that
81 ,OOO, ,OOO,O 900 of American securities are
held i'll England. Any proposition to nav
these obligations in silver would. in his
judgment, place the United States in line
with the South American republics so far
as credit abroad is concerned