The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-05-09
LITERARY GOSSIP.

N announcing lllS appearance Vi MS ltt-
est book. The Story OF Cuba Murat
Halstead writes: In the capacity of cur
rent historian ! arrived in Cuba In Jan
uary and came away IN March. Letters
Of Identification from members OF the
cabinet, the supreme court, the chairman
OF the committees on foreign affairs of the
senate and the house, and from the span
ish minister, We're honored by the highest
spanish officials in Havana, who gave me
polite and distnwuishcd consideration and
diplomatic information. | was inter-
viewed by La Discussion. leading Ha-
vana journal, ana my presence thus made
known at large on the island, found my
self in the confidence of sympathiZers with
the Cuban cause, who We're al immense
pains to thoroughly inform me of their
views of the causes, conditions and Conse>
Quenccs of the war | took testimony on
both sides. and it occurred to me had en-
joyed unusual privileges IN hearing from
original sources. of the dcplorable combat
which Is desolating the richest and fairest
island in the world, and my interest in the
theme, which has deepened daily as | hay.
gained knowledge, has caused me TO make
historical Investigations In the records OF
the Cuban centuries; and therefore have
undertaken and am in course OF accom-
plishnS the task announced. | have SEN
timents, sympathies and convictions re,
garding the grave matters treated, ana
have stated them frankly-trylhg 10 ne
impartial in statement-and / am encoiir-
aged to believe that | have been 40 inter-
ested in writing of Cuba as to produce an
interesting book. 1t Is labor in Itself
fascinating, and the difficulty o. discrnl-
ination Is an unceaSing experience. IL -
hard to find the truth in many Cuban ato-
ries-but this story, so far as | know and
believe, is true and fair. am impressed
that the matter collected and the man.
ner in which 1t Is presented, make up Il
consecutive and inteligible historical sum-
mary and application of intelligence OF
immediate and permanent interest ana
political Importance to the people OF the
United States. who have a profound in
terest in the cause of Cuba and duty 10
perform in the decision of her destiny;
and her crisis Is now"
From a comparison of the statistics OF
all the chief English libraries. says the
Golden Penny. 1t is evident that there is
very general agreement in Great Bri-
tain that the best novels in the various
departments Of fiction are as follows:
Sensational novel-"The Woman in
White"
Historical novel-"Ivanhoe."
Dramati tic novel-"Montc Christie"
Domestic novel-"Thc Vicar of Wake
field"
Sea observation-disclosures Easy
Novel of rural life-"Adam Bede."
Political novcl-"Lothair.'
Novel written with a purpose-"Cncle
Toms Cabin.
Imaginative novel-"She."
Humorous novcl-"Plckwick.'
Irish novel-"Charles O'Mallcy."
Scotch snovel-"Heart of Midlothian
ENGLISH novel-"Vanity Fair"
| American novel-"Thc Scarlet Letter."
The most popular novel Of all-"Vanity
Fair
1t was the ambition OF George Du
| Maurler to be singer, but he ruined his
| voice by an incessant consumption of Gig
| arcttes. His father was anxious to have
| him adopt science as a profession, and
it was not until after George was at 1iber-
| ty to study art. One day when drawing
| from model in Paris the girls head
| his hand to his left eye and found that
| it had failed him. This was the most traS-
ic event Of his life, and for years he has
lived in constant dread of total blindness.
| His firat daiwing for "Punch" were
accepted in spite of their bad qualities.
| He takes the most infinite total blindness.
! His first drawings for drawing some of
/ them five or six times. The "Trilby"
craze annoyed him intensely, and none of
his intimate friends ever refer to the pop
ular book in his presence.
| James Lane Allen the writer of whose
| recent stories have pleased so well, Is Il
| typical Ecntuclian. His father was Il
native Of Kentucky and his mother was
J from mississippi. He is tall, straight AMI
, has an easy dignity, has deop-hluc eyes, a
| heavy moustache and n firm mouth. He
! always had a prediction for literature,
even after he became engaged in eduCa-
| tional work. Finally he threw up every
! thing to devote himself to writing "K an
! lucky Cardinal" aftermath" and John
| Gray his be9t-known works. He argues
that no man can put into book what is
| not In himself. He possesses a keen sense
Of humor, and has high ideals.
Il II \
Elbert Hubbard is again alone on the
deck of the Philistine. W. Blackburn
| Harte lasted just nineteen days. and then.
as the result of disagreement over terms
| of pay. left for Boston. Mr.. Hubbar
| Will foreSo his customary summers trim
| to Europe end edit the philistine himself
which means that 1t will have things in ii
| worth reading.