The San Francisco call., 1896-04-26

will not be politician, of that I feel
sure; unless, indeed he should descend
from one of those dignified New England
gentlemen who made politics not a ques-
ton of money, but who used their money
to purify politics.. l am not speaking of
any politicians of to-day. Even in New
England. | know of none who will
answer that description. But think it
out Tor yourself and decide under whose
banner will the aristocrats of $500 rally.
But to return to Russia. The woman of
to-day is great admirer of Catherine of
Russia. She always speaks of her as DOS
sessing great brain and will power. She
has never seemed to me, however. the
sort of person that should care to have
an intimate acquaintance with. She be-
gan her career by killing her husband.
and after that she took fancies so to saw.
to various gentlemen to whom she gave her
very intense love, and on whom she spent
the wealth of all the Russias. One of
these gentlemen, Potemkin, was so
weary OF money that he had his
books bound in bank notes. I NAV
mention that l have never seen or
borrowed one of these books, but / read
this IN the history of Russia written in
French. Speaking of borrowing books.
aren't they cheap enough and isn't our
civilization old enough for that sort of
thing to cease? You or I love book. We
spend many happy or unhappy hours over
It. Here passage is marked by pencil:
there a specially beautiful description is
emphasized by some rose leaves between
the pages, and there, well there where
there was something that appealed spe-
clally to your heart or to mine tear drop
fell. and tear drop never fades. This
book is part of ones self. Some day Miss
Rosallnd Flighty appears and she, after
the manner of her kind, goes over your
oooks, plcSs up this special one and asks
you to lend it to her.
You are kindhearted and don't know
how to refuse. And this fool has in her
possession what is really part of your
lie. And the chances are ten to one that
she pencils certain passages as "lovely,"
TOO sweet for anything" and when the
book that you're fond of comes home, if it
ever does, 1t has become SO inoculated
with the lnslpldity of the borrower that
you catch 1t up with tongs and put it in
the fire.
Sometimes the borrower selects your
faVoute passages, learns them by heart
quotes them 10 other people, tells how
thev were marked in your book, and then
starts in to adapt them to your daily life
reasonably. do not lend my books. I
used to, but the disappearance of yaIua-
BILE French book, The mystery attending
book illustrated by John Leech, the walk
ing away in some mysterious manner of
an expensive dictionary of quotation and
the disappearance of no end of novels has
made me brutal. Now, L have the courage
OF my convictions and announce that I
never lend book. For myself, l should
Just as soon think of asking people to lend
me their underwear as to lend me of their
library. OF course, there are people in
thls world. as l know to my sorrow, who
do not iraw the line at borrowing lingerie.
Apropos OF books, if you want one
for your daughter, put into her hand
the life of Dolly Madison, which has
Just come out and which will explain to
her IN the most charming manner how a
woman can be fascinating and more than
mer ly fascinating to both men and
women and yet always be womanly and
!ovaole. L am great admirer of Dolly
Madison. In her day what a great lady
TINS little Philadelphia Quakeress was
NO queen ever surpassed her in dignity
better than she did how to make people
ike her; and she managed this little bit
OF diplomacy as a woman and not as a
politician. Dolly Madison would not
have been in harmony with the advanced
woman. Bicycles, bloomers and longings
Tor votes would have been far from her,
but she would have ruled to-day Just as
she did so many years ago, and for the
same reason-because she was a charming
woman. As | said before, it is a good book
Tor girl, this story of her life, and good
book specially for the girl of to-day.
To-day. or rather tonight, nobody sleeps
well. Whether it is the fault of the noisv
city, of overstrained nerves, or a troubled
conscience, who can tell? But certain
sure, that doctor who will find an inno-
cent oplate is the one who will make for
tune. / don't believe the beds themselves |
were ever more beautiful. They are of
enameled wood, of brass, of mahogany
frightened with gilt in the empire
fashion or of whatever material you
Will, but they are always marvellous
studies of beautiful furniture. Cos
sip says that Julien Gordon sleeps i'll
BED shaped like swan, with drapings
of lace about it. Surely, slumbering in this
way, the songs of the swan should come to
her In her dreams. OF fashionable di- |
vorcee it used to be said that her bed was
like huge hearse, heavy and black. 1t
stood In the center of the room on raised |
platform, which made it necessary to
climb two steps to get to it. When it was
first brought over from the other side the !
heavy top was lined with French mirror,
for the purchaser did not know that
French ladies objected to this style of bed |
but the truth was soon discovered, the |
looking-glasS removed and rose-colored |
satin put in its place. Those who know
say that this bed had a barren, cold
look, and all that it suggested was the
opinion given of Raphaels ''M adonna" by
Carlyle's servant-"It is expensive"
That funereal type is the sort of bed
Queen Elizabeth ought to have slept in.
This Queen of England was undoubtedly
woman of great strength of mind. No
frivolous lace decorated her nightgown:
no rose-colored knots were here and there
upon it, and no thin MULE made the gown
in which she dreamed. No, indeed, her
favor1te nightgown was of purple velvet,
trimmed elaborately with gold lacel This
was sufficient reason for her remaining a
virgin Queen.
But to return to beds. Mile. Mousseline
1s.+ hax- hcl IL.