The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06

Gently aud studied the outward seeming of the
man whose achievements have been incxplica-
BILE to observers who fail to understand the
fundamental characteristics Of the age in which
they live. Here was the Economic Man. I'm
agination. emotion, the martial spirit. love Of
art, ind little or no Encouragement in the pres
ence of this cold, calm. triumphant moulder of
zen and events. Beneath Mark Hanna's gaze
the soul OF the poet would shrink and die, the
throbbing heart OF the artist would break in
despair. and the eye OF the dreamer who looks
for the advent OF the millennium next week
would not dare 20 meet the oh lily glano OF this
man who knows men.
But let it not be imagined for a moment that
Mr.. Hanna Is at all contemp tuous in his atti-
tude toward art, literature. and the drama.
~ have been n busy man for many years." he
said to me. IL have been compelled to devote
nearly all OF my time to men and affairs. I
have not had much leisure to give to books"
He was seated beside the genial DIR. Edward
Bedloe. who looks forward with some confidence
to representing this country as Minister to
China. and the latter glanced at MI. Hanna in
ou!ringly.
You have been q reader of history. Mr..
Hanna, have you not ~ asked the would-be
diplomatist.
History? Yes. / have read n good deal Of
history At various times in my life. But | have
not been able to pursue my studies In that line
as far as | could have wished. Bible history I
lea rned as q boy. Ny people were Quakers. you
know. l gained n good deal OF Information
years ago at Sunday school that | have never
forgotten"
Mr.. Hanna smiled grimly. and restored his
cigar to u corner OF his mouth. There is humor
In the mans face. and now and then a note In
his voice suggests that he is indulging In an in
ward chuckle that may be either philanthropIc
or sardonic-it Is hard to say which.
AN opportunity to make history is more to
be desired than leisure to read it." suggested
DR.. Bedloe Automatically. Mr.. Hanna paid no
attention to the implied compliment. The
Economic Man never wastes words.
Books are of great service to the man OF af-
fairs In affording relaxation and rest to his
tired mind. i" remarked Mr.. Hanna. Tefiectively,
blowing q cloud OF tobacco smoke from his lips.
II find 1t a relief now and then to read fiction.
Not trash. you know. but novels having some
inherent strength. When the house is quiet at
midnight | enjoy n story by some author who
really understands human nature"
There was something in the speakers voice
that suggested the question that followed:
You are fond Of Dickens. Mr.. Hanna 2"
Very" he answered emphatically. Dickens
was a wonderful man. His writings have al
WAYS been a source of pleasure to me-"
Inc President maker permitted u retrospective
mood to gain control OF him. He looked for a
moment a shade less like the Economic Man
and n bit more like the Dreamer. The Spirit OF
the Past had broken into the Hotel Waldorf
and-,nfrdbile dfcttL-had laid hands upon Mark
Hanna, tho Man OF tho Present. Men and
women. chatting. promenading, laughin9-gay
with the reaction that followed the tension OF q
great national crisis - surrounded our little
group and cast curious glances now and then
at the man who had made a %triumphAl entry
from the shadows OF political obscurity into the
sunshine OF international fame. THE great
man Ia talking about the late tremendous con-
hict-perhaps about the spells of victory
tho onlookers whispered to each other. 1t
10 not too much to say that there would
have been "a mild panic In the lobby OF the Hotel
Waldorf that afternoon had 1t been bruitad
about that Warwick had laid aside for a time
the carking cares of state and had wandered
Rimlessly into the fowery fields OF ~letters. The
sensation would have been increased had 1t
been known that Mark Hanna, as he removed
his black cigar from his lips, turned to DR.. Bed
loo and said:
Years ago / went to a fancy-dress ball as
Pick wick. HeiRh-ho. l fear I've grown to look
more like the old chap in reality since then. My
figure was not so Pick wickian as II 10 now"
DR.. Bedloe's eyes met mine. The same thought
was In our minds. Mark Hanna and Plckwick
Was there, in all the teeming world OF fiction,
a character less like Hanna than the fussy old
incompetent whose name is synonymous with
the scheme that goes awry? Pickwick! That
tender hearted. ruinbow-chasing b!underer. tho
incarnation Of impotent pomposity, was not a
Mark Hanna in anything hut outward eeminR.
Not that Mark Hanna really looks like Pick
wick. For once In his llfe the Economic Man
had allowed his imagination to run away with
him. when he said that the years had given him
a closer likeness TO the leader OF the Pickwick-
ians than be had held in his youth. Hanna
actually looks as much like the accepted pic
tures of Pick wick as All iron knob resembles "A
ball of putty. Their gtrth may DO equal. but
the one is hard and the other soft.
Another book that | admired in former
years" went on Mr.. Hanna refiectively. evil
IDENTIFY unconscious of the fact that tho throng
In the lobby eagerly watched his lips from a
distance. seemingly In expectation that streams
OF political pearls would soon issue from his
mouth, " WAS Victor lIngO's Les Miserables.'
] have never had time TO reread this wonderful
novel. but the impression made upon me by It's
nrst perusal has never been effaced, II is q
great work OF art or contemporary writer's Of