The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1896-04-28
Ia. N. HUMPHREY WARD.
The Unlznown Husband Of Another Wen
Known Woman Of the Day.

The Unknown Husband Of Another Wen
Known Woman Of the Day.
written exclusively for The Gentlemen IS
Home Journal and no other.
IA mellow English sun lay upon the fair
countryside as the correspondent OF The
Gentlemon's Home Journal left the train
au Bron xvo0d- nsar-the- Tnunary, and, get
ting into trap, was whirled down leafy
lanes, all awhile with the blossoming
borders of hawthorn. Dismounting before
the grounds spread ont around a stately
pile, compounded of al that IS noble in
+-e -~ohiasatuTas OF Canuts and Queer
Elizabeth. the correspondent nervousiy
entered the high posted gateway and was
politely greeted by q gentleman Of refined
manner.
1T was hard 20 5aiieve that i stood face
to face with the husband Of Mrs. Mary
Humphry Ward, a lady whose books have
only TO be seen to be recognized by any
body who hos read them. He made me at
once at home, and in another moment we
voro drinking q glass Of buttermilk pre-
pared by Mr.. Ward himself and chatting
gleefully girls.
cit is sometimes difficult" said Mr.. M.
Humphrey Ward, Ticking q trace of butter
milk from his whiskers, TO believe that I
am actually tho beloved and only husband
of a woman 40 celebrated as Mrs. nj. III.
Ward, whose books. / arm told, are even
sold quite lo6 to you Americans after the
people on this side the water have told you
that they are q geod thing"
DO you Ind it Wearing2'' ventured to
ask.
"Ah, indeed I do, murmured Mr..
Ward, cIasping his hands ''Often does
Ers ". SIS up far int the night writing
pieces with theology and things in them
and then keeps me awake for hours read
ing mo the results of her cOgitations. To
one who has the breakfast to get I need
= ,F
me to be distraaght and irritable for per
haps days ct time. And she positively
will rot allow me to get her q hot water
bottle, " added Mr.. Ward if to himself.
ss1zrs AZ. II. Ward " he went on fondly,
sis everything man ought to ask in a
wife who has so many perplexing theolog
ioal questions to grapple with at so much
per grapple, according to the avarioious-
ness of the respective publishers
''Pardon the apparent personality Of the
question" I said, *but is it true, Mr..
Ward, that you are the hero Of Robert
Elsmereg F."
"Thersi' exclaimed Mr. Ward, drop
ping his knitting into his lap and laugh
ing coyly. 81 suppose you are the two hum
dred and thirty-dfth person who has asked
mo that question
Ho then explained how he strove to aid
his wife ia her literary work, sitting 81
lently by her side for hodrs listening to the
Irritable squeak of her quill psn, hearing
the solemn PUNK PUNK Of her brain as
she. concocted her weird and narrowing
romances or anon arising at her suRges-
ton and going through a number Of ges-
lures. Ia this way, he said, Mrs. Ward
was enabled to make her characters almost
like life.
"And hold the pens, D" concluded Mr..
Ward archly
1.-THE pena?'' faltered.
Mr. Ward laughed
Yes, - h0 said. Il got the idea from
David CopperhoId, you know"
Few could believe, to read the novels Of
Mr.. Ward wife, that he was a close fam
lily ocnneotion Of tho late Artemus Ward
of this country, ,ind they would be right
about it. MT VI ard frankly acknowledge
this. He claims alliance only with the
Wards of the old country Geneva a.
Ward, ho said, was an English branch Of
his family even batter known, he under
stood, and more popular in America than
his own. The duties that dovolve upon
one linked to so great a writer as Mrs.
Ward are cheeFfuly discharged by Mr.. w.
Ho showed me with pardonsble pride the
kitchen and dairy and let mo taste of some
rare old goosebaBry wine which no had
squat out with his own hands and Of
which he seemed to be particularly proud.
did not see Mrs. Ward. She was busy,
her husband said writing up her new
novel, which, no added in a tone Of pride,
IS to have inside Of it a new kind Of theol-
ogy, such IS be believes will prove highly
efioaofous and sell first rate. At such
times, he said, Mrs n. Il. Ward was apt
to be high strung, and strangers annoyed
her.
$50 it will be better for you to go away
without looking at her, " said Mr.. Ward
in his frank, engaging way.
Where the good English highway topped
a neighboring eminen0e the correspondent
of The Gentlemcn's Home Journal threw
a backward look from his trap upon the
coy homo of the Wards, resting under the
halo of a sinking sun. At that moment
one of the mutual children of Mrs. III. ii.
Ward and husband was engaged in falling
out of a choice fruit tree, and his cries dis
rupted tho atmosphere. The next moment
his father rushed frantically out Of the
house and deity pluoked the youth from
the sharp bough whore he hung impaled.
And the last glimpse the correspondent
had Of Mr.. M Humphry Ward, that pa
tient man was holding the boy face down
ward over his knee, while be deity piled
long and shining thread and needls.-W-
Q. Fuller, Jr., in New York World.