The times., 1897-11-07

signature OF Donald q Mitchell are the
words.
As much truth in them as in most
reyeries.'
Mrs. wistar would rather have had the
volume i'll which she was asked to write,
gift for the flyleaf Of The Old NAM
selles Secret bears these words:
Francis Wilson;
Not, alas, from his friend and admirer,
Jan. ., l S93. ANNIE LEE WISTER."
In his "Decisions OF the Court" BranCler
Matthews wrote.
Dear Wilson: l hope you viii not
reverse the decision.
"BRANDER MATTHEW'S"
All of Us Thomas Wentworth Higginson
says;
Dear Mr.. Wilson:
Il assure you that I prize a reader so
faithful and discriminating as ! find i'll
you; for an author always Regards a pro-
fusion of marginal marks. Nothing but the
law OF the land prevents me from insert
ing more than my name upon the fiyleaf-
Cordially yours,
IT w. HIGGINSON."
Mr.. Wilson upon one occasion expressed
to Mr.. Habberton, widely known as
the author OF 'Helen's Babies" much ad-
mIrauion for 'brueton's BAYOU" Shortly
afterward ne received copy OF an Eng
lish edition Of the work, IN which was
written:
My Dear Mr. Wilson:
you said So many complimentary things
about this story few weeks a go that
the least you can do by way of apology is
to accept copy. 1t has never reached
the dignity Of q cloth cover in the United
States, but ! have just got a few copies
over from England, where they do such
things awfully. Yours heartily,
JOHN HABBERTON."
In the ''washin gton Irving of the
Black and White series is:
Francis Wilson, with the admiration of
his friends,
CHARLES DUDLEY WARNER.
Hartford, October y, 1893
Inan exquisitely bound Japan paper copy
OF his poem is:
ITO Francis Wilson, Esq, with the re-
CARDS of JOHN HAY.
Washington, Aprn IS, 1892
In the Edwin Booth" of the Black
and White series, Laurence Hutton wrote:
I'm affectionate remembrance of his good
friend and mine" And III a letter ac-
| companying the above he added:
MY Dear Wilson: What more can say
to you than have said in the little book i?
He was your friend and mine. God keep
him. Thy fellow-player,
LAURENCE HUTTON"
In 1.-The Drama" in a hand that is not
easy to decpher is:
In acting, a grain of nature is worth
a bushel of artifice. To Francis Wilson
from HENRY IRVING"
New York, 1898"
From the Easy Chair are the lines:
Il write my name at your request, and
with ali good wishes
"GEOREG WILLIAM CURTIS.
''2S March, 1882
The fIyleaf of Criticism and Fiction
| says;
"A friend of Francis Wilson in all his
| forms. Beauty is truth, truth beauty.
"W. d. HOWELLS."
| Julian Hawthorne says:
| '.The horse is his who rides it statement
which would scarcely be calmly accepted in
| some districts), and the book his who ap-
| preciates 1T. 1 am glad TO write my name
in this book of yours, which complied.
In Coffee and kepartee," another of the
BLACK and White series, is written:
ITO Francis wilson
If you will smile at this small tome 10000
times,
Twill leave one somewhat less a prey
| to discomfort,
Since I1l'have thus repaid by these small
| jests and rhymes,
The debt of mirth 1 owe to you to the
| extent
! OF, say, one millionth of one-tenth of one
per cent.
John KENDRICK BANGS,
September 20, 1885,"
| 1t was during perfornanceof "Erminie y
| at the Broadway Theater that Mr.. Clyde
| Fitch presented &c Mr.. Wilson an elegant