The record-union., 1897-06-20

scope, has accomplished Inucn NdiudDAS
inventive work in connection with cleo
trical and Photographic apparatus, but
his most brilliant achievements nave
been in the domain of moving photo
graphy. Recognizing the intricate
and cumbersome nature of the appara-
tus formerly used, and the imperfect
character of the results obtained, Mr.
easier has lifted the art from the do
main of the laboratory to the plane of
practical commercial results. He has
done for the science of moving photog-
raphy what the incandescent lamp ac-
complished for electric lighting. His
biograph has proved a revelation in
screen projection, not only in this coun
try but in Europe. His mutuscOpe has
put into public use a parlor machine Of
absolute simplicity and incalculable
commercial value.
The heroic bronze statue of the late
DR.. Samuel David Gross, which has just
been dedicated in Washington, is the
second monument of the. kind erected to
the memory of a famous surgeon in the
United States.
Times are bad with Scottish artists
just now" says the Westminster Ga
zette, and number in Glasgow have
hit upon a device for raising the wind.
Pooling the pictures which were lying
about their studiOs-potboilers sketches
and other works-they dispatched them
to one of the city auctioneers, and a
great sale was held the other afternoon.
The auctioneer, in opening the sale, said
it was novelty for Glasgow, and the
artists have told him that, as they Of
fered their pictures without reserve, the
result of the experiment would deter
mine whether it would be repeated.
Prices. however, ruled very low. Pic
lures by leading members of the elias
gov School were knocked down for a
few shillings. The House of Parlia-
ment. by D. E. Christie, the painter of
Vanity Fair purchased by the Glas-
gov Corporation, was sold for p gum
cas-, this being the highest price of the
day. There were loud lamentations in
the studios over the paltry prices
Not less remarkable in it's way was
the tardy and unexpected success of
The Story of a Country Town. by
Edgar w. Howe, a dozen years or so
time. Mr. Howe wrote the story in the
scant leisure hours afforded by his du-
ties as editor and publisher of a small
daily paper in Atchison, Kan. After
his paper had been put to press, and he
had eaten his dinner, he shut himself
up in his editorial den and wrote until
the night was old. Sometimes the lines
came hard, and again the pen flowed
took no model, tried to initiate none of
the masters of fiction, but wrote as he
felt like it. Many times he was on the
point of throwing his manuscript into
the fire, and very often. as he chewed
the end of his penholder, his audacity
frightened him.
When the story was finished it was
submitted to several leading publishers,
and refused by all Disappointed, but
not dismayed, Mr.. Howe resolved to be-
come his own publisher. He set some
of the type himself, and read newspa-
perproofs in connection with book proofs
every day The out-of-date press on
which the book was run off could print
only four pages at a time, and months
were required to complete an edition of
], 800 copies. Despite all the time and
labor spent upon it, the book proved
a rank failure. Some of those who read
it laughed at it; others damned it with
the faintest praise. Mr.. Howe, who had
poured into the rich experiences of a
lifetime, in despair charged its cost to
profit and loss. and strOve to forget all
about it, But at the thirteenth hour
recognition came in a strange way. On
one of his Western tours the late
Barney Macauley picked up copy of
1.-The Story of a Country Town" in a
local book store, and, attracted by it's
odd appearance, bought it and thrust
IT into his bag. On his way East hav
ing nothing else to do, he took it out
and read it. The books originality and
power impressed him deeply, and on
reaching New York he handed it over
to one of the editors of the World, y
which few days later gave it a com
plimentary notice a column and half
in length The tide had turned. Within
a fortnight Mr.. Howe received an offer
from five publishers 10 bring out a
new edition of the book. He closed
with the first conner, and during the
ensuing six months a dozen editions
of 'fThe Story Of q Country Town
ern printer. working with heavy eyes
at night, marking out his own path and
following his own impulses, had done
what men of literary training, ample
opportunities. the habit of careful pol
ishing and firm convictions about the
requirements of the authors art. were
that year unable TO do. Not one OF
them. The raw Kansas editor had
made hit of the first order. And he
had earned it.
An oxford undergraduate poet gives
the following advice in connection with
the possibilities of University Exten-
sion and University Settlement work:
IF you're anxious for to shine in the Phil
anthropic line. you should let yourself
be seen,
Entertaining of a Mission which has made
an expedition from the wilds OF Seth
nal Green:
You should feel no idle scrupIes in post
poning all your pupils, and in putting
off the work they bring,
For to act as educator to the lower social
strata Is much more noble thinS-
And all your guests will say. when YOU'VE
tramped the livelong day,
rs one OF them good-for-nothing lazy
Dons, as as got no work to co.
So 'ow could e be better employed than
chaperoning me and you?
New York Post: Miss Constance
Maud, who a year or two ago wrote
book entitled "Wagner's Heroes has
now followed this up with companion
volume entitled Wagner Heroines." Il
is concerned, however. only with Brun-
hilda, Senta, and Isolda, the others
Elsa, Eva, Elizabeth, and Kundry-
having been sufficiently dwelt on in tbs