Kansas City journal., 1897-05-26
OF CURRENT INTEREST.


One of the most impudent literary thefts
on record is that of which Justin Huntly
Mccarthy is guilty. says a London cor
respondent of the New York Journal, in
his brazen appropriation of the authorship
of My Friend the Prince" now being sue
cessfully played at the Garrick theater.
which is a plagiarism, title and all, of Du
Souchet's farce, My Friend from India
On the posters all over London and in the
newspapers the Garrick theater production
is advertised in big letters as by Justin
Huntly Mccarthy" without the slightest
recognition of the real author. on the pro-
gramme in the theater there appears in
very tne print. which can scarcely be read
with magnifying glass, the line: "Sug-
gested by an American play" MY Friend
the Prince is in all essential particulars
the same production as My Friend from
India" only that it is played as a comedy
rather than as farce at the Garrick.
Tho discussion which began some time
ago as to the best ten short poems in the
English language continues to bring out
the fact that no two authorities agree on
the subject. Here is James jeffrey Roche's
list, which is notable for being different
throughout from any Of the lists hitherto
published:
"Gray's Elesy Written in a Country
Churchyard."
Bryant's "Thanatopsis."
Poe'S Raven"
Mrs Browning's "a Musical Instrument"
Byron's Waterloo Qrom "Childe Har-
old's Pilgrimage'O.
O'Reilly's ''In Bohemia"
Tennysons Ballad of the Revenge"
Kiplng's Danny Deever"
Aytouns "The Execution Of Montrose."
Wolfe's Burial OF Sir John Moore"
Reuben Romfg, a PENNSYLVANIA farmer.
is a big-hearted man. who could never turn
a beggar away from his doors. During tho
Iast eighteen years his barn has been the
lodging place Of nearly 1900 hoboes, and
he has never yet had the slightest trouble
with anyone who has enjoyed his hospital
ity. His rules and requirements are that
when a tourist comes to ask for shelter he
must turn in all matches. pipes and smoE-
ing tobacco at the kitchen door. subject to
return in the morning. Many Of the So
Journers receive their breakfast, and in re-
turn for the favor remain for an hour to
saw and split wood. During the past six
months he has sheltered about 400 in all.
including three or four women. OF all
these tramps, one actually asked for work
of his own accord and seemed glad when
he got it.
japanese journalism" says a missiona-
rvs wife, lis singular profession in many
of its features. There is practically no
such thing as freedom of the press in ia
pan. Whenever a newspaper publishes
something unfriendly to the government, it
is suppressed. and the editor is sent to
prison. The real editor is never imprisoned
though. Every newspaper has what the
Japanese call a dummy editor and his
sole duty is to go to jail every tir1e the pa
per is suppressed for offending the mikado.
Then the real editor changes the name OF
the paper, and keeps on publishing it. Dunn
my editors spend most of their time in
prison."
During Mr.. Tyler's incumbency of the
presidency he arranged to make an excur-
sion in some direction and sent his son to
arrange for q special train. The railroad
superintendent happened to be a strong
Whig and, as such, not wishing to bestow
any favors on Tyler. he informed young
Tyler that his road did not run any special
trains for the president. WHAT said
young Tyler, "did you not furnish a special
train for the funeral of President Harri-
SOM" Yes" said the superintendent. "and
If you'n bring your father here in tho
same condition you shall have the best
train on the road
Colonel Watterson never lacks anecdotes
to give point to his post-prandial speeches.
At the Associated Press banquet in Chicago
the other night he lamented that he was
unable to summon to his assistance the
comfort which Daniel was able to summon
when he found himself in the lions den.
Casting about him and ascertaining that
there was no possible means of escape, he
folded his arms and turned upon the fero-
cious beast. who was licking his chops pre-
paratory TO devouring him, and he said:
There is one comfort. anyhow. After this
meal there won't be aRy speechmaking.'