The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-05-01

wzs whenane AE90r&af&1I Nuhf. the host.
exa produced IN album containing u copy
OF some ye9Ses Of his eGaxnn Dc6y's own.
and asked his opinion OF them SIR Charsss
lsu4sed and called fhem dreaded drive
His hosr flushed - don't mind you
laughing II me-" she said 'hafs pray asn's
laugh az verxes that came from the very
heart Of my husband when IRE nrst knew
each other. and which ! viii treasure 20
my DYING day This was a social agony
with a Vengeance.
I. In not often that publishers OF sar-
cexsfui novel receive congratulations from
authors other thar the writer Of the sur-
csxsful book Itself. ard he Is 700 often
unwilling 70 share the credit with his
n letter written by Mrs. Louise Chandler
Mouifon 10 Mr.. Exertor Castles publish
ers 10 an Interesting example Of proof %
the rule By the exception She says, "A
friend ient me, and have just finished
reafing. The Pride OF Jennico and / feel
an Impulse to congratulate you on the psae-
licatian Of one Of the most delightful books
! have seen this year. II is full OF go
enthraIiing In its MISUNDERSTANDING in It's
pictures AZ the life Of that time-and best
Of all. II - thoroughly noble in It's tone.
The writers know how TO tell love story.
ard. altogether. their book has delighted
me-
Stephen Crane Is living in England now
an6 IL a; work on new nosei which viii
Be published next autumn The opening
chapters are said by his friends to contain
by all odds the best work he has ever
written. He Is certainly devoting more
care TO II than he gave 70 any of his
previous work, and IL viii probably mark
a distinct advance Ia his literary position.
James ". Graham. the author of the
historical novel THE Son OF the Gar" Is
N ezfkrs Of II fx.np
and was educated In France. Germany,
Italy and Spain. He has command Of the
languages OF ali these countries together
with q good knowledge OF Hebrew and
Arabic He h in the prime OF life. an ex-
pert fencer. and an ardent oarsman. He
resides at Chester and spends much of
his time In his favorite out-of-door pastime
on the River Dee.
In notices of the death of James Payn
his Elegibse handwriting has been COM
mented on says the New York Times
The late Walter Thornbury's chirography
was quite as difhcult to read as was that
Of Payn. and the two were close friends.
When they wrote one another notes each
separate epistle had To be referred back TO
its especial source in order to be under
stood. The two had a third friend Mr..
Dutton Cook who wrote like ccpperpiate.
The funny thing about it was that Payn
thought he wrote beautiful hand. but
Thornbury was by no means as certain as
TO his special performance with pen and
INK. Some one complained directly TO
Payn and Thornhury OF long suffering in
trying TO make out their manuscripts.
Said Thornbury: Yes. ! know: ] write
badly. but James Payn il worse than I
am. Both OF us have agreed TO murder
Dutton Cook and steal his handwriting
There seems to be three ideas which
pervade all general works on Japan
apohogy for the past, wonder at the pres
ent. ana glorious prediction for the
future. says Joslyn In Lppincott's. To
The Western world Japan's past is but
little known. her present Is reflected in
the newspapers and periodicals OF the day
her future may in part be read between
the lines Of the present. Volumes have
been written about Japan. yet so far no
comprehensive history of the people. their
literature and arts. has appeared in the
English language. Japan Is most inter
esting and valuable field for some Grote
or Motley of the day. The difficulty of
transla ton from Japanese is great In the
first place, the language Is an agglutin-
alive one. and consequently hard for q
Westerner to acquire. The poetry is one
Of form. and does not possess, except in
the drama remarkably deep thought or
feeling. There are. besides many PLAYS
upon words which cannot be transferred
into foreign tongue. The best prose
tales and chronicles. which belong TO the
oldest or classical liteArure. are written
In a dialect differing as widely from the
Japanese now spoken as the language OF
Homer differs from the Romaic OF today
IL is not making too bold an assertion
therefore. 10 say that the available trans
latons fall far short OF the merits OF The
originals. so much SO. that the Western
reader Is apt to underestimate the true
value of this literature.