The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-10-03
Is Only a Quarter of the Age
of Old MauruS Jokai
WHO TAKES HER TO WIFE
After Having Sought for Her
During Twenty Years.

o i7 sea- SAA LUZ Her twenty years
ago, two years before she was born. They
were married at Budapest, September IA.
! The old scholar has taken Araba11a
Grossnagy, the pretty actress, into his
heart and home. and given to her the
honored title, wife. He is seyentv-f1ve
years old and she eighteen.
From the mountain-walled city of Bud
apest comes the story that love has built
a golden bridge over the gulf of fifty sew
en- years that lie between them.
Dr. Jokai is the literary idol of Hun
gary. Arabella Grossnagy is its favorite
young Coincidence. Romantic Hungary
is rejoicing at the union of these, its
idols. Hungary cares nothing about the
wooing of May by December. 1t sees only
that two artist souls have been united.
and it is glad.
When will you wed again." some one
asked the great dramatist, when the years
had left of Rosa Laboifalvy Jokai the
Hungarian Rachel, only memory.
"When?" said the great Hungarian.
sadly when I find my pretty MichaI"
DR.. Jokai's novels, but it is the most cap
tivating. Pretty MichaT' is the heroine.
She has been the authors ideal woman
ever since he created and built about
her romance Of love and adventure.
Ever since that creation he has been look
ing for real Pretty MichaI' and he
new found her until he saw Arabella
Grossnagy at the Royal National theatre.
Pretty Mfchal!' he said, delightedly,
as he was presented. pretty Michai!"
he said, when she consented to be his
wife. Pretty Michal!' he calls her. now
that she shares the quaint beautiful
and plays for fifty years.
Maurus Jokai was born Jokay. The
~ was the brand of nobility. Young
Jokai bore it for fifteen years.
Then, afire with the spirit OF Socialism.
he erased 1t and wrote SCI" instead. 'I."
as name termination, is significant of
the middle classes he has identified him
self for sixty busy, faithful years. He is
the Count Tolstoi of Hungary.
He was an ardent student at the Uni
versity of Papa. There began his life
long friendship for the poet. Petof. He
fought side by side with Kossuth for civil
and religious liberty War over and Kos
suth in exile, young Jokai fought with a
pen that was as sharp as his sword.
There was a price upon mis- head, but
he continued to write pungent, incisive
articles on social reform When Austria !
granted pardon to all misguided pa
triots" he was one of the last to take adj
vantage of it, and he weDt again when |
he looked upon the devastated Hungary. I
List was his friend. LISTS COMPOST |
tons were the inspiration of some of the |
best passages in his book. And many a
chapter of his formed a theme for List.
Munkacsy was an intimate Of his. SO
were Hungary's four great names. List.
Munkacsy, Kossuth and Jokai, Joined by +
friendship.
In 1896 Hungary celebrated his literary
jubilee Fifty years of labor at his desk
brought him the recognition of a national
fete day. The government issued a jubi-
lee edition of his works, and there were
subscribed from all grades of society
100000 for these works Every county in
The country sent him as memorials al
Gums wrought in gold and precious
stones. In his library are 200 of these SOU
'enirs. Artists sent him paintings. pea
SAINTS sent him embroidery and lace and
carvings and natural history specimens:
rom kings and queens were orders in
gold and silver, studied with Jewels. with
levels. with royal autograph letters. In
1fty years he had produced $50 novels
md letters. THE Modern Midas" 1.-THE
hungarian 4abob" and BLACK Dia-
nonds" are among the greatest.
Eyes like the Sea- is an autobfog-
Apply. The heroine is his wife. Rosa
.abolfalvy, the greatest of Hungarian
ragediennes. In it he tells the true
itroy of how, being made prisoner by the
Russians at the capitulation of Village.
lie was saved from suicide by his bride.
She had come disguised as a peasant
rom Pesth. She had pawned her jewels
md hidden the money in the coils of her
hick black hair Together. in disguise.
hey made their way on foot through the
Russian army and hid in the wood of
Sunk until danger was past
A life-size portrait of Rosa Iabolfalvi.
he wife of his youth, framed in gold.
hangs in his library. They were married
n 1913. Death separated them a few
ears later.
Pretty Michal' was written twenty
ears ago. Here is a description of her
Is she knelt at church:
She wore a coffe brown frock. with
'ollar reaching to the chin and sleeves
which hid the very tips of her fingers.
The other girls prided themselves on the
aste with which they adorned their Cir
lies Pretty AIichars girdle could not
'oast of so much as a silver buckle. Her
'arta. as the headdress of the Hungarian
naidens is called, was quite black. and
yer it was thrown 2 veil which com
letely covered her face in front and
lung down 50 far over her shoulders be-
ind that 1t was absolutely impossible to
make out whether her twin. long. pen
enJ pigtails were blond or chestnut
rown. Her eyes, too, were not permit
ed 70 declare whether they were black
P blue During service they were well
idden behind their long Iashes, for she
lodestly kept them fixed upon her pray
= book the whole time Moreover the :
cry wise and proper regulation which
OF only separated the sexes, but made {
he men sit right behind the women. pre- :
ented her from ogling anybody, Il she
sd mind TO.
And this Is what he SAYS OF pretty
Iichal' when sorrow has touched her.
She was already learning 10 be sly. Il
ever so with women Treat them With :
ard affection and they are as
emile as. doves and speak straight oct +.
hat they think But just bully. offend. :
: prosecute them and they become as
-afty as serpeRts. No one teaches them
eceit- and they are masters in Il Then !
hey think before they speak and Their :