The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-10-10

a special seat in corner which is
scrupulously reserved for him, and
| drinks a glass of what they call "pjol-
ter"-a sort of high BALI of whisky
and soda.
If anybody should be occupying his
seat the walters would clear it for
him, but such thing has never oc-
CURED. Every freQuenter of the place
knows the old mans habits, but nobody
speaks to him. and he seldom speaks
to any one while there. He sips his
"pjolter" and reads the newspapers for
an hour exactly. If any other patron
happens to be reading the paper he
wants the waiter demands II, for Herr
Ibsen cannot be denied anything. His
wishes have become so we'll known and
his habits are so regular that it is not
necessary for him to give any orders.
He wants a certain newspaper when
he takes his seat: when he has read
that he wants a certain other paper,
and then a third. He takes the Chris
tiania dailies in the same order evrey
morning. and if he has any time left
gazes blankly over the company in
benevolent way. as If to say: ct am
here to be looked at, and you have only
few minutes more TO crafty your
curiosity"
Having finished his newspapers, he
walks to the postoffice. gets his mail,
and then perhaps TO bank or a book
store and does any other errands that
may be on his list. and then returns
to his home for a 2 o'clock dinner.
Ibsen has a wife and one son, ST.
guard Ibsen, now about 40 years old,
who has been in the consular service,
and / believe spent several years at
Washington as secretary of legation.
He is at present occupying a subordi-
nate position in the ministry of for
eign affairs. Siguard married a daugh-
ter of Bjornstjerne Bjornson, his ia
theirs most formidable rival in litera-
ture and popular estimation. The two
authors are not friends. They are very
jealous of each other. Ibsen envies
Bjornson's great popularity and pros
perity. while the latetr regards Ibsen
as IAN affected old donkey" and often
calls him such.
In front of the new theater in Chris
tiania are bronze statues of both men
in heroic size, which were erected at
the expense of the public and generally
admired, but are unsatisfactory to the
subjects. few days after his statue
was in position Ibsen varied his morn
ing walk by strolling over in that di-
rection For sevral moments he stood
gazing at the effigy of himself, show
ing his long coat, his bushy hair and
whiskers and his big eyeglasses, then
shook his head sadly as If in disap-
proval and went on his way. He has
never been near the statue since.
Bjornson, being a man OF impetuous
manners and quick temper, expressed
his dissatisfaction in a more en-
phatic manner. When he first saw him
self in bronze he became greatly ex-
cited, and gesticulated wildly. declar-
ing that II was "a permanent injury
and must come down, but his son, who
is the manager of the theater, sue
ceeded in cooling the old gentleman
down, and the latter has become rec,
onciled so far as to makes jokes about
the statue.
Ibsen is supposed TO be rich man
although he is said 20 be very Denuri-
Gus and never contributes money to
any cause. He receives large Income
from his plays, and saves the most OF
II His only extravaganza Is pictures,
He has 4 fine taste for art. and has
one Of the best private collections OF