The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1901-06-16
About Marie - -
- - BaShkntSeff.


Jeanette L. Glider has written most
Interesting forcword FOR the new volume
by MaHo Bashktrtsef containing her last
Confessions" and her correspondence With
GUy de Msupassant, now published fnr the
hrst Time
Miss Glider says: GAS IL was through my
ins,rumentaiIty that Marie Bashklrtseff
was introduced to the American public, It
Is not, perhaps. unnatural that J should
be asked 10 wrlte few words OF intro.
ductiou 10 this volume Of her Confessions.
"1'hcre have been other women who have
written as intimately o. themselves as
Marie BashklrtSof. notably ScnvA Koya
leysky, but none whose confessions have
heon read to the same extent, or who
have made the same impression. II is not
only for her fmnkness that Marie Bash.
kirtsens name has become a household
word, but for the circumstances that sur.
rounded her life In her short story re.
nance and pathos were equally blended.
The story Of her precocity, her talents
her early death, caught tho pnhlic atten.
tion and touched the public heart
THE first English edition Of the journal
Of this Young artist was published in lSs9,
! asked Mrs. serrano to make this transla-
ton, and with some difficulty, induced
Csssell & Co. to publish It, The head Of
the American house, to whom ! took the
transators manuscript. was worry douhtful
Of the hooks success but | was confident
OF Il aud he yielded TO my porsuasiop
When the sales ran up to a quarter Of q
million copies within fen months. there
was one prophet who was not without
honor IN hey own country The ncwspa
All
cussod The book at length. No writer con.
sidered himself too great man 20 discuss
this remarkable Russian girl Gladstone
took pages Of the Nineteenth Century In
which 10 prllse the Journal. while writer's
ln the Century Magazine and the Atlantic
hallcd Il as something unique in literature.
TN this new volume Of Marie BaShNrt
SETS Confessions there Is no falling or
IN Interest The entries IN this journal
have all Of her characioristlcs Perhaps
the most striking pages of the book are
those devoted 20 the letters that passed
between Marie and Guy dc Msupassont
she had never seen the novelist nor had
ne ever seen hor She only knew him by
his hooks. knowledge, one would think,
that scarcely Invited the confidence OF n
young ejrl,
y
"Thts young rrl however, was eycep-
tional The very fart that Guy de Mou.
passant was lust what hc was excited her
Interest, an interest altogether intellect
nal She wanted to write 70 him ana TO re
ceye his letters. Just as a naturalist wants
to- catch q nov and strange insect In Ms
net she felt a scientific Kind of lntrrcst
IN this now specimen. Her Grst letter TO
him was short, but it must have piqucd
HIS curiousity i only know she wrote,
mat YOU arc young. and that you arc
unmarried, two essential points, But
warn you that am charming: this sweet
thought vii encourage you TO reply MAN.
PEASANTS reply showed that he wished TO
know more Of his fair correspondent she
viii tell him nothing 80 he tries TO
force her hand by making believe that he
thipks her man OF n plain old woman.
She only humors the guess and plays with
HIM
"'You may he writes, 'he young wo-
man ~ literary snciety, and hard and dry
as mattress Again Are you worldly
or sentimental? or simply romantic? or,
neaIn merely n woman who Is bored md
wants Distraction She only chaffs him In
reply what Maupsssant SAYS about him
aolf "a Interesting, aud undoubtedly trne;~
- take everything With Indifference.
and pass twothirds Of my time In pro
found boredom occupv the third IN
writing limos that J sell rs dear as posi-
bio. distressing myself nj heiug obliged
10 play this abomiuahc part which has
given mr the honor Of being distinguished
morally by you'
can this must have hcen very entertain