The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1901-12-29
RRETE HART ON sNoRs.

answered.
Z love America Oh. yes. love my
country. I'm . thorough American II
fact. am an american Of the old school;
I go back to FIRST principles. No5od5 is
truer than J 10 cur ancient republican
ideals and nobody follows the fortunes Of
our country with keener and more alec
tionate interest.
But for this literary man the atnos-
phere Of the old world offers advantages
that are not 20 be found IN the new.
There is a broad spirit Of culture here
that has not yet beeen DEVELOPED il
America. The author, the artist. the man
Of achievements enjoys an enviable posi-
ton here. lie is recognized for what
he has done. There is a welcome for
him from the highest in the land.
There is something that travelling
Americans don't understand I've known
them TO be amazed at seeing a fellow
couutryman who would not be received in
SAY New York society, entertained in
the best houses Of England. They can
not grasp the fact that in this country
brains are the object OF more homage
than money.
Literature and art and science receive
; 4 great deal Of encourag cement and honor
from the leaders of society here. I'm not
speaking Of the people whose names you
see III the papers all the tiIne-the people
who give these big shooting parties. and
so on''-he waved his hand toward the
window as II to embrace all the country
that lay beyonG-but the quiet. charming
people whose homes can be found all over
England and who really represent the
best breeding and thought and refine
ment Of the country There are many
members Of the aristocracy whose homes
you can't visit without finding at their Ia
bles men who have Won distinction by
their own efforts in the arts and other
wise"
Brete Harte had arrived at a topic that
interested him, There was no need 10
prompt him with question. BY an easy
transition he branched of on the snob-
bishness of Americans.
If our coUntrymen would only learn
he exclaimed, that to be an American is
/ Sufficient title Of respect anywhere in the
world, how much more Europeans would
think Of them. I assure you. there is a
great deal OF respect here for real Amer
I leans They stand alone. They are
quite independent Of the laws of prece-
dence that govern the English.
Socially. an American is by common
I consent the equal of any one. At
fashionable dinner an American may be
called upon 10 take down duchess or
n countess, and there is no question about
it-because he is ar American: whereas,
If he were an Englishman, some rule OF
precedence would debar him from the
honor
You can imagine then. how absurd it
must seem to an Englishman whose fam
" dates back TO the Crusades and further
when he sees an American fussing about
establishing a claim TO some ancestors a
hundred years back,
THAT is something I would like TO i'm
press upon Americans-that by trying 10
place themselves on the same footing in
these matters with the English they are
only making themselves ridiculous and
| FORGETTING the esteem which the English
are only too willing to accord them for
( their Americans malone
Brete Harte settled back in his chair
with an air of enjoying this part of the
/ conversation.
Travelling Americans Guido the English
themselves in slavish respect for the mon
archy and aristocracy," he continued.
even the lower classes Of this country.
although they are bred uD TO a feeltig OF
veneration for their 'betters as they call
them. have greater independence than
many Americans whom 1 have had oppor-
tunities OF observing.
"Thre is nobedy like an American for
'milording and 'yourlordshiping' a peer.
I've heard Americans simply peppering
conversation with my lord and your
lordship forms of address that in Eng
land are used only by tradespeople ard
servants-and in books written by Amer-
leans the same mistake occurs constantly.
II remember one very striking instance
Of this feeling. and perhaps there's no
harm in telling the story now that the
person principally concerned IS dead.
When Mr.. Bayard was minister here
there was one Thanksgiving Day cele-
hration in London that lacked his pres
ence for a peculiar reason / don't need
TO remind you what an important ami
versarv Thanksgiving is IN the eyes Of
Americans. Tt IS something sacred-some-
thing as important as the queens birth
day was TO the English during the last
reign
well, when the guests assembled at
this particular Thanksgiving dinner in
London il became known that Mr.. Bay
ard. the American minister, would not be
present."
Bret Harte laughed sardonicaliy and
thrust his thumbs into the armholes of
his waistcoat as he assumed an obse-
quious manner and quoted the American
guests at the dinner as saying TO one an
other:
'0tr Bavard our host, cannot be with
Us tonight. He has been invited 20 Wind
sor by her majesty
They said it in awestricken tones
continued Mr. Harte. land some of them
actually used the expression. Com
manded 10 Windsor (Of course the
queen couldn't command anybody not her
subject) And there wasn't one Of them
to protest against the idea that the Unit
ed States Minister could not excuse him
self t. the Queen Of England on the day
OF a great national celebration.
ct afterward heard" continued Mr.
Harte that the Queen. on learning the
circumstances, was very surprised at ar.
Bayard having accepted her invitation
and very angry that she had not boon
informed that it vas Thanksgiving day
An then. with a rich chuckle Of amuse-
ment. Mr.. Harte reverted 70 the famous
hospital ship Maine. fitted up by the
American women in England fer the
wounded IN South Africa lie told how
the ship itself had been dedicated -
tie occasion hy its owner, an American
in America whose name he could not re-
call and who was never mentioned 81
correction with the matter and how.
when Il was an over the American vvo-
men concerned hsd caused coumeru-
orasire medal 10 be struck Tor presen-
tation WIKI great ceremony, . the king
Al o. which Bret Harte related with
great humor - detail
The idea 81 them presenting me1ai
70 the king exclaimed ar ltarte
.eTbar did lot see that il Was he who
should have presented q medal - them
or better still. - the owner - she shir-
sr.d have been told bv some ~ bis c8ur-
tiers that when the king learned hoW the
name ~ the owner ~ tia snip aaa been
kept orr II the procesiEEs Be was very
-l-rv very angry indeed
"Oh. well iuterrose6 Haiii1t iTelT
Americans are yogrE yet
They're old enough 20 know better.
said Eret FIarte seatsEfieElslT-
Trae . ter coIors.