The San Francisco call., 1901-10-26
FROM
LONDON WORLD
OF LETTERS

II popularity and amount Of literary
output count for virtues in writer Mrs.
Arthur Stannard John Strange Winterj
has nothing to fear. The list of her writ
ings consist of sixty-nine novels and 23O !
short stories, a sufficient achievement for I
a writer who has hardly reached middle
life and is still full of possibilities.
Playwriting is at present occupying her |
attention. 1t is a curious fact that though |
the dramatic version of "Bootles Baby |
had not a particularly striking success,
and though the author had only a fourth |
part in the profits, 1t yielded her more |
than the novel itself. This experience |
doubtless induced her seriously to attempt !
original playwriting. 1t is probable that
two of her dramas will shortly be seen In |
the West End.
Mrs. Stannard. who recently returned to
London after six years residence at
Dieppe, lives in pleasant house in West
Kensington. She is woman Of very OBJ (
viously strong individuality, and talks
with volubility and not little humor.
She has a passion for collecting old
linens among her possessions, most Of
which, she tells you with considerable en-
| joyment, she picked up at cheap sales.
Two pretty young girls were turning
over a cheap tray at a secondhand book
stall. "All these at fourpence each" had
attracted them. They were canvassing
the merits of paper-backed novels and va
rious verse volumes Of the hearts darts"
| class. One of the girls took up little
fat book bound in green skin, but threw
it down with a sniff of contempt as she
said: "Guide to Switzerland, 1927 A pre-
cious lot of use that would be now!''
Here is the strange part Of the story,
which shows how a chance remark over
heard in the street may lead to much.
| hIy vuh
he heard the girls remark he pricked UP
his ears, for he happened to remember
| that very moment that with the exception
of a translation of a German work no
English guide book for Switzerland is
known to have been published before the
| appearance of the first edition of Murray,
in 1888. So when the young ladies had de-
parted with fourpennyworth Of heart
throbs he seized on the discarded volume
| and found he had secured a prize for
which, owing to the present rage for rare
ties in Alpine literature, he could prob
ably obtain as many pounds as he hal
paid pence, and which, apart from sordld
| considerations of any kind, was well
come addition to his treasures.
The book was by George Downes, A. NJ,
l and was published by Galignani. The
library of the Alpine Club. believe, pos
sesses no copy, nor is 1t mentioned In the
comprehensive photography Of Swiss trav-
|
A. B. Coolidge. who indeed gives Murray
the credit of having been the first In the
field. Yet 1T IS an excellent work, evil
IDENTIFY for the most part the original pro-
duct of personal experience.
One of the treasures of the Duke Of
Devonshire's library at Chatsworth is the
sketch book which belonged to Sir An
thony Vandyke. A notable art volume
arising out of this Is announced for pub
iication by Messrs. Bell, with a descrip
ton of the sketch book by Lionel Gust
and reproductions of many of the
sketches. OF these Gust says:
"They are indubitahly the work Of An
thony Vandyke. and they furnish most
precious record of his sojourn In Italy
during the years 1625-163S
Gust proceeds to trace the story Of the
sketch book from the date of December,
1641, when Vandyke died at Blackfriars.
London. and his studio was left at the
mercy of his pupils and assistants, who
helped themselves to what they fancied.
In that way began the travels of many
yandyke relic hut 1t i3 enough to have
the description of this one sketch book.
It is a small quarto volume, bound orig
inally in white vellum, and contains 2Zf
leaves, the pages having double num-
| berine There is no system of arrange
ment of the sketches. The majority were
made with pen and bistre-colored ink,
heightened by the use of q brush with
the same ink. Some appear to have been
made with light pencil in outline, which
are almost faded, so that the sketches
have in certain cases been drawn over
|. with a pen. probably by some later pos
SCISSOR of the book.
a + / o
system and care allow. If registered
letter is lost the authorities will trace 1t
IN and in case of loss beyond recovery
the department will pay an indemnity, not
to exceed $40.
GOLD HALVES AND QUARTERS-H.
w. B., Nevada City, Cal. The United
States mirts never coined so or % cent
gold pieces, The smallest gold coin issued
out of the mints was the 81 piece author
: lied by the act of March 8, 1S49. Coins of
that denomination were coined from that
year up to and including 1889, when the
coinage was discontinued.
ROSE SPRING-H.. Berkeley, Cal A
friend of this department, resident of
LOOMS, Placer County, has kindly fur
. . nished the following answer to request
: for information in relation to Rose Spring,
CAL: Rose Spring is located in Placer
County. five miles due north of Folsom
and about six miles east of Roseville. in
township 10 north, range east, Aliens
, precinct. 1t was mining town or camu
: | in the early days, and is at the present
) time a fruit ranch, known as Rose Spring
: ranch"
PLATINUM. F. o., Barstow, Sai
Bernardino, Cal. Platinum is a grayist
white metal, with a high luster Its spe.
. cific gravity is 21.15, one of the heaviest
. substances known The specific gravity
of gold is 1913, of lead LA and of iron rs
In placer mining platinum is found with
. he
mercury, which takes up the gold and
allows the platinum to remain Platinum
, is found with many metals, and is gen.
9 orally discovered in small, glistenine
: granules. Once seen there is no difficulty
9 ] in distinguishing 1t from ''glistening iror