The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-01-19
wiLEs OF AUTOGRAPHS HUNTERS.

IelnySol once tod his neighbo-. Mrs.
Cameron, the famous amateur photOg-
raDher, that he believed that every vice
and every crime in the world were con
nected with the passion for autographs
and anecdotes and records In his bog
raphy ana there is rather a cryptic stanza
written for an American lady who had
asked for his autograph.
Not such were those whom freedom
claims
As patriot martyrs Of her creed:
They were not slaves that names
mislead,
Nor traitors that mislead by
names,
The merit of this stsnza lies in the
applications of it Those who have
studied the wiles OF the amateur auto
graph-hunter-to whose industry =. better
path is suggested IN the interesting arti-
Gle on Rational Autograph Collecting
which Mr.. II. T. Scott contributes 10 a
second lumber OF the Connoisseur-wil
recognize a condemnation OF them in
lines which are not easy to understand
on any other hypothesis.
Some of the traitors that mislead by
names whom Mr.. andrew Lang has
hunters before the Lord, have now and
then confessed their sins, though with
out restoring their guilty spoil. II may
seem 70 the outsider. who has neither
asked nor been asked for an autograph.
that there is no occasion for any guile
in the matter. All you have TO do is 10
write 10 the eminent person whose hand
writing YOU desire 10 possess, ard in due
course Of post you ought 10 get fiat
tered and even gushing reply. once
upon time it may nave been so; that
in
the number of autograph-hunters and ii
the correspondence OF eminent men has
destroyed that kindly old relationship.
Mark Twain used to keep a typewrit-
ten circular for such applicants. in which
he pointed out TO them that if he answer
ed them all ne would have no time 70 DO
anything else. Writing is my trade.
and I exercise it only when I am obliged
10. You might make your request of a
doctor. or a builder. or a sculptor, and
there would be no improperly about it;
but If you asked either for a specimen Of
his trade. his handiwork, he would be
justified TO rising 10 point of order.
1t would never be fair TO ask a doctor
for one OF his corpses TO remember him
by"
Similarly strong expressions have been
used by many eminent men whom the
autograph hunter has pestered- Huxley
once wrote: 4 look upon autograph
hunters as the progeny of Cain. and treat
their letters accordingly" And Mr.. Walsh
tells us that the irony OF fate brought
this particular letter into an autograph
market 1t is hardly TO be wondered ar
if the greater speed and compleXity CT
modern life mas caused most public men
to lose the readiness TO oblige in this
fashion which AIephistopheles showed
Iii
for an autograph as a small memorial for
his favor'-aud even Mephistopheles re-
fused TO sign his sentiment, which, ac-
cording TO the rules of the modern game.
destroyed nine-tenths of its value.
Thus, Gladstone's autograph was often
got by inquiry as to the accuracy of some
report Of a speech about which the in
quirer Beally cared not button, and
Ruskin was invariably drawn by \ re
quest for a subscription towards build
ing an iron church. This IS not cOnsid-
cred fair by honest collectors. who only
allow themselves TO bag an autograph
by such inquiries when they really ASK
for information" but it is a very trif-
ling piece of dishonesty compared with
the more elaborate lodges that have been
revealed by the conscience-stricken in
ventor or unveiled BY the victims.
them in the United States. Here the
hunter writes 10 his victim somewhat IS
follows: May I trouble YOU my dear sir.
TO send me the present address of your
aunt, Mrs. Marie Brown (sister to Thos.
Caryle) if she is still living2 I might
obtain her address elsewhere. but in order
to save time I address you personally"
The recipient of this inquiry was usually
nattered at being taken for nephew of
the Sage Of Chelsea, and wrote to eN-
plain the mistake.
Another device has been recorded by
William Black. who also fen a victim u
it. i remember" he said. when ! was
in America, receiving a very pretty and
charming letter from two sisters living
IN one of the southern states. They des-
cribed their beautiful home on the banks
Of the - River. they were, they in
formed me. living there quite alone, hav-
ing neither friends Of relatives TO occupy
their time wlthal; and It had occurred 10
them that. as l was certainly to form
a perfectly false idea Of American hos
Ditality SO long as 1 remained in the cold
and callous north. would not como down
for a week or two 10 this sylvan retreat
On the - River, that they might show
me what a real southern welcome was
ike? II was a most innocent and idyllc
Mr.. Black answered with
warm regrets that he could not 81, and
used TO tell the story proudly. till at last
he told il one day TO Mr. Brete Harte,
who suddenly interrupted; Didn't the
etter go on something like this?' Alas,
he idyllic invitation was device Of some
wretched autograph-hunter, who had vie
imized half the famous writer's Of the
lime.
It would be very unfair, OF course. to
-r~~r.
aspect than appears from the contempIa-
ion OF these freaks Its apotheosis IS /
10 be seen in the Kings Library Of the
British Museum, or in the Forster collec- I
ion at South Kensington- For the or
iinary and humble collector its triumphs
md pleasures are wei described in Nr.
SCOTS article IL the Connolsseur- y
writer in the Spectator suggests thar the
fictitious value set on autographs now
idars NAV arise from 81 widespread
belief that calligraVhy has some reis-
ion 70 character. We think thar y
las more 10 do with that taste for relics
mind that It IS nearly always moved the I
World IN the Middle Ages.
II patriotism IS stirred al Marathon"
avs Nr. Scott. and pietF infamed ~ (
ona. surely some subtle inference viii .
move the mind at the sight Of the writ /
NJ a. Shakespeare. Aflton. Dryden. Pope (
Goldsmith. Johnson. Byron CT scott To /
lold in the hand a letter az one ~ the +
reat OF the earth. distinguished either I.
~ action, inventive genius. Or phil2ntro-
ny a poet. or one who has sRayc5 his 4
elbows 70 sablimity q thought or 81
-peech-must indeed be regarded az q
privilege. when we realize that there. i1
hose lines. S. cr1-EtaIlized g. portion - +
he man himself-a few r1eueuts % he +
.ctual Efe-soue links 70 That rala ~
bought that flowed continuously Through .