The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1902-06-03
STORIES OF STOCKTON
Incidents In the Well Known
Novelist's Career.
WANTED TO BECOME A PIRATE.

His Clever Riddle Tale "Lady or the
Tiger1" Pushed the WOrld-TwO
Good Anecdotes That Relate to 1t.
One of His Graceful Answers and
His Note to = Literary Woman.
Francis Richard Stockton, the novel
list who died suddenly In Washington,
was born in Philadelphia in 1884, says
the Philadelphia Press. After gradual
ing from the Philadelphia High school
he became a wood engraver on Vanity
Fair. Subsequently he vent. to New
York, where he was soon promoted
from reporter to editor. He contributed
to numerous magazines and for a short
time was connected with the staff of
Scribner's Magazine. Later he became
assistant editor Of st. Nicholas.
Mr.. Stockton's best known work was
undoubtedly his clever riddle tale. THE
Lady or the TigerY He keenly en-
joyed the furore created by this novel,
but always smilingly declined to an.
swer the vexing question propounded
in it's closing chapter. This famous
story set everybody GUESSING. 1t vas a
topic of conversation when Mr.. Stock
ton met Rudyard Kipling at a reception
and informed the latter that he con.
templated going to India.
I'm glad to hear it," exclaimed Kip
ling enthusiastically. II know just
what Wen do with you over there when
we get you away from your friends
and family. Well lure you out into
the jungle and have you seized and
bound by our trusty wallahs. Wen
have you turned on your back and get
one of our biggest elephants to stand
over you with his foot poised above
your head. Then I'll say in my most
insinuating way, Come, now, Stockton,
which was it, the lady or the tiger?'"
On one occasion Mr.. Stockton was the
guest of honor at a dinner given in
Washington by the wife of a member
of President Harrison's cabinet. Dur
ing the meal the conversation vas rig
orously kept away from literary topics.
Finally the dessert was served. Two
large plates Of ice cream were placed
In front of the hostess. One of orange
water ice was cast in a mold of a tiger,
the other, vanilla, in the form of a wO-
man. Turning to the astonished novel
list, the hostess, with a NOW I've got
you air, asked:
~ SSVyy1,;1h An do WON v,uofor Nfw
Stockholm
"a little Of both. if you please" he
replied imperturbably.
And so the famous question again re-
manned unanswered.
Probably no book of late years caused
as much comment as this aggrayating
enigma. For a long time the author
was pestered with inquiries as to the
true answer to the question with which
the story ended.
81 don't know myself which it was"
he responded to n of these inquisi-
tons. 81 ave knew whether it was
the lady or the tiger. Honestly, | would
like to know myself"
1t was told that an enterprising mag
azine manager offered him $4,000 for
a brief sketch by way of sequel that
would reveal the true end of the IA
nous tale, but Stockton was true to his
story and declined the offer.
Mr.. Stockton said that before he
reached his teens he had decided to be-
come either a pirate or a physician.
His father willed that he should be-
come a wood engraver. and at this he
gained a livelihood for several years.
When the family lived in Bucks coun-
ty, Pa, Frank and his brother had a
dog which they trained solely to hunt
cats. says the New York World. The
brothers were overhauled n day by q
farmer whose cat they were chasing.
To placate the farmer they gave him a
dollar for a pig. which they took home.
BY driving away their fathers pigs at
feeding time they soon made their own
the latest pig in the pen and sold him
at a profit of 81. Mr.. Stockton always
considered the deal a tribute to his
business acumen.
The following racy story Of Frank
Stockton was related some time ago by
q correspondent of the New York Trib-
Inc a well known literary woman
called at The Century Office on a rainy
day. When she left. the sun was shin
ing SO that she forgot her rubber
shoes. which she had laid aside on en-
tering. Shortly after her departure
Stockton anne in, noticed the shoes,
was informed to whom they belonged
and asked permission to return them.
Mrs. - received her rubbers the same
evening accompanied by some such
note as this:
ONCE Of The Century Magazine.
New York. Nov. 10. 1886.
Mrs. -:
Dear Madam-without expressing any
opinion in regard to the literary merits of
the inclosed articles permit us to say that
they seem unsuitable to the columns of