The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-12-21


A beacon biography of Importance
Is that of John James Audubon, by
John Burroughs. recently published.
Audubon was not only a great wan
derer, a great ornitholoNst, but he was
also in a sense, one of our first de-
luxe publishers. He was mine wears
bringing out his masterpiece, "Birds
of North America" No publishing
house would undertake the task, so,
undaunted, Audubon took up the mat
ter himself More than one hundred
thousand dollars were expended in the
enterprise, AID when he began the au-
thor had scarcely afdollar of his own.
with Infinite patience, Audubon work.
ed at his drawings and writing. He
sought the subscribers, and it was not
easy seventy years ago to find enough
men to pledge 81, 900 each for a set of
pictures of birds. AS John Burroughs
says, few enterprises involving such
labor and expense have ever been car
ried through against such odds.
One of the amusing incidents of the
task, writes Mr.. Burroughs, is Audu-
bon's and his sons interview with the
Baron Rothschild, to whom he had
letter of introduction from distin-
guished American banking house. The
Baron was not present when they en-
tered his private Office but soon a
corpulent man appeared, hitching UP
his trousers, and a face red with the
exertion of walking, and without no
ticlng any one present, dropped his
Fat body into comfortable chair, as
If caring for no one else in this wide
world but himself. While the Baron
sat, we stood. with our hats held re-
spectfully in our hands. / stepped for
ward, and with bow rendered my
credentials. Pray, SIR said the man
of golden consequences, is this let
ter of business, or Is it a mere letter
of Introduction This I could not well
answer, for | had not read the con-
tents of il, and 1 was forced to an
swer rather awkwardly, that I could
not tell. The banker then opened the
letter, read it with the manner of one
who was looking only at the temporal
side of things, and after reading it,
said, This is only letter of intro
duction, and l expect from its con-
tents that you are the publisher of
some book or other and need my sub
scriDtion.'
Had man the size Of a mountain
spoken to me in that arrogant style in
America. i should have Indignantly re-
scented it; but where then was 1t SEEM
ed best to swallow and digest 1t as
well as l could. So in reply to the Of
fepsive arrogance Of the banker, /
sdid / should be honoured by his sub
gcription to the Birds of America"
Sir he said, I never sign my name to
any subscription list, but you may send
me your work and / win pay for a copy
OF 1t. Gentlemen. am busy. / wish
you good morning. We were busy
men, too, and so bowling respectfully,
we retired, pretty well satisfied with
the small slice OF his opulence which
our labor was likely 10 obtain.
"A few days afterwards / sent the
first volume Of my work half bound,
and all the numbers besides, then pub
lished. on seeing them we were told
that he ordered the bearer 20 take
them 70 his house. which was done a.
reotiy. Number after number was sent
and delivered 20 the Baron, and after
eight Or zen months my son made out
hiF account ana sent a ~ Mr, HarYeli,
my ensroyer % ms banking house. The
Baron booked "A a. with am8Eemenfl Bnd
cried out. What, q hundred pounds f0r
binds Why, sir 7 Riii Rige you Ave
pounds and not a farihiug mgleF Rep