The Topeka state journal., 1902-06-21

In my green. unknowing youth I had
already injured my eyesight for exam
lining too closely with a lighted match
the properties of gun powder. It went
Off. and 1 went up, both of US rather
suddenly. How long l pirouetted on
the summit of explosive flame Qike
berry beStuck with pins at the end of a
pipe stem when d boy blows through
the boWD, I can scarce remember It
seemed to me that I was projected a
considerable distance into the empy-
rean. What L do remember with most
painful and distinct recollection is that
L came down with a tremendous bump
on one end of my body and very little
skin on the other. The powder had
been stolen, and good folks said it was a.
judgment. 1 shall wear goggles forever
in memory of that soaring hour
4 was nearly fifteen before I was
sent to Ayr academy-tO which / owe
everything I am That mayn't be much
of course; 1 may be a bad debt as the
lrishman said to Sir Pompous Blether-
by, the M. p. You know the story?
Yes, gentlemen, said the orator with
a falter in his voice all that I am
owe to my wife Poor old woman,
said Pat from the gallery. That's one
bad debt on her book
From Ayr academy I went to G1as-
gov university, from Glasgow to OK
ford, from oxford to London. And
that's about all can tell you.'
It CHANGED to be the writer's good for
tune to be in Indianapolis a few days
ago during the gathering of the Indiana
authors for the benefit of the Harrison
monument fund There were collected
in that one city during the two days Of
the exercises more well known writer's
than are to be gotten together easily in
any place, and the particular pride of
the inhabitants of the state was that
every one of these famous people had
been born in Indiana The range of
41pi oil E61
longer period Of time than that of any
similar gathering, for among those
present We're writer's from General Lew
Wallace, seventy-fiVe Years old, to
young men scarcely thirty-an almost
unbrOken period of fifty years of liter
airy service 1t was General Wallacs
who took occasion to express regret
over the absence of two of Indiana's
favorite sons, Edward Eggleston
and Maurice Thompson; the
former, her first novelist of note; the
latter, one of her best. There is one
remarkable quality common to the IN
diana people which is perhaps the first
thing a stranger would have noticed at
these meetings of the authors. and that
IS the patriotic pride and affection in
which each one of these writer's is held
There is scarcely an Indiana child who
does not know about the work which
each of these authors is doing, and
every native of the state has a most
inoffensive way of proclaiming Riley,
W dA4dCC, tAQCr 4ACOQlNIltOI4s Id hlllS lOI
and others of lesser light as the great
est men of the tine.
On the other hand, probably the de-
sire of these same authors to retain the
respect and affection of their home
friends and admirers is just as strong.
Mr.. Riley refuses to appear in his
home town, indianapolis, more than
once in two or three years, because, as
he explains, he is afraid the people viii
tire of him. His greatest fear is that
they viii come to think a little less of
him than they do now. AS a nzatter of
fact, it is only necessary for Mr.. Riley
to appear before them to witness a
sight in the way of demonstration of
approval and affection that is rarely
equaled. On this recent occasion Mr..
Riley had agreed to appear on Friday
evening His nervousness during the
day was pathetic to witness, and when
it was urged upon him to appear also
on Saturday evening he replied:
I IN afraid to do it. Wait until 1 see
how the thing goes tonight, and if the
people seem to like what 1 read, per
haps 1 will go on again Saturday even
ing"
The same fear of failure before their
own people seemed to be present with
most of the others who were to read.
Mr.. Harrington read one of his short
stories, during the entire course of
which he trembled like a leaf. He made
three attempts to get a handkerchief
up to his face, with very slight success
almost to be pushed upon the stage
when it came his turn to go on. and.
during the day previous to his appear
ance he was a most unhappy man.
General Wallace alone seemed to re-
tain his comp pOsure, and yet all of them
made most decided success and We're
greeted with round after round of ap-
plause.
With the purpose of the book in
mind, Clara Norris hit upon a most APP
plicable title in "A Pasteboard Grown" !"
1t seems curious that those who make
others to keep ut of the profession.
Clara Morris state "reminiscences, re-
Gently published. is a series of sermons
on that one theme and in the introduc-
tion to the English edition of that book,
Mary Anderson takes occasion to re-
mark upon the dangers of the profess
sion and the fruitless results which fol
low years of service on the stage There
are two passages in "A Pasteboard
Crown which characterize the entire
story.
I will place the crown upon your
head" said the actOr-n anager, only
find out for yourself that it is only
pasteboard."
And. at the end of the story. when
the heroine cries out:
You told me that the crown was
pasteboard. but you did not tell me that
it was lined with thorns."
HERBERT BREWSTER.
BOOK NOTES.
Various Items About Books Which