The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1902-11-16
Interesting Facts ~
About Some Authors.

( ADOUL Dome AuLDOTS. {
Carmen d'Assibra Is the nom de suerre Of the
youngest dramatic author the world has ever
known. Her real name is Carmen Chammoynat
and the certificate OF her birth is dated March s..
1899.
When she was Just years old she was pre-
scented 70 Victorien Sardou, president OF the
Society Of Dramatic Authors OF France. as
candidate for the association After talking TO
her, reading her manuscripts and hearing her
deeiam Several passages from her own produo-
tons, the eminent paywriter and his colleagues
were astounded by the child's wonderful intel
leotual and artistic development, admitted her as
adherent Of the Society Of Dramatic Authors and
carefully filed her birth certificate away in the
archives OF the association
On her fathers side little Carmen Is de-
soendant Of Benjamin Franklin She speaks and
writes English perfectly, an advantage which per
mitted her to appear in England and obtain an
audience with Queen Victoria, who seemed
greatly interested in the little French girl
Her mother says she never spoke word until
she was years old. AS soon, however as she
did commence to talk she at once manifested ex-
traordinary precocty, learned to read and write
with remarkable rapidly, and began almost at
once TO compose.
She has written several short stories Of un-
usual literary merit, and her seven completed
snort dramas make tor her quite a theatrical
baggage" as the French say.
Her aptitude for the stage is almost as great
as her literary genius, and sarah Bernhard,
Mounet-Sully and Jules Claretie, who have all
heard her, predict bright future for her in
dramatic art should she choose 1t as a profess
sion
And yet it is said by those who know her
that there is nothing of the prodigy" in her
appearance. She looks healthy, well-grown girl
Of 10, perhaps years with large dark eyes and
masses of curling hair tumbling over her face
and shoulders
Her latest dramatic composition, "'Avocat"
was inspired by the discussions aroused at the
time Of the PRONUNCIATION OF the law admitting
women 70 the French bar.
This little play is strongly satircal--and, If
fresh from reading il, sturnbles upon a
little poem OF Garments lie Papilon Blance," the
reader must marvel at her versatility.
Here the softly melancholy verses
II etait un papillon blanc
Qui sur lie occur frais ct tremblant,
Des roses a peine heuries,
Touours epris de nouveaux eieux
Menat lie vol capricieux
De ses ohangeantes reveries.
Or, il advint gu I'm jour de mai,
Grise d I'm rayon parfume
II rencontra sur passage
Une guepe dor, ct ravi
l-aissant les roses, il suiyit
La guepe dor FIN corsage
On retrouva dams I'm silon
lie corps du pauvre papion,
lie fame perez, laile brisee
TT depus ors, / u attendri,
Les roses quand raube SQUIRT
Peurent des larmes de rosee.
And this is an English approximation of its
meaning:
There was white butterfly
Who, though lowering DER the trembling
Hearts of roses scarcely opened,
Was ever allured by newer skies
And winged caprcious flight
For varying visions.
Well, there came day in May
When made drunk BY perfumed ray,
He met upon his way
a golden wasp and ravished
Leaving the roses, he followed
The yellow wasp OF the delicate waist.
The body Of the poor butterfly
Was found in a rivulet
With wounded side and broken wing
And since that time. the tender eyes
OF the roses, at the smile Of dawn,
Are wet with tears OF dew.
4
From the November Critic this;
Mr. Frank Norris who has been contributing /
some most interesting thoughts to the Critic
under the head of Salt and Sincerity" has de
cided to make California his home. He has just 1
bought a farm on the western slope of the coas
range and there he will live and work He writes /
to Mr. Doubleday, his New York publisher, that /
"he has trout stream around the corner can
shoot bears from his windows, all Of which is |
better than Harlem fat" Much better | |
should say, and if were author instead OF /
an editor, too would live on farm with a
trout stream around the corner, though am
not sure that l would care to shoot bears from
my windows However that is better than
shooting burglars in Harlem fats, which seems
to be a common practice nowadays.
And from last weeks Golfers this;
Frank Norris, one Of Americas youngest nov
elists and a writer possessing literary style |
and strength OF Installation unusual in of
his years-he was but 3z-died at his home in
San Francisco on October rs Of appendicitis.
The dead author of "McTeague' and "The Oc-
topus' both OF which created sensation in the |
book reading world, was born in Chicago in
1870
His literary career began with half dozen
L. II ;, ,hc Ca,, /