Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1902-01-16
BEN nun
Inspired by Tall; General Wallace Had
With Tngersoll.


with Tngersoll
Chicago Tribune.
Thirty eight years ago mortal COM
bat raued between North and South.
On the field of battle rodo distln.
guished- looking man whose broad
shoulders bore a major generals stars.
His flowing hair, long moustache and
imperial were raven black, his eye
piercing, his imposing presence inspir".
ing, his voice commanding IAN ldeal
beau sabreur.
Peace ct last! The dashing soldier
LAYS aside his sword He becomes gov
ernor of a Territory, minister to
foreign power, and finally a writer and
an author of books Notable as has
been his achievements in the civil con
fliot, still more so wac to be his works
in later life in the field OF literary on :
deayor. till who can say that the words
put into the mouth Of Riohelieu by
Bulwer Lytton do not apply 10 Gen.
Lew Wallace, the author of ben Hur, !"
which, in look form, has been read in
many tongues by hundreds of Thousands
of people, and as drama, has been
seen 10 the short space of two seasons
by more than half a million souls!
The pen is mightier than the sword,
Today, Gen. Wallace, a grizzled and
sturdy veteran of many a hard.tought
battle in two wars, with whitened hair
and beard and world wide honors won
by his magic pen and wonderfully bril-
| liant imagination, IN the autumn Of his
| life may look lack on his eventful
career with the sat lsfaction of knowing
hof huc hnnnfl
bestow than war, for in many a house.
nod in our broad land, beside the
Bible the most revered OF all books
rests copy of Ben Hur, tho beauti-
/ fully written creation OF fiction which.
for fully 20 years, has held place in
4 the highest esteem Of all lovers OF pure
| and inspiring literature.
! The influences that lead one to great
achievements are always of interest to a
reader, and how Gen. Wallace came to
write "Ben Hur' is especially so to
every one who has read his story, or who
/ has seen it rs translated to this stage.
| This first chaptera of the novel that
refer TO this meeting of the wise mem
Ralthasar, Casper and Melohoir
the appearance to them of tho Star OF
ethlehem, were written and published
before Gen. Wallace had conceived the
idea Of writing Ben Hur. "
lie was iourneying from Chicago to
Indianapolis many years ago. In pass
ing the door of stateroom in his
sleeper In the early morning he heard a
! familiar voice. He raped and partly
entered in response TO cherry "Comt
in" Col. Robert g. lngersol was this
occupant.
II will cume in, said Gen. Wallace
"if may choose the subject of CONVEX
sation. -
"You certainly may" renlied Col
Ingersoll. undoubtedly thinking tina
the Mistakes of Moses and 'Cfeeds'
were to be barred from conversation,
Gen. Wallace seated himself opposite
Col lngersol. Looking him SQUARED,
in the eye, he asked:
lis there Ciod?o
Without an instant Of hesitation Col
Ingersoli replied:
Il dun't know. Do your"
us there futurs fife?' asked Oh,
general.
Again the reply: II don't know. D.
your
WAS Christ divine?"
Again: II dun't know. Do you?'
TIE floor ia yours, Colonel - remarked
Gen. Wallace settling himself back Ii
his seat i'll anticipation OF the hrillian
discourse he knew he was to listen to
and for which he had laid foundation
1t was many years before Gen. Wallac
spoke of this conversat on, and not full,
until after the production of 4" Be
Hur' as a drama at the Broadwa
Tn atre u year ago last November. H
then SAID that he was amazed at hi
own ignorance of the subject he Ind lei
Col. lngersoll to discuss. When b
parted from the colonel it was with th
determination to know more of it. |
was this study of Christianity that le
him to believe in the divinity of Chris
and inspired him indirectly to writ
"Ben uur.