The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-03-02
OUR BOOKS AND
WRITER'S OF BOOKS

John, and Franklin was her name until
she married. She attended various
Western and Southern schools, though
ill-health kept her behind and she
learned much that was not in books.
Her grandfather Franklin established
the first newspaper in San Francisco,
THE Golden Era and had the fur
Their distinction of being owner of the
finest private library In the state and
in this library Gertrude graZed at will.
She lived for many years with her
grandparents, and the Seclusion of her
life favored individuality and she grew
up mot like other girls When quite
young she married George Henry Be-
Wen Atherton, who was a Chilean on
his mothers side and a member of one
OF the most prominent families in the
state. She early took to writing and
like herself her books were unlike any
thing else. Her first serious effort,
What Dreams May Come" was pub
lished in 1888; following that she wrote
Hernia Suydam,' The Doomswom-
an" "A Whirl Asunder," Patience
Sparhawk, and Her Times" Amer
lean Wives and English Husbands"
and "a Daughter of the Vine" the
latter provoking much severe criti-
ciSm. In a few years her husband di, ID
and she went to New York for q time
later to England, where she has become
established and well known. Califor-
MIA IS, perhaps, truest to her, because
she Is a home product. Even if one
fights the ethics of her work there is
no doubt that as novelist she can tel
story that holds the interest OF the
reader to the end. This is particularly
true Of patience Sparhawk," a tale
which no one can approve after put
ting down the book, but one that chains
attention and compels the respect Of
the reader because it Is consistent and
we'll told. Southerners would not ad-
nit that she gave a good picture Of
well-bred Southern girl in Senator
North" nor could 1T be believed that
she portrayed with accuracy the best
Of Washington society, but. neVerthe-
less, every one read Senator North"
to the end. Mrs. Atherton's latest work
is the editing of some Of Alexander
Hamiltons letters.
Ideas for Sale.
A very remarkable book which Is
soon to appear is called "a Girl of
Ideas" by Annie Flint, published by
Scribner's Sons, and records the ex-
periences of a girl who was full of
ideas but did not seem to be able to
give them tangible expression. So she
opens an office, with her imagination
as her capital, and offers to sell ideas
to writer's. Her scheme is at once
success and she begins q large and
profitable business, conducted on the,
supposedly, commission basis. Every
thing goes we'll for a time, until she
makes a dreadful mistake and nearly
ruins the reputation Of a Well-knoWn
author. The climax shows how her
woman's wit saves the situation and
her patron. The book may be interest
Ing, but it would certainly be unfortu-
nate If it's perusal should inspire any
able-bodied schemer to give up a GER
tainty and embark in the perilous bust
ness Of selling ideas that are doubtless
badly needed by their owner. This
may be the inception of another plan
which might be added to the many
"get-rich- quick" schemes, which are
now spreading the country over.
kiplins on the Stump.
Mr.. Alden writes from London that
the last heard of Rudyard Kipling he
was making political speech In South
Africa, and in this connection he saws
there are those who claim that man
or letters should never NEEDLE with
politics. In pointing out that no ar
bitrary rule can be laid down which
says that literary man must neces-
Sarlly be poor statesman, he cites
the case of DiSraeli, novelist, known
long before he was Disraeli the states
man. He says, further, was not Glad
stone a man of letters, and did not
Lord Derby translate Homer? So, if
Mr.. Rudyard Kipling should take up
politics, and there is no particular
reason why he should not if he wants
to, he has a numbereof distinguished
precedents. In speaking of a new book
by Mr.. Bernard, Gapes, soon to appear,
and called "a Castle in SPAIN" Mr..
Alden makes the following pointed re-
marks; 1T remains to be seen
whether Mr.. Capes will outgrow his
present fondness of fine writing, or
rather for what he regards as an orig
inal and desirable style. Mr.. Capes
one fault is his fondness for this sort
Of thing, but he will sooner or later
awake to the conviction that an au-
thor who makes his style the promi-
nent feature Of his work makes a mis-
take, whether his name be Bernard
Capes or George Meredith" 1t is
pleasant to know that Mr. Alden has
the courage of his convictions in this
matter of worship of the literary style
of writer, regardless of whether he
has a message for his readers.
Career of Conried.
Like romance reads an account of
Heinrich Conried, new manager of the
metropolitan opera house, New York,
which has recently appeared. Thirty
years ago, in the little Silesian town
of Bielitz, Conried was a weaver, and
all he knew of the world and of art
were the fanciful pictures conjured up
by a lively Imagination. To fulfill a
promise to his father he was appren-
uced to a weaver for two years. after
that he would be allowed to go his
own way and free to live out his
dreams. From infancy almost the the
alter had been a passion with him. He
saved the pennies he should have
bought lunch with at school and in
vested them in tickets for the play,
cheap tickets, which took him aloft,
but If In sight of the stage he was
happy His first appearance was in
an amateur performance with children.
and when he walked in with the others
the lights and confusion so frightened
him that he ran off in haste. That was
Herr Conried's debut. His father
hoped this would cure him of his in
fatuation, but in this he was doomed
to disappointment. After Heinrich had
finished his two years weaving and
earned his freedom he started for Vi
emma, and obtaining small place in a
commission shop, seemed to be as far
as ever from a realization of his am
bition when he fell in with an actor
and his stage career began,
The dramatic teacher to whom he
dppIleu tolu MIN ne was too short to
become an actor, though he acknowl-
edged that the young man had talent,
and admitted that perhaps his ability
was great enough to overcome this
disability. The upshot was that the
master told him that he would teach
him four weeks for nothing, on condi-
ton that at the end of that time Con-
ried would give up the idea entirely
or sign contract then and there.
After the lessons were finished there
was a test performance, and Conried
was picked out Of forty aspirants. AL
most from that day his way was clear