Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-03-06

| by recently deceased authors, notably
| those of Bret Harte and q. A. Henty.
| One English review suggests that II
| need cause no copious regret until the
causes have been investigated. That
| they may be not the disgraceful re-
wards given to authors, but simple
| intent to evade British death duties
lit being common for residents In Eng
land to divide their estates before
death in order to circumvent the gov
| eminent"
Yes, the cause may be that and 1T is
just as likely to be the spendthrift
habits of the writer's during life. Au-
thors are born improvident as we'll as
other men, and as the biographies OF
these two authors are soon forthcom-
ing, perhaps it were just as we'll to
wait and find out before we pounce onto
their publishers.
Apropos of this subject, comes to
mind another case, that of Eugene
Field, whose improvidence and chronic
condition of hard up-ness, even when
he was receiving good salary, is Well
known: and who, even at his death, mad
acsuired but little thrift in money
matters. His late biographer Siason
Thompson, relates that when F1elt
came into his fathers patrimony "a
snug fortune) he celebrated the event
by Il lark over Europe, inviting along
/ a college chum, his prospective brother-
| in-law, and paying all their expenses
This trip of two years dissipated most
| of his fortune.
/ Clara Morris novel, "The Pasteboard
Crown has been dramatized by the
author and arranged in four acts. The
| last act shows the shooting scene in the
girls boudoir, in which the play departs
| from the story and kills the heroine
along with the hero. That is great
| improvement on the original. The au-
| thor would have added to her renown
iby killing the girl in the novel. But
then, who wants to see that sort of
thing on the stage? Ugh!
SIS
\ We half suspect there is concealed
somewhere in the world secret syn
dictate for the manufacture of new and
unpublished" letters ana anecdotes for
the use of biographers. 1t is certainly
astonishing to note the increasing num-
Der of lives of some noted person.
each one containing rluch new ana
\ Hitherto undiscovered material. one
would naturally suppose the domestic
\ troubles of the Carlyles had been Sufn-
lciently aired and exhibited in print and
| THAT all correspondence bearing on the
unhappy relations of that unfortunate
Icouple had been eagerly hunted down
and already utilized by authors and
publishers. But not so: a heavy load of
material has been resurrected from the
1 deems of somewhere. A recent an
rouncement is the forthcoming publ
Ioation in two volumes OF New Letters
and Memories of Jane Welsh Carlyle"
which are expected to throw much
valuable new light" on thsir domestic
discord. These volumes will be a col
lection of hitherto unpublished let
ters,'' edited, with an introduction, by
Sir James Chrichten Browne.
| London book dealers say it is impos-
| sible to sell kruger's Memoirs to En-
glish readers, but that General Dewet's
"Three Years War" has had a big run.
| That's not surprising. People don't
| fall over each other to near themselves
abused, especially when they have to
| pay for it. Old Paul rubbed 1t in
hard, and kiplings pubic won't stand
for that sort of thing.
/ Count Robert de Mortesquiou feels
highly f1attered with his lavish recep-
ton by the wealthy ladies of New York
| City. But he should know that the
highest compliment and keenest appre-
citation comes out of the west His
latest volume of Prayers for
All'-has been translated into English
by Chicago woman.
In a recent column we gave a long list
of biographical literature promised in
the near future, supposing we had at
| least exhausted the months list. But in
looking over the fresh announcements
in this weeks papers we conclude our
first list was a mere beginning; so we
give up announcing, and hereafter wait
until the life arrives.
A book of stories and studies in f1c-
tion-eleven in abby Henry James.
and entitled THE Better Sort will be
published in March by Scribner's Sons.
Harper's Weekly repeats good story
as told by Mr.. PETIT Ridge, the foremost
English humorist. in one of his lectures.
A friend of his wanted certain farm.
He saw the owner and made prelimi-
nary contract satisfactory to both sides.
Presently the friend asked:
Would you like some references?"
mo, no." said the farmer. genially.
you are gentleman. can see
Observation-Disclosures written all over
your face. Don't bother about the ref
erences. expect you want to get back
to your city business?" to which the