Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-12-19

"Dear me, Mir. Spencer, l am so glad to see you. I just love authors and poets. They're so jolly, you know" l Mir. Spencer was modest English man of gentle voice and feminine grace. He was unprepared for this onslaught of the young woman. But she took him by the arm and hastened off to corner with her prey. It was only for 'R moment, however. The conversation was brief, but it was interesting.
 | t'Oh, MT. Spencer, must tell you,' went on the young lady, 'I've read all your books. I know them by heart. It makes me laugh so much to read them. Your situations arc so funny, and your lclimaxes so dramatic; then you are not like our authors. Your heroines are mot all alike. and the men are so charming They make love so real. And, oh, MT. Spencer, do you know Eyour dialogue is very funny. Your name is like household word in our home. Don't you ever get tired of writingP'
 The young woman stopped. She hao to. She was short of breath. MT. Spencer looked at her in amaZement, His face flushed. He could not find his voice, but he arose all of tremble, bowed politely, turned to the hostess and hoarsely gasped: She's madI Mad as March hare! Don't let her come lnear me againw And the young lady didn't know until her hostess informed her of the fact that Herbert Spencer was not that kind of an author.
 This story is really true and happened lat house where was stopping few days ago, the host narrating the incl. dent to me.
 Herbert Spencer used to love bis ygame of billiards, at which he was ex- |ceptionally skilled, and his was well known figure about the billiard tables of the Athenseum club in London.
 On None occasion, however, at the Athenasum club Herbert Spencer found his master in 8 very young man, who beat him thoroughly. When his defeat toSopheF leaned on his cue and deliv- cred the following speech to his fortu- nate antagonist, "A certain proficiency in this game is possibly a desirable ac- complishment, but the extraordinary ability, sir, you have just displayed can only be the fruit of a misspent youth"
 An intimate friend of Mir. Spencer once told a London correspondent the following story of how the sage was "discovered'' in America. The little book-I think 1t was "The First Prin- ciples of Sociology"-which had been published obscurely in London found its way over to the tables of the famous old American publishing house for which the late D. L. Youmans was lit erary adviser. The author was un- known and the subject was dry, and no attention was paid to either until one day MT. Youmans' sister happened to pick up the neglected volume in an idle moment. She read it from begin ming to end with increasing interest and told her brother that she had dis covered a great philosopher He was incredulous and said there was no pub lie for books on sociology.
 Somewhat against his will his sister finally persuaded him to read the book, with the result that he went to the head of his publishing house to say that an American edition of the book must by all means be published whether it proved profitable or not The advice was accepted, and, although the book tention of so many thoughtful folk in America that MT. Spencer's audience was assured from that time forth,