Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05
STONE & POOLE,
Coz Penna. Ave. NV.

volcano and was never heard of thereafter.
This was four years later than the time Of
the incident mentioned in my story
Garfield and the Turkish Mission.
1t was the writing of ben Hur" that
made Gen. Lew Wallace minister to Tur-
key. This is how it occurred. as he told
me yesterday:
President Garfield and had been friends
for years, and when he was elected Presi-
dent he sent for me to come to the White
House. Our relations We're such that he
usually called me Lew, or Wallace. As
entered his room he said that he anx-
iouS to have me in the diplomatic service,
and that he thought of making me minis
ter to Uruguay or Paraguay. / replied
that L knew but little of South America,
and did not think that my going there
would help either the government or my
self He then replied that he would send
me to Constantinople on condition that
would write book during my stay. Said
he: L want you to give the world another
novel good as Ben Hur.'
But, Mr.. President said I, If | am min
lister to Turkey l shall have precious little
leisure to write books. My time Will be
taken up in diplomatic work.
" That matter will arrange Itself said
Garfield. If you will take the appointment
we will see that you have plenty of time
We'll, | thought 1t over, and decided to
go. and shortly afterward received my COM
mission, with the words and initials Ben
Hur, ]. A g. in the lower left-hand corner.
then sailed for Europe and when | reached
there received a cable, saying that Garfield
had been shot during my voyage"
"The Prince of India
Il carried out President Garields sug-
gestion, however as to Turkey. AS soon as
l was settled at my post l began to study
the country and its people. i read all Il
could find about Turkey, went everywhere
and mixed with all classes of the Moham-
medans. All the while | made voluminous
notes, and upon my return | wrote The
Prince of India 1t is the result of my
mission to Constantinople. and l feel that
In writing it l have carried out my implied
contract with Garfield
Was The Prince Of India as successful
as Ben Hur?
Not in the number of copies sold" re-
piled Gen. Wallace, but it has had large
sale. and my copyright arrangements are
such that 1t has paid me well. Ben Hur
has had an enormous circulation / cam
not say just how large, for it has been
published in many foreign countries by per-
sons with whom | have no connection.
There were several editions In Great Brit
ain and the colonies, and the sales there
were large as in the United States. The
book has been issued in French, Italian.
Spanish, Swedish and even in Arabic. IL
has circulated largely in Germany, and
l am told there Is not well-to-do German -
family that has not Ben Hur' in trans
lation. Indeed it may be said to have
gone all over the world
How about it's dramatizationT"
THAT has been one of the great sue
cesses of the stage. 1t has been presented
in our chief cities and in Europe. The
Prince of India will be ready for rIesen-
tation this year"
A Friend Of the Sultan.
AS we talked of the sultan Gen. Wallace
took down a little oil painting upon a card
board about tho. size of one-half a news
paper page. 1t was a bust portrait of the
sultan the general knew him. The re-
lations of the sultan and Lew Wallace were
intimate. The two men became strong
friends, and although the general could not
or would not accept presents from His
majesty during his ministry, he had some
forced upon him when he was going away.
He was then private citizen, having given
up his mission. In the cabin of his steamer
upon leaving two velvet covered boxes were
found. One was labeled with the generals
name and the other with that OF MS WIG
Upon opening them note dropped out stat
ing that the inclosed mementoes were sent
from the sultan as tokens of his friendship
and esteem.
The contents of the generals box were
solid gold snuff box set with thirty-eight
large solitaire diamonds, and the order
of the Mejidyeh, which also blaZed with
diamonds. The box labeled Mrs. Wallace"
contained a brooch, too large for ordinary
wear, set with magnificent diamonds. These
presents were so rich that the customs Of
ficers at New York refused to put a value
the Secretary of the Treasury, afterward
admitted free. They are now kept In
safe deposit and General Wallace says he
is most forcbly reminded of them by their
annual appearance in his tax bill.
The Sultan's Picture.
General Wallace looked at the portrait of
the sultan as he talked about him. He has
considerable skill as an artist, and he made
the portrait himself from pencil sketches
he
with the sultan. 1t is perhaps the best
representation of him ever made. Said
General Wallace:
There is no public man so misunderstood
as the Sultan of Turkey. He is OF
the ablest rulers of his time. and he has
proved himself the peer of the monarchs
and statesmen of Europe, with whom he
has had to fight one continuous diplomatic
battle for the past twenty-five years. The
fact that the sultan is still on the throne
shows his ability He has reigned twenty
two years, while the average reign of the
sultans of the past has been but three and
one-half years. The sultan is a man of
broad sympathies, wide knowledge and
great ability. 1t is said that he is frighten-
fear of assassination. That is not true. He
has his guard. but so has President,
and SO has every monarch of Europe"
A Story of Stanford.
"As an incident of the wide knowledge Of
the sultan" Gen. Wallace continued, Il
member an interview which he once had
with Leland Stanford. When Senator STAN
ford was visiting Constantinople the sultan
sent me a note saying that l should ask
him to dinner at the palace. We went to-
gether. During the meal the sultan brought
up the subject of railroads and questioned
Senator Stanford to the cost of their
and operation. He wanted to
know all about how the rights of way were
the profits of passenger and freight
traffic. the difference in gauge as compared
with cost. and almost every detail regard
ing the management of railroads. /
surprised at his knowledge and Senator
also surprised that he
asked how long l had been coaching
The sultan on railroads Said he: L never
had such catechsm that before. and
do not believe that any other man but
railroad manager could ask such ques-
IONS The sultan was then thinking of
developing Turkey by railroads. and L sup
pose he had inquired into the subject"
FRANK G. CARPENTER.
Disappointment.
From the Chicago Tribune.