The Savannah morning news., 1904-12-04


in hearing the names of the six best
selling novels in this country at pres
ent. Since this list was drawn up a
day or two ago. Hall Gaines new ro-
nance has appeared, and probably
leads in point of sales at the present
moment. Previous 70 its appearance,
however, the six best sellers were as
follows: Gods Good Man." by Sir
Gilbert Parker: John Chileote. NJ. p,
by K. c. Thurston; Kate of Kate
Hail." by Ellen T. Fowler; Double
Harness." by Anthony Hope, and
'"Traffics and Discoveries" by Rudyard
Kipling.
1t is probable that no man ever loved
work better than did Mr.. Gladstone.
Sir John Robinson recalls the fact
that late in life the ex-Premier had
some affection of one eye, and he was
recommended not to try his sight by
writing at too great length. such
was his passion for work. however,
that he accustomed himself to write
with his eyes shut to obviate the dan
ger. An intimate friend once remon-
strated with him on seeing him writ
ing. 1t is very wrong of you, he said,
to sit write, write, writing at that
table when you have the use of only
one of your eyes No. said the Won
derful old man. I don't need that eye
at all when I am at thisSkind of work.
have been writing mechanically with
out using either eye for the last hour.
1t was in this way that he wrote the
whole of his essay on Heresy and
Schism' that appeared in the Nine
teenth Century for August, 1904"
The death in New York the other
day of Gen. Louis Pauma dt CeSnola,
the director of the Metropolitan Mu-
scum of Art, removes man who is
now acknowledged to have been the
greatest curator in this country. He
was a native of Piedmont, Italy, and
a member of one of the oldest and best
Italian families. His private archaeo-
logical collection, formed during a ten
years residence in the Island of Cy-
prus was the nucleus of the Metropon-
tan Museum. Napoleon III had en-
deavored to buy it for the Louvre, and
Lord Beaconsf1eld made Gen. Cesnola
an offer for it on behalf of the British
Museum The owner declined, and
eventually sold it to the Metropolitan
Museum for about 100000. Gen. Ces-
nola's volume, Cyprus; It's Ancient
Cities, Tombs and Temples" (Har-
pers) was a narrative OF his researches
and excavations, and was said at the
time to have Laid the world of edu-
Gated and thoughtful men under heavy
obligations"
The manuscript of Rudyard Kipling
Captains Courageous" is owned by
Mrs. James Conland, of Hartford,
Conn. Mr.. Kipling gave it to her late
husband from whom the author OBJ
tanned much material for the book.
Prof COIdVNit, Cpoithfc raaant eraoob
before the Canadian Club at ottawa is
said to be his farewell appearance on
the platform. His work as a publcst
Will be confined to his weekly comment
on current things in a Toronto news
paper and to occasional writings in
other papers and in magazines.
1t is rather interesting to recall that
the success Of Ben Hur," the author
OF which CGen. Lew Wallace) has been
so critically i'll at his Indiana home,
has been on lines altogether unique.
1t has never been issued in a cheap
form, and no less than fourteen lux
urious editions have been made by the
Harpers, yet it is estimated that well
on TO million copies have been sold.
Capt. Robert f. Lee, whose tactful
book about his father the great Con-
federate general, has had such a de-
served success, lives on a farm at
west Point, Va. He is the youngest
son of Gen. Lee, and was attending
the University of Virginia when the
civil War broke out. His father op-
posed his going into the service too
young, but he insisted upon enlisting
as a private in the Rockbridge Ar
tlllery, and rose to the captaincy. He
has been a farmer since the close of
the war He lives quietly, preferring
the peace of the country to the noise
of the cities.
Frank L. Stanton, author of Lit
tie Folks Down South" has a keen
sense of humor. He has many good
stories of the South stored up in his
memory, an dmost of them are short
and to the point. One of the best and
most epigrammatic concerns a Ken
lucky colonel who was just dressing
in the morning in his bachelor home in
Louisville. ''Sambo." he called down.
stairs to his henchman, "go out and
NOV some mint for breakfast"
Thomas E. Watson showed that he
had a serious disposition at a very
early age. When he was about 6 years
old he startled the old negro nanny
who had nursed him from childhood by
asking suddenly: "At what age do
children begin to be responsible for
tehir sins? AS 1 responsible?"
Laws, no, honey" replied his black
foster-mother. "Yo' amt done rive to
yeahs Of secretion yet"
The infant Watson heaved a sigh of
relief and did not pursue his psychol-
ogico-ethical course of questioning
any further. But when he appeared
an hour later with his hat full of fresh
ly plucked turkey feathers he wore a
look of conscious rectitude mingled
with dashing air of total lack of
moral responsibility.
Ralph Henry Barbour is the author
Of many juvenile books. His latest is
entitled "On Your Mark: A Story of
College Life and Athletics" When
the brand-new volume reached his
house and was added to the row of his
works on top of his desk his niece
came toddling in to look at it. After
inspecting it gravely for a moment
the little girl said: Uncle, did you
write that?'
Yes, dear"
And all the rest of those?"
yes"
"well, did all these things happen
TO you"
NO; I've dreamed and thought a
great many of them"
But uncle" said the little maiden
solemnly. do you think you ought 10
write them?
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