Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-04-02

Special Correspondence,
oNDON, March 2i,-Athough n
poet, Edmond Rostand has rather
practical mind, and the
dramatistss neighbors near CAM
BIO as well as the dwellers In
several other rural districts Of
France are blessing him for an
eminently businesslike innovation that
Ii about to be introduced In these de-
partments" through his influence, Ever
since he has lived on his secluded
estate in the heart OF the Lower Pyre-
nees, Rostand has been maddened by
the slowness, haphazardness ana gen
eral badness OF the postal service In
the district. The author OF "Cyrano
dc Bergerac" is a motorist, and not
long ago he asked himself why In his
neighborhood as well as In other
chateau" districts where estates are
distant from the railway stations the
mails could not be collected and DIS
tributed by means OF automobiles
Shortly after conceiving this idea, Ro-
stand sounded the French secretary for
postes and biographies on the subject,
and that official has been 80 taken with
the idea that next spring not only the
Lower Pyrenees but seven other French
departments" will be furnished with
auto mail cars. In the case OF Ro-
stands district, this viii mean gain
OF nearly twenty-four hours In COM
munIcation with Paris, Meanwhile the
poet declines 10 be drawn to the capt
tal, even TO attend the meetings of the
academy, to which he WAS elected last
year. He is hard az work on n new
play for Coquelln, but says that another
piece which he has In hand VIII be
completed first.
Rider Haggard, whose stella Freq
elius" has lust been published In book
form, and whose story OF the Crusades
is now running rs serial says he
wants to forget all about literary work
and agricultural problems, too, for n
while, and, the better to do so, M
Haggard left London O day or two
ago bound for Egypt. The noyeiists
daughter, Miss Angela llaggard, Is
with him on this trip, and, after staying
In the land Of the Pharaohs FOR While,
they mean 10 visit Spain
English Journalists" delight In tell
Ing about a probably mythical Ameri-
can reviewer who noticed Pilgrims
Progress" as new work, but even that
IL not much worse than the real blum
der OF British book Whackcr' who
discovered Fenlmore Coopcr's Path
finder' IN the same way last Week
This ingenious scribe, whose deliver
ances are published In a weekly paper
OF some popularity, reviewer the
Cooper book with perfect gravity m.
forming his readers that 'lhe scene OF
the romance Is America" that the
characters of the Pathfinder ANA Ma
bel are well drawn and adding the
book Is equal 10 any from the pen OF
this popular author
-
American book collectors should be
we'll represented AZ the coming sale OF
the library OF the late w, y. Henley, on
March IA, as nearly all OF the many vol-
umes to be disposed OF are Of unusual
interest. Most Of them were presented
TO the veteran writer by his nov. ia
nous young men, For instance there
is Barries little white Bird inscrlb-
ed briefly, "W, y ", from j. NJ u, Nov,
1902" and Rudyard Klpling's Depart
mental Dlttles," similarly dedicated,
not 10 mention 20 volume edition do
luxe OF the same writer's works There
arc also 10 volumes Of Meredith, with
an autograph letter from the author
Justin II, McCarthy's book on Nillon,
and also the Edinburgh edition In 20 vol
umes Of Robert Louis Stovensons
works, with this dedication ITO VIII
liam Ernest Henley and Anna, his wife.
o pulchra filla o flta aurcola! Vale,
Vale" Among the many other prizes
are WhIstlers Gentle Art Of Making
Enemles." and volumes by Andrew
Lang Conan Doyle, h, lie Galllenne aud