Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-11-05

Copyright. 1904, by Nicholson.
Garfield Before he went to Turkey Gen.
Wallace had written THE Fair Cod and
Ben Hur, Tale of the Christ" During
his stay there he collected the materials
for 1.-The Prince of India" which is now
dramatized and which will probably be
presented on the stage during the coming
winter.
Ben Hur at Home.
I went out to Charlottesville yesterday
and spent several hours with General Wal
lace chatting with him about himself and
his work. He lives in the heart of Crow
louisville in comfortable home sur
rounded by seven acres of magnificent
beech os and elms, which were already large
trees Then the Declaration of Independence
was signed. Much of his writing during
the summer has been done under these
trees, and under one old beech especially
he wrote a great part of Ben Hur." This
tree stands some distance from his house
and at the corner of his library. which is,
PERHAPS the most remarkable of the liter
airy workshops of the United States.
The library was built by the general sew
eral years ago. l remember his telling me
that it was in course of construction when
7 talked with him at St Louis at the time
of President Mckinley's first nomination.
1t is a one-story structure OF brick ana
stone with roof of glass and bronze
plates 1t is lighted from the top, and its
Surroundings are such that its owner can
close the door and be as far away from
the noises of modern civilization AS though
he were In the heart of the Rocky noun
tains The structure is fireproof and 1t
contains the generals treasures in fine
editions and valuable manuscripts. 1t has
hut one room which is lined with shelves
above which pictures hang.
How Wallace Writes.
There is desk in the center of the room,
but General Wallace does all his work on
a low rocker, writing upon lap board
which just fits across the square arms OF
the chair. The lap board is covered with
chamois skin to keep the papers from Slip
ping off and the seat is so arranged TO
bring it at the right height for writing.
The general uses a lead pencll Tor ms
fret draft He writes beautiful hand,
even now, in his seventy-eighth year, and
his manuscript looks like copper plate.
He always uses the same kind OF paper
cut to sheets of such size that each Will
make a mage of the completed book He
numbers these pages conSecutlVeiy SO
that he knows just how far along ne is
with the work upon which he is engaged
He tells me that he writes slowly, revis-
ing each day the work of the day before,
and when a chapter OF paragraph is not
satisfactory, throwing it away and writ
ing it over again. 1T Is better ne salo
10 destroy unsatisfactory work than to
try to patch it up here and there After
his manuscript is finished 1T is carefully
copied being arranged and punctuateo
lust as it is to be in the pubifshed DOCK
Nothing is left to the JUG eht VI ING
printers.
Talks of His Autobiography.
Talking with me about his autobiog-
raphy. Gen. Wallace said
'.It will not be like the ordinary work
of the kind. There will be no letters
quoted in 1t. I should as soon think of
throwing a log across the driveway up TO
NV house as to ask my friends to travel
over a corduroy road OF letters IN teiiihs
the story of my life
How far back does your memory go,
Cen Wallace? l asked
II can remember things that happened
when I was six years old. / was born in
1897. and this takes me back to 1888,
which is quite a long period. nave an
excellent memory. and 1t seems as good
now as it has ever been. Indeed, l am
surprised to find how well l remember
conversations and incidents. The most
important ones of my life seem to have
been photographed on my nraln, ana
can have them in their fullest detail"
How Mexico Was Saved.
"I suppose your memoirs will contain
much unwritten history, general?"
Eyes. / had to do with some important
matters in the life of the nation. and much
with some things the real history of which
is unknown. For instance, l was the agent
of Gen. Grant In giving the Mexicans such
assistance as enabled them to keep
their country a republic. Louis Napoleon
wanted to make 1t a monarchy. He was
backing Macmillan, and was in fair way
to succeed This was just at the close of
the rebellion, when we were still in an un-
settled condition and did not dare risk
war with France. I was sent by Gen.
Grant without the knowledge of Secretary
Seward, to consult with Gen. Juarez the
Mexican president. to see II we could not
in some way assist the republic. l went to
the Rio Grande and pushed my way through
the country to Chihuahua, where met
Juarez. He was in bad way. had but few
troops and no arms, audit looked as though