Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1904-04-09

What the Author of f5The Light of
Asia" Did to Abolish the Use of the
Stick at n Birmingham schOOI-SfO-
~ of His Marriage TO n Japanese
Lady-Tribute TO His Daughter.
Although a newspaper man by pro-
fession the late Sir Edwin Arnold, au-
thor OF 1.-THE Light Of Asia and other
poems, declined to be interviewed by
newspaper men when he was in New
York. He was uniformly courteous to
the fraternity and gracefully excused
himself from talking about himself on
the plea of modesty or lack of time,
says the New York Herald. a young
literary man who was doing his best
to earn d livelihood by that uncertain
means known to the newspaper bust
ness as free lancing" called on Sir
Edwin Arnold one day and asked for
an interview about Japan, saying that
it would mean money to him, and that
his circumstances just then were not
as prosperous as they might be.
81 cannot break through my infieX-
ible rule about interviews" replied Sir
Edwin, "but L cannot send you away
empty handed. Here are few verses
1 have just written. Make whatever
use of them you please
Thereupon the author of 1.-THE Light
of Asia" handed his visitor Il short
manuscript poem on Il religious subject
which the free lance" promptly sold
to a religious weekly for $50.
Many years ago Sir Edwin Arnold
was plain Mr.. Arnold, II pedagogue at
King Edwards school, Birmingham,
says the Cleveland Plain Dealer. In
those days there used to be placed on
the masters desk an inkstand, roll
book and a stick. The story tells how
the future poet and journalist abolish
ed the stick. It was a sweltering day,
and the subject of the lesson was DE
Amicitia." With an inattentive pupil
the master lost his temper. The stick
descended, and he struck hard.
The culprit protested that it was the
unprOvoked assault of a next door
neighbor which had caused his
thoughts to stray. The next door
neighbor confessed and the victims
assailant was chilled with remOrse.
Calling the boy out, he handed him the
stick and ordered the boy to strike
him, the master. Imperatively com
manded, the boy Obeyed, and the stick
was never more used thencefOrward.
There are some romantic stories told
concerning Sir Edwin ArnOld's mar
riage to a Japanese lady. One of them |
il that he first met his wife in Yoke |
hama I'm 1891. when he visited Japan |
with his daughter Edith, says the
Boston Herald. One morning Miss |
Edith went to the British legation in |
great distress. she said that her |
father had gone crazy. He claimed |
to have married the pretty widow of |
Colonel Watanaba of the japanese |
army, but as far as she could discover |
no ceremony had been performed, |
which shocked her European ideas |
greatly.
Minister Swift called on Arnold, who |
introduced him to his bride and ex-
planned that they had married by the |
easy Japanese method of drinking a |
cup of tea together. at is the custom |
of the country. and will he as binding |
on me as would n pompous ceremony |
in a cathedral" said the poet. whereat |
his daughter and friends had to be
satisfied. When Sir Edwin returned
TO England he found that his Japanese
wife was recognized as such neither by
the law nor society. 1t was frequently
reported that he was about to marry
her under the British law. but even
his friends doubted if he would do this.
as he declared that he would never
bow 10 conventional prejudice.
A London friend sent me quite a
pretty story anent the daughter of Sir
Edwin Arnold. says n writer in the
Philadelphia Times. She was her IA
theirs secretary and his companion in
most Of his Journeys round the world.
During her stay in Japan her majesty's
China squadron ships and the Ameri-
can Pacific fleet were in the harbor OF
Yokohama at the same time. Sir Ed
win and his daughter entertained the
admirals OF both fleets at luncheon and
in return were naturally invited on
board the ships. The American fleet
was first visited, and on leaving the
gallant American admiral presented
Miss Arnold with n beautiful bouquet,
tied with ribbons OF the ship. as to-
ken OF the respect OF himself and his ,
This American courtesy came TO the
ears OF the English commander. and.
not to be outdone by his American
brother, he presented Miss Arnold with
4 larger bouquet and doubled the num-
Der of ribbons. Then the American
admiral sent Miss Arnold a few verses
Df his own composition. This was 90
ing n little further than the English
officer was capable OF. but he had some
verses written to Miss Arnold and dis
patched them IL her three days after
ward The daughter then told her IA
her. and she immediately found n