The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-09

The result was tHnt So"s " VI lieve in ff,s Bible. gave up all doubt of the existence of eod. anc runt ract is aa flrfniv settled in my mind as the fact of my own existence. came also to believe .t,, Christ as the best ernbodi- ment of the Divine Spirit in man and to accept him as my model This study caused me to remodel my Islan of Ben Hur.'. changed 1t throughout and the whole of the book, with the exception of the first chapter, was, you may say, influenced by my talk with Ingersoil"
 How He wrote "F3en Hur.1 ',
 General wallace's work on Ben Hur" lasted. seven years He started the book as a novelette,, thinking 1t might be a serial for Harpers Nigga zine. but became moreVand more inter- ested In 1t as he went on with his studies of Christ One of the remarka- ble things about it Is it's vivid pictures of Palestine, notwithstandtng 1t was published before General Wallace had visited that country. I referred to this, whereupon General Wallace said:
 II doubt if any novel has ever had more careful study for dts background and life than those made for Ben Hur.' I knew that the novel would be criti- cised by men who had devoted their life to Biblical lore. and l studied Pal estine through maps and books. I read everything in the way or travel, scientific investigation and geography. had scores of maps and worked with them about me. My best guide was a relief map of Palestine made in Ger many. This was hung on the wall. anu by means of it I took my characters through the passes of the mountains and up and down the hills. measuring their daily travel by the scale of miles. I also made studies of the bird and an- imal life of the time and place, In- deed, my work of this kind was so thorough that have. believe. made only one mistake in the book"
 What mistake was that. General" 1 asked.
 Tt was in the smoking of vesuvius." was the reply. "I had the mountain in eruption four years before the erup- ton burst forth. I afterward looked up the date and found 1t fixed by the time of Pliny's death. Pliny. you know, went out to describe the volca- no and was never heard of thereafter. This was was four years later than the time of the incident mentioned in my story"
 Esaraeld and the Turkish Mission.
 It was the writing of "Ben Hur" that made General Lew Wallace minister to Turkey. This is how 1t occurred. as he told me yesterday:
 President Garfield and I had been friends for years, and when he was elected Presideslt he sent for me to come to the White House. Our rela- tions were such that he called me Lew, or Wallace. As entered his room he said that he was anxious to have me in the diplomatic services and that he thought Of making me minister, to Uruguay or Paraguay. replied. that knew but, little of South America, and did not think that my going there would help either the government or myself. He then replied that he would send me to Constantinopia on condi- ton that would write book during my stay. Said he; I want you to give the world another novel as good as Ben Hur." ". ~,l
 But. Mr President, said I. If am minister to Turkey shall have prec- ious little time to write books. .dy time will be taken up In diplomatic work Et ss4. .sse, a1as es5tlf.
 That matter will: arrange itseIf,' said Garfield. If you take the ap- pointment we will see that you have plenty of time.' s.eNYa.
 well. thought 1t over and decided to go. and shortly afterward received my commission, with the words and Initials Ben Hnr. J. A. C. in the lower rope. and when I reached there rel ceived cable. saying that Garfield had been shot during my voyage"
 - ssThe Prince of Imdfn.n
 T carried out President GarfAeld's suggestion, however. as to Turkey. As soon as was settled at my post I be- gan to study the country and its peo- pie. I read all I could find about Tur- key, went evefawhere and mixed with all ciasses of the AfehaEamedans An the while I made voiumlnous notes, and upon my return I wrote The Prince of India..t It is the result of feel that in writing 1t I have carried out my Implied contract with Garfield"
 Two Great Literary Successes. \
 Was The Prince of India as sue cessful as Ben Hurr
 Not in the number of copies sold. replied General Wallace, but 1t has had a large sale. and my copyright ar engagements are such that lt has paid me well. Ben Hur' has had an enor- nous circulation. I cannot say just how large, for 1t has been published in many foreign countries by persons with whom have no connection. HSEo WoTS btVeTdl euitlOnS m GrGaL Britain and the colonies, and the sales there were as large as in the United States. The book has been issued in French, Italian. Spanish. Swedish and even in Arabic. It has circulated large ly in Germany. and I am told there Is not a well-to-do German family that has not Ben Hur' in translation. In- deed it may be said to have gone all over the world"
 How about its dramatizationT'
 That has been one of the great sue cesses of the stage. It has been pre- sented in our chief cities and in Eu- rope. The Prince of India will be ready for presentation this year."
 A Friend of the Sultan.
 As we talked of the Sultan Gen. Wal lace took down a little oil painting up- on card board about the size of one- half a newspaper page. It was a bust portrait of the sultan as the general knew him. The relations of the sul- tan and Lew Wallace were intimate The two mon 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 a private citizen, having given up his mission. In the cabin of his steamer upon ieav- ing two velvet covered boxes were found. One was labeled with the gene rars name and the other with that of his wife. Upon opening them a note