The San Francisco call., 1905-08-13

Given the proper intervals OF rest
and change, we never tire of a periodic
return 10 read of the interest-faseinat-
ing persenages VINO made the reign oi
Elizabeth picturesque with rich incl
dents and strikingly peculiar char
aeter. Chief among these is, of course
Shakespeare, and "a hitherto unpub-
lished chapter in the story of the i'm
mortal bard" is the subtitle of a nevel
just cut from the pen of q San Fran
cisco author, Clyde c. WestoVer of the
United States Naval Office. The story is
called The Romance of Gentle VIII
and shows a genuine talent for ro-
mantle representation of historic peo-
: PIE which well deserves the attention
u X his home city as g first send-off
toward that wider success which its
merit viii no doubt win. The nucleus
Incidents around which the author has
woven. the rich descriptions Of the
poets youthful life and envir onment
are gathered from the "age-worn and
well-nigh illegible pages" OF the diary
of Henry Wuothesley, Earl of South
ampton, who was a chum of Shake
speare's youth. ~
tally with the publicly recorded ones
OF the life of the bard. we are warned
10 make our quarrel with the diary,
on whose authority the time OF the
events told here is based. It is a
pretty story made UP of the progress
and hindrances of the great drap1atist's
youthful love for Anne Hathaway.
around these two chief players are
gathered number of the most fasci-
mating of the famous historical char
acters Of the time. who play parts that
must seem minor to US for the nonce
while We interest ourselves chiefly in
the romance Of gentle VIII.
Anne Hathaway is presented to US as
the most beautiful and most royalty fa-
vOred of Queen Elizabeths maids Of
honor, and il is in her court and its pur-
heus that the love making and the mar
rage of the bard takes place. In this
way the love affair Of the great Virgin
Queen herself is drawn in as an Incl
dent and an offsetting to the immortal
Williams enamored enslavement TO that
Anne Hathaway who hath a way that is
so very charming" The romantic Wooing
ana winning Of Juliet Florio by the young
Earl Of Southampton, who is portrayed
70 US as q most charming youth, makes
e pretty accompaniment TO the main love
but Of great beauty and worth, and the
boy OF noble birth insisted on having
her, and accomplished his purpose by
secret marriage. Picture this TO yourself
IN willing mood to ever love a lover.
Shakespeare and Southampton are arm
in arm when they are introduced to Ju-
let She is half Italian, with oval
cheeks and lustrous black hair. "She
cUrtseyed low, and the young Earl stared
at her, q fierce admiration for her beauty
leaping to his eager eyes.
las they followed the demure maiden
down the broad corridor Henry grasped
Shakespeare's arm, whispering, She is
the breath OF heaven, Will Didst notice
her lovely eyes? In their liquor depths
there shines the soul Of an angel, and
when she dropped her fringed lashes
as she curtseyed her greeting to US my
breath near left my body in my admira-
ten"
After the secret marriage Southampton
had to go away, and he intrusted both
his secret and his bride to the care Of
Shakespeare and the Earl of Essex. This
confidential relationship of the poet to
the handsome young woman caused such
e pang Of jealous suspicion to Anne
Hathaway that it well nigh ruined his
prospects with the fair maid of honor
She felt so sure that she had discovered
his infstuation for the half-Italian Juliet
that she refused to speak 10 him, giving
him the rebuff she thought such a bad
man deserved. with her own lips" she
told the Queen that William was not
man Of honor, and that he had intrigued
much with a certain woman" This was
just the usual little hinorance to the
course Of true love- Such byplay of the
green-eyed monster gets US fairly started
into the thick Of the love tale. The au-
thor has got the trick of semi-arehaic,
WANT expression, that gives story tell
ing a double zest which comes of the
value OF the incident related being en-
hanoed by the richness Of the terms of
its presentation
A bare outline Of two incidents in the
progress Of the Gentle WiIf-s love maxi
ing may dimly suggest the books charm.
One comes early in the development and
fills a richly told chapter called my
Lady's Carter II is an appetite whet-
ter for the love affairs excellent telling,
so enticingiy moving cIimacterically to-
ward the eliminating chapter entitled
t"The Poets Prize" which closes the
story and is the other incident barely TO
be outlined here by way or sample
One charm or surprise of the chapter
My Lady's Garter" is that ii shows us
William Shakespeare, the man of the
most all eomprehending intellect. vet as
SO modest a youth that the romantic Incl
dent Of the lost garter failed to furnish
him convincing evidence that the woman
he wanted loved him.
This is how the garter was lost, found,
and its recovery blushfully DOTTED aside
by the lady in the case as a consunmation
not devoutiy to be wished. It's Anne Hath
sVav of course She was talking ia
Phillip, King of Spain. VINO was at the
court Of Elizabeth to WOO the Queen for
Hnself principally, but incidentally, he
Aas wooing Anne for the sake Of his
Prime Minister, De Silva. "a high gran