The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-01-31
BO0kS AND AJTHORS.

A bit OF literary gossip from Crawfords-
vile that will interest readers outside the
literary profession as well as the workers
in the world Of letters is the news that
Gen Lew Wallace has resumed his
smoking with benefit TO hs health and that
he is working several hours a day on his
autobiography. Thus our deals vanish
and our fetishes are one by one taken away
in this iconoclastic age. \ physician OF
repute recently prescribed 10 woman
Journalist as n panacea for insomnia and
overstrained nerves the smoking Of good
cigar, while teas and the opera were
strictly prohibited. When my Lady Nico-
tine has the medical profession in her train
the reformers will have TO seek new sub
ject for their theses, new cause for the
degeneration Of nervous energy in modern
brain workers.
Miss Gertrude Toynbee who is associated
with London's famous social settlement,
/ Toynbee Hall, writes to congratulate Mr..
Robert Hunter on his new book on poverty.
Miss Toynbee finds the book clearly ex-
pressed full Of sympathy and large hearted
tolerance such as comes from some under
standing Of the compile kitty of the causes
which create the inefficient and morally
feeble in society.
Near the beginning OF Emerson Hough's
new novel The Law Of the Land, is re-
corded an amusing interview between u
claim agent and Southern planter of the
old school, in which the agent presents his
credentials in the form of the following
recipe for the famous Southern drink. He
rays:
In our family We used to have an old silver mug
sort OF plain mug. you know few flowers around
the edge OF lt-been In the family for years. Now
you take mug like that and let II lie In tho Ice
box all time and when you take 1t out, It's sort
OF got white frost all over It. Now. my old dA ddy
he would take this mug and put some nno Ice into
II. not too nne Then he'd take a little cut loaf
sugar In another glass. and he'd mash II UP In
little water too much water-then he'd pour
that in over the ice Then he would pour some
good corn whskcy In TIL all tho lnterstioes Of that
ice were nlled plumb up. then he'd put In some
mini
The Colonel asks. almost with a gasp,
whether the old man smashed the mint,
and gets this answer
Smash ~ should say not, sir. Sometimes. at
certain seasons Of the mint. he might Just sort OF
take twist At tho leaf to sort OF release little
OF tho flavor you know. You don't want TO be rough
with mint you know. just twist IT gently between
the thumb and finger Then you set IL In nicely
around the edge OF the glass Sometimes lust
little powder OF nne sugar around the top OF the
Mint leaves and then
But then the visitor is interrupted by the
Colonel who rises. courteously takes of his
hat. and offers the stranger the freedom
of his house.
Poultney Bigelow. journalist globe trotter
and author of The Children OF the Nations.
has just returned 10 America after long
voyage through the southern Pacific. whore
ne has been studying the native and the
colonial forms of government. He has
recently been appointed lecturer at Harvard
University on subjects related to colonies,
colonial history and colonial government.
Authors no longer trust to their magma
ton for local color in the writing Of even
the most imaginary fiction. but give TO their
fancied surroundings a local habitation'
and record their impressions on the spot
Accordingly, Stewart Edward White and
Samuel Hopkins Adams, who are collabo-
rating on big sea detective story are now
about 10 start on voyage Of investigation
on the Pacific in search OF nm island a thou
sand miles from the California coast, which
will suit the requirements Of their rev
story. The Mystery The Mystery ia
purely ina ginary tale Of an imaginary
ship which was found in midseas with all
sails get and no one on board But it must
have an actual island to complete the solu-
ton Of the story. When Messrs. White
and Adams discover one that fills the bill
they will explore it thoroughly and use it
as setting for the most dramatic and
mysterious part Of the tale
The new biography OF Florence Nightin-
gale was commenced several years ago
by Miss Torley, with the object of marking
the Jubilee Of the illustrious heroine whose
name has come TO stand for 80 much that
is humanitarian and helpful. especially
among soldiers 1t was in 1854 that Miss
Nightingale left London with band of
thirty-eight nurses for service in the
Crimean War. and her heroic labors have
made her name household word through
out the English speaking world The
present biography deals particularly with
her work in hospitals for the soldier when
not in the field, and tells Of her life and her
friendships