The Washington herald., 1906-11-18

cost Of my Illness has been so expensive.
II viii be said that l am dying above my
means"
One Of the best Of the many book
stories that has been going the rounds
recently tells OF young lady who went
into a book store in Toronto and told the
clerk that she wanted a giftbOok to pre-
sent TO a couple about TO celebrate their
hftieth wedding anniversary. With
promptness and wit almost incredible Gin
book clerk he brought down from
shelf Parkman's - Half Century Of Con-
fiict"
a common complaint among the pub
fishers and booksellers is that volumes
Of short stories have absolutely no sale
nowadays. This seems rather a contra
dictiOn. for in America we are always
portrayed as being in a hurry, while in
England. where they are supposed 10 take
things leisuTely, volumes Of short stories
still have a vogue. Perhaps the reason
for the falling OF in this respect in
America IS that the popular-priced mag
azine has so well supplied the field in this
regard. No book Of short stories can be
made to sell at much less than 81, while
for 10 cents one can get a magazine made
up a short stories Of fair average merit
and with q diversity OF subject that the
volume by one author can hardly possess.
Next 10 France. America has always
been the home Of the short story, and
great many new forms for it have been
invented here. and this IS one Of the
countries where Il has been recognized
that Il is a harder task 70 write & per-
feet short story than il IS 10 construct q
4 T.
lish authors viii be remembered by their
stories rather than by their more preten-
tious work Poe, for instance, viii live as
a prose writer chiefly through one OF two
OF his tales: Washington Irving's RIP
Van WinkIe' will probably be known
when the rest OF his works are dusty on
the back shelf; Ouida. in spite Of Under
Two Flags" and Moths" viii owe her
claims to be remembered not on these, but
on that exquisite short story, The Dog
Of Flanders" the best animal story in
the language. Kipling's short stories viii
exist when Kim" has gone 10 join his
fathers and The Light That Failed
leaves not trace behind. The reaction
is bound to come; for the best short
stories there will always be room.
Discussion over Owen Wister's Lady
/ OF recent years have drawn forth more
varied and conflicting opinions To some
| it is A mere miIk-and-w romance, a
sad falling of from the free and open
I THE Eirgtnian." 10 others il Is d deli
cate subtle romance, pOrtraying with
/ the ability Of genius the very spirit Of
an old-fashioned country town Of the
South There Is, no doubt, that much OF
! the story Is based upon facts. and one OF
| the good fruits Of the discussion that the
/ book has called forth IS the fact that the
story told so often in the novel by the
gentle CharlestOnians, and attributed 10
Miss Beaufair, is based on a true story
which is current in the real Charleston.
The original story has TO do with William
AIakepeace Thackeray, and is said 70
have happened during his visit to these
shores. He stopped for a day or two at
the real Charleston, and being introduced
10 q Madame k, he said. Madame,
I hear that you are the fastest woman
in the South" meaning, Of course, the
most modern. up-to-date woman in the
South Upon this the lady rejoined.
You must not believe everything you
/ hear, Mr.. Thackeray- I have always
/ heard you were a gentleman" That must
/ have been almost as hard q facer as the
/ blow Thackeray got from Venables at
GrayfriaTs. which broke the genial hu-
morist's nose and gave him, in middle
/ life. that cheTubic appearance which his
/ portraits show so well
|
/ An amusing book just published in
London. and which, it is TO be hoped, viii
| soon be reproduced in this country, is
The "reminiscences Of Lady Dorothy Ne
vin." edited by her son. Lady Dorothy
knew old London very well indeed-the
London of Samuel Rogers. Lady Blessing
/ ton, Count D'Orsay Prince Louis Ma
4 poleon. and other celebrities. As child
she took luncheon with Lord Hertford,
/ that wicked old nObleman, who was
| lThackeray's model for the Marquis Of
/ Steyne, and she remembers him as kind
| ", somewhat garruloUs old gentleman.
| She finds society of to-day somewhat
more prOsey than il was when she was a
/ belle, and she suggests that the business
man Of our time is too dull 10 bring
/ clever conversation TO the dinner table.
/ She also thinks that he is not sure enough
| OF himself in society and is afraid Of be
! ing made butt. Lady Dorothy knew the
second Duke Of Wellington very well, and
she tells of the eccentric costume he used
| to wear: an old broad-brimmed felt hat
and a cloak of the kind known as a rogue
| laure-a word, by the bye, which stew
eIson used TO maintain, contained all the
elements Of romance. His manner, il
seems. was as eccentric as his dress. He
had AIr. Irving, afterward Sir Herry,
down to his place at Strathfieldsayre. FOR
luncheon one day Irving fingered over
the luncheon, and noticing that the horses
and carriage had been brought around 10
convey him 10 the station. said: well.
I suppose ought 10 be of now, but there
is still plenty Of time To which the
duke replied: Mr.. Irving. the day is
hottie horses are not yours-you had
better GO
At another time Lady Dorothy relates
that she went with him 20 the Crystal
Palace TO see a donkey show that was in
progress Instead of remaining vi q the
rest of the spectators, the duke would in
sist on trespassing on & bit Of ground set
apart and marked For judges only
Lady Dorothy noticed a flutter and lot
of whispering, and she told the duke that
she thought they had better get away
before they were ordered Of He re-
fused TO listen, ard when. in fear OF IN
pleasant consequences, she insisted on
going, the duke signaliZed her desertion
by taunts Of cowardice. It was not long
before she saw the officials OF the show
consulting together. and pretty soon one
of them advanced 10 the eccentric strsn-
ger, and said:
Sir. may I ask whether you are a
judge?''
a judge Of what?' thundered the duke.
a judge of donkeys," came the reply.
Certainly an" said the duke, looking
at the man hard. "a very good one, too
Leave me alone"
The official retired in haste, soon dis
covered who the eccentric stranger was
and they left him alone until he chose
to retire from the field.