The San Francisco call., 1906-06-11
SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE CALL.

LONDON, June IO-Though Marie
Corelli failed 10 obrain an injunction
restraining an enterprising publisher
from selling a set OF picture postcards.
depicting the authoress in variety Of
scenes. she did succeed in getting a lot
of advertising out of It Notwithstand-
ing the statement made in her affidavit
that her principal reason for taking up
her residence in Stratford- -on-Avon was
10 obtain privacy and seclusion. there
is no one who displays greater inge-
nuity in attracting public attention TO
herself. OF this. the fuss she has made
over the picture postcards is an illus
tration. A batch of them were sent to
her before they were offered for public
sale, and she made no protest against
them Concluding, not unnaturally.
that she was not aNerse TO that sort
OF fame. the publishers proceeded to
do business with them. Then she
started a runpus by bringing a suit
against the publishers. And the re-
suit is that the postcards are selling
like hot cakes and Marie is able to
assume her favorite pose of a much
prosecuted martyr And q lot of people
are winking the other eye
WHAT THE CARDS DEPICTED.
To the unprejudiced mind it is diff
cult 10 discern what there is about the
postcards TO justify the sensitive
Msrie's contention that they are "calcu-
lated 70 expose her to contempt and
ridicule and injure her in her profes-
sion as an aHthor-" One of the cards
complained OF represents her present
ing cup 10 the Stratford-on-Avon
Boat Club. She did present such a cup.
but whether her action aroused such
lii -
teur rowing fraternity as the artist has
striven 70 portray may be open TO oues-
tlon. Another Of the cards shows her
in z gondola on the Avon. Well. for
reasons which certainly nobody would
associate with a desire 10 court Sc
clusion. she is frequently seen on the
river on that species of Venetian craft.
which is so rarely seen on English
waters that II always attracts atten-
tion- Another card, entitled Miss Co
relli giving sweets TO the sweet" shows
her giving sugar TO a couple of dinin-
utive ponies attached to a chaise. In
that sort of rig she frequently rides
about the streets Of Stratford- -on-Avon.
It would be difficult 10 convince the
man who knows anything of feminine
wiles that her choice of steeds has been
dictated by a desire 10 escape observa-
ton
The last picture Of the series shows
the sprightly Marie frolicking with
tiny terrier on a lawn. That picture
her counsel evidently felt sure, justified
the claim for an injunction against the
contumacious and audacioUs publish
ers For, as he announced with solemn
gravity, the gifted lady does not
not be persuaded that to credit dog
less" authoress with the possession of a
dog was calculated either TO expose her
10 contempt or ridicdle. or even preju-
dice the reading public against the
products of her pen. So the mythical
dog availed her nothing.
UNKINDEsT CUT OF ALL.
Her counsel had another grievance
against the picture postcards 1t was
that they constituted a gross libel" on
Marie Corellfs features. In proof
whereof he submitted 10 the Judge one
of her photographs. which are SO jeal-
ously guarded from the public and
which illustrated journals are forbid
den 10 reproduce, under divers severe
pains and penalties
II was then that the Judge, perhaps
unwittingly, dealt Marie the unkindest
cut of all After comparing the photo
grraph with the pictare postcards. he
stated that he very much doubted
whether the contention. that the lat
ter libeled her face could be sustained
The Judge did not say it. but the in
ference was plain 20 everybody in court
that the determination of that question
must be>depend on whether fattery can
be construed as constituting libel In
the picture postcards the artist has
s+rfven to represent Marie Corelh as a
pretty woman. and pretty she certainly
g not. Which. by The way. may pos
gfbly account for her strong objections
a. the publication OF her photographs.
The question OF libel. If Marie cares
,a press the matter, will, as the Judge