Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-16
GOSSIP FROM LONDON
Publishers Opposed to Bringing
Out Cheap Novels.
CUT IN PRICE UNPOPULAR
Austrian Courts Mourning Blow to
Tradespeople.
BIG BILLS FOR COURT BALL
Music Hall Strike Brings Out Facts
About Performers Salaries Of In
terest to Tax Collectors.
BIG BILLS FOR COURT BALL

| clination among publishers to follow the
| lead given by Messrs. Chatto & Windus
| in bringing out novels at half a crown go
cents), though noticed that Messrs. Chap
| man & Hall are advertising half crown
| edition of a novel which has already OBJ
| tained some success at six shillings. In
conversation with leading members Of the
trade have found them without exception
opposed to the new departure. and con-
WINGED that II Is foredoomed to failure.
This Is by no means the first attempt at
| producing half-crown novels. they point
out. but every publisher who has done so
| hitherto has burnt his fingers. For some
reason or other the public look askance at
all prices between slxpence and six shillings
In fact, even the six pence reprints, which
have been so much in evidence of late, are
said to have had their day, and to produce
| a loss In more cases than profit. It Is
| true that the 3s. Cd. (S5 cents) novel con-
| t1nues to make a struggle for existence
but it Is practically out on sufferance And
| as to the bringing out of a 6s novel at
half crown, publishers are practically
unanimous in denying its possibility.
Will Edit "The Speaker"
Mr.. W. H. Massingham, formerly editor
| of the Daily Chronicle, who has long been
| the writer of the parliamentary sketches In
| the Daily News, is leaving the journal in
| order to take up the editorship of the
| Speaker. the well-known liberia! weekly.
| Mr.. Massingham's vivid and brilliantly
written Pictures in Parliament" were one
| of the features Of the Daily News and
| they will be much missed by the readers Of
| that journal. The Speaker is to be reor-
ganiZed but the task before Mr. MassinR-
ham is difficult one.
The financial future Of that journal has
been amply secured by Mr.. Joseph Rown-
| tree, the chocolate manufacturer, and this,
OF course. is one great step toward success.
doubt whether 1t is possible to secure a
| six penny journal devoted to politics and
| literature a great circulation. OF the ex-
| listing journels of that type the best is the
Spectator, but I question whether it's in
fuence or circulation is greatly extending.
Other journals Of this class find 1t hard to
live, but possibly under the new conditions
| the Speaker may be converted into q great
political power. If it should, 1t would be
a great tribute to Mr.. Massingham's ability
1 fear, however, that the public is not dis
posed to buy largely six penny journals
which contains neither sports nor pictures.
May Rebuild Paul's Cross.
1t appears to be quite certain that we shall
see Paurs Cross erected again. The ques-
ton was raised in the chancery division
yesterday whether a bequest by the late
Mr.. H. c. Richards Of $4,000 for rebuilding
the cross was or was not charitable be-
quest. There was no opposition on the
part Of the residuary legatees, and Mr.. JUS
tice Parker decreed that on the dean and
chapter accepting the bequest and under
taking to rebuild the cross he would order
the money paid out to them. Archdeacon
Sinclair told me yesterday that the dean
and chapter are most willing to rebuild.
Paurs Cross was really pulpit, octasonal
in shape, and rather ugly. It had stone
steps, a pulpit of oak and a roof covered
with lead. 1t stood on the north side Of the
cathedral in the space Enclosed by the north
transept and the north side Of the nave,
and an octagonal stone now marks the spot.
Wren's structure occupies more ground to
north than did old St. Paurs. Consequently
the cross. when rebuilt, will stand closer
to the cathedral than it did in old days.
Moreover, 1t is not likely that sermons will
ever be preached from 1t again. There Is
too much noise Of traffic In modern London
understand that designs have already been
far accepted.
At the Austrian Court.
The fact that the Austrian emperor or
/dered three weeks mourning for the late
Queen Of Hanover, and that, he went in
person to Gunden for the funeral, Is prob
ably as near q demonstration against Prus-
STA as such an amiable monarch as Franz
Josef would care to go. Ten days mourn
ing is the usual limit at the Vienna court,
and a three weeks period amounts to a
catastrophe for the court purveyors and
the tradespeople in the Austrian capital
The court ball was countermanded and
that itself is a severe loss to the city. The
Hofburg IL about Zoo. The Supplies t. taken s
Gargantuan proportions. The venison alone
consists of the thirty-fve roe deer which
form the principal item on the cold buffet
In addition, there are fish Ctrout, salmon
and turboO, game Of all kinds. roast beef,
picked tongue and pate de fois gras.
These buffets are for the guests under
royal rank. The archdules and arch
duchesses and the members Of the diplo
matte corps and danes de palais have
special buffet in the tea room. The supper
is served at little round tables, each of
younger members Of the company, the
prinzessnen and the comtessen, drink lem
onade The male portion Of the company
drink white and red wine and champagne.
titles, as the number Of bottles sent up
from the royal cellars never exceeds 500
no matter how great the number Of guests.
Unlike Emperor William, the Austrian
payne. OF late years his colleague In Ber-
lin serves that terrible liquid known as
German sect. This Is Rhine wine put
terrible and insidious liquor. as even a
moderate quantity spells headache OF the
worst kind the following day. In addi-
ton to champagne. however, port. sherry.
Madeira and Hungarian tokay are also
served. The tokaye Is not, Of course, the
famous Imperial Tokaier'' that II worth
its weight In gold and IL only served at
state banquets In honor Of foreign eover-
eigns. But the tokay Of everyday life as
served at the Hofburg Is good enough for
ordinary mortals, and would re5uvenate
a Saint Anthony. 1t has all the fire and
body of the great Hungarian national wine.
Music Hall Strike.
The music hall strike, which is still on,
will bring a little grint to the mill OF the
chancellor Of the exchequer. The publica-
ton Of the salaries received by some OF the
most popular performers Immediately at