The National tribune., 1908-01-30

women, they are always in demand for
the most desirable social functions, and
are surrounded by little court of ad-
miring listeners wherever they appear.
IT'S an extremely rare art possessed
only by those especially favored by the
gods, for a really perfect story teller is
born, not made. OF course. wide eX-
perience, cultivation and much practice
help to make the story teller finished
raconteur, but he or she must have the
natural gifts of good memory, a dis
eliminating taste and judgment and.
above all, a generous endowment of
that something we call temperament
before venturing into this exceedingly
dangerous domain. Among our writers
this gift in most pronounced degree.
Kate Douglas Wiggin, the successful
autheress, tells a story delightfully."-
Possessed Of that rare quality charm,
which Harry ThurSton Peck tells us
"Witches alike the senses and the SOUL,
she has also very keen appreciation
of the Ridiculous, and her brilliant.
witty conversation and story telling is
one of the greatest of her many nat
ural endowments. Ruth McEnery Stuart
tells darky story inimitably. as might
be suspected and she wisely confines
herself to stories of this character
knowing that she occupies a unique po-
sition in the telling of them. Sir Gil
bert Parker is another conspicuously
good story teller. James Macarthur
tells us in the Book News Monthly that
he heard him tell story in London
once which had far more thrill to it
than the published version, which APP
peared later. Mr.. Macarthur gives a
short sketch of Gilbert Parker's career.
which has been SO full of honor and
distinction. He was born in Ontario in
1S62-a momentous year in our his
1ory-and when he was "a years old
and preparing to take holy orders in
the Church of England. illness COM
PEELED him to relinquish his aspirations
and to start out on a wearisome search
for health He went to Australia and
remained there several years. beginning
his literary life in Sydney as associate
editor of the Morning Herald. Strange
as it may seem, Australia furnished him
with no plots for his novels. but ii was
the romantic and untitled field of the
French-Canadian character of his own
habitat which first called forth his pow
ers as writer of books. Altho his early
novels are full OF spirit and interest he
did not receive recognition as one of
the Chosen until the publication of
'"The Seats of the Mighty which
stamped him as very powerful writer
and became at once one of the best
sellers" Since then he has departed
from his original field and broken fresh
ground, his work meeting with even
greater success. His latest story, The
Weavers," has the curious combination
of an Oriental background with a
Quaker hero, and is generally consid-
cred the best work Mr.. Parker has yet
done, and by all odds the strongest and
most finished novel published last year.
As is well known. MIR. Parker went to
England to reside number of years
ago. married a rich Englishwoman, be-
came prominent in politics and was
made a member of Parliament. In 1902
King Edward knighted him. and he is
to-day one of the most distinguished
and influential members of that ex-
ceedingly distinguished class of society
which is found in the great city of Lon
don. and probably nowhere else in the
world
Those who imagine that Nicholas IL s
troubles are confined to matters of state
must relinquish that little fallacy and
readjust their opinion. His Duma and
his subjects may disturb him, but they
are nothing to what he endures at the
hands of his servants. The poor Car,
with his thrones, his crowns and his
palaces, never sits down to a decently-
cooked meal. The food put before him
is something awful, and gives the poor
Car frightful indigestion. Those who
are hidden to his royal table TO break
bread with him take good care to for
1ify themselves beforehand. for, as
Prince S. X. G. (whoever he may beD,
writing in the REVUE, tells US, 1T is we'll
known that the cookery at the table
of the Russian Car has an execrable
reputation" Prince S. r. G. seems Ia
be an intimate OF Nicholas, and he goes
on to tell US that on one occasion, when
the AuJocrat of all the Russias, for this
was in 1900, was travelling somewhere
in his special train, he was attacked with
typhoid fever. and a lady who visited
the kitchen o. the imperial special de-
clared she had never in her life seen
anything so dirty, and she didn't see
how the Gar had escaped being poison
ed She thought he did well to get off
with typhoid fever. The Prince tells
us that not only is the royal household
made i'll by the frightful cooking, but
the Car IS shamelessly robbed by the
head cook, who usually retires after q
short term of service with his millions
Wine that is ordered for some special
banquet is replaced by that of an in
ferior brand, the jewelry, pictures and
ornaments OF the palace disappear, and
all is discomfort and dishonesty for the
poor, helpless imperial family.
Mary Mannering. the English actress
voices the opinion Of the majority o
her sex when she declares that ever,
woman is influenced by her gowns. NJ
daughter of Eye has failed TO feel tn,
stimulation of becoming toilet, which
often speaks in far more convincin.
tones than conscience in making plail
some matter of duty. Becoming dres
stiffens up the backbone wonderfully
giving a support on trying occasion
which nothing else possibly could. 1t
effect on some women Is almost mag
zeal. changing them both physically an'
mentally. 4 quiet little self-depreciat
ing woman, of little or no personal at
Effectiveness. conscious that her gowi
is not only beautiful in itself, but tina
Il is particularly adapted To bring on
her good points, blossoms into a charm
ing, brilliant woman. On the othe
hand, naturally attractive and enter
tanning woman in dowdy clothes is dul
and plain. The consciousness of beinl
well and suitably gowned gives a Ger
tain repoSe of manner 10 most women
and an amiable point Of view. while
sensitive, ambitious woman. forced b
circumstances TO wear what she ca
get and not what she wants, is apt 1
be more colored by this fact than b
any other deprivation, and to look GU
upon life thru cynical. unhappy, un
generous eyes. OF course, there are wo
men who soar above this matter an
who are charming, no matter how un
suitably or unbecomingly attired the
may be, but such women are rare. y
one thinks of their clothes when the
begin to talk.