Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1908-03-03
A CHAT WITH OUIDA,
What the Novelist Told a Physi-
clan About Her Novels.
THOUGHT "PUcK" CLEvEREST.
~Under Two Flags" She Deemed SEN
sational-said She Never Cared For
AppIause-ToId Doctor Who Visited
Her She Declined to Be Poisoned.

ApplauSe-Told Doctor VINO visited
Her She Declined to Be Poisoned.
The following is an account of an
English physicians last talk with
! Ouida (AIlle. Louise de la Ramee), the
British novelist, who died recently at
Vlareggio, In Italy, says special ca
BILE dispatch to the New York Herald:
A sordid two story house in one Of
the least interesting streets of perhaps
the healthiest but certainly the ugliest
town on the shores of the Mediter-
ranean. The door was opened by a
slatternly female, and after a brief
delay | was ushered into a squalid
room on the ground floor and found
myself in the presence of Ouida and
four unkempt, unwhOlesome looking
dogs.
The great authoress was seated on
low couch between a fairly respectable
fire and the door, which. of course, the
servant had opened, but had forgotten
to close A shrewd little face peeped
up at me from among the blankets in
which she was wrapped, while thin
forefinger motloned me imperlously to
a chair.
After lodging the unmannerly atten-
lions of the canine attendants l sue
ceeded In closing the door and settled
down to business. Ouida absolutely
declined either to go to bed or take
any prescriptions. asseverating with
emphasis that she had no great opin-
ion of the profession and declined to
be poisoned.
She was. however, gracious enough
to add that 1t was a pleasure to listen
once more to an English voice and beg
ged me to stop and have a chat. Our
conversation was as follows, and am
glad am In a position to publish it
without laying myself open to the bug
bear of our vocation, the charge of
breach of professional etiquette:
DIR. M.-Please do not think it i'm
pertinent of me to suggest that the
thought of all the pleasure which your
books have given to so many thousands
of readers nSlst be exceedingly com
forting to you in your present III
health.
Ouida-I neither appreciate now mol
indeed have ever appreciated the APP
plause of the public. My sole motive
for writing always has been the pleas
ure of seeing myself in print
DIR. M.-Indeed! Now, wonder
whether you agree with me in placing
"Under Two Flags" as the first and
'"rricotrin" as the second among your
novels?
Oulda-I am not going to say any
thing against ''Tricotrin," but Under
Two Flags" is almost undiluted sensa-
tionallsm. think PUCK is by far
the cleverest of my novels.
DIR. M had forgotten "Puck" for
the moment. May ask you why one
can detect no traces either of your ear
lier style or method in 1.-THE Messe-
rines?"
Oulda-I do not agree with you.
consider that 1.-THE Masserines' bears
the strongest family resemblance to
Moths
DIR. N.-Do you never intend to let
US have another book, utilizing the
service of an amanuensis2
Ouida-Don't talk of such a thingl
Since lost the sight of my right eye
through an accident last year have
given up all thought of literary work,
and the idea of employing an amanuen-
sis (Here the lady became almost In
articulate with wrath)
DIR. Nj believe you sold the copy
right of your books outright?
Ouida-Yes, like a fool, and l have
put thousands into other peoples pock-
cts.
DR.. M.-what about your theatrical
rights?
Ouida-At one time Under Two
Flags" was being played simultane-
ously In three London theaters, and l
did not get penny out of 1t.
The rest Of the conversation was, to
my mind. rather pathetic.
ouida-I feel poignant regret not so
much for the loss of my health as for
my dimmed vision, faded complexion
and scanty hair, with memories of the
days when horses and carriages were
at my disposal, when receptions were
daily occurrences and when servants
were not dirty beasts" (sic).
was finally dismissed with a pun
gent criticism of this her adopted
country, which she begged me not to
repeat. and received a hearty invita-
ton to call again unprofessionally a
week later.
Now she lies dead. with q little white
dog curled beneath her ON the pillows,