The National tribune., 1909-09-16
PEOPLE.

Clyde Fitch, one of the comparatively
few playwrights in this, or any other
country who became rich thru his
plays, has just died at the early ase OF
"A. Clyde Fitch always had the drama
tic instinct. During his college days at
Amherst he was the moving spirit in
the college theatricals, making quite q
name for himself by his unusual ability
as a stage manager and his quite re-
markable feminine representations, for
he always took the part of woman.
He was graceful young fellow, atd
tales are still told by his college mates
of how, in blond wig and the briofcst
of gauze skirts, he would pirorette over
the stage with the easy grace OF
Fanny Elsler or any of the best of
them. In fact, he seems to be Letter
remembered by his early associates for
his talents in this direction than for
any special mental ability, Yet he must
have possessed this, FOR his plays are
bright and clever, if not masterpieces
of dramatic literature. He began writ
ing them not long after leaving college,
and from the first they We're most sue
ceseful. Fitch understood his business
thoroly, all its little tricks and make
shifts. He understood his public, also,
and gave them what they wanted. His
plays were always clever, full of good
points land dramatic situations sand
many of them left upon the mind OF the
spectator the impression that the writ
er could do something really worth
while if he had cared to-. His Beau
BrummeI' certainly gave that impress
sion. He wrote many plays and he
grew very rich. With always a good
deal of the feminine in his nature, the
place that he called home could easily
have been the abode of i luxurious
woman, with perfect and refined il a
little unusual tastes. From all over
f.t1 Il
rare things, which he arranged with
his own hands and according to his
own ideas. He remained a bachelor
tC the end.
Do not go abroad unless you are pre-
pared to have your pocketbook con-
stantly open Tipping is bad enough
in this country, conscience knows, but
it is nothing to what it is on the other
side. Over there you tip everybody in
sight, the little boy who springs to open
the carriage door for you, who hands
you anything, or, in fact, performs the
most trifiing service for you. There is
always an army. of these boys and men
standing around, ready to breathe for
you, If possible, and get a few centimes
for il. 1t gets on your nerves, of course,
but you are foolish to let it, for, after
all, It is the custom of the country, and
ii you do not like it you can stay at
give is very small, and all of these tips
taken together and added to the regu-
lar expenses of foreign travelling do not
bring them up TO what they would be
at home for the same length of time.
Ali servants abroad are poorly paid
and depend very largely upon their
tips. 1t is the way things have been
run over there for ages, and Americans
cannot change the custom. In some
of the hotels the head waiter takes all
the fees (no matter who waits on you
this parsonage brings your bii1). and
divides them among the other walters;
that is, you are told he does this, and
you hope he does. In some of the
pensions you are charged so much a
week for attendance; nevertheless, you
are expected to tip the servants, all the
same. OF course, most Americans give
far too large tips. Accustomed to hand
ing out quarter for quite a small ser
vice in this country, they would not
think of giving foreigner 50-centime
piece Go cents), which is a very good
fee abroad. The only way to do is to
have plenty of small change handy-10,
25 and 50-centime pieces-and thus
save yourself from the position of being
compelled to give a larger tip than is
either necessary or expected.
What a pity il is that this matter of
growing old cannot be better arranged,
somehow IneEe no more
or inspiring sight in the world than
that of venerable man or woman, in
full possession of his or her faculties,
with keen interest in everything. mel
lowed and enriched by life's varied ex-
periences. And, on the other hand,
what is so sad or depressing as the
sight of an old man or woman, with
body and mind already half dead, a
burden to everyone, no comfort to
themselves or anyone else? Just what
the secret is that makes this difference
in old people no one has ever discov-
cred, tho there are theories enough TO
account for it advanced by the doctors
and scientists. Some lay great stress
on keeping the mind active. others in
plenty of exercise, others, yet, on the
diet; but all of us have known old peo-
pie who did none of these things par
ucularly, and yet who were wonders
at very advanced age. Mr.. d. o.
Mills seems TO be one of the lucky kind
he has been visiting his daughter, Mrs
Whitelaw Reid, and her distinguished
husband at their Summer camp at Sara
mac Lake, and the other day Mrs. Reid
gave dinner party for her father in
honor of his Saith birthday This ven
cradle gentleman was in the best of
spirits on this happy occasion, and en-
tered with great Zest into the reminis-
cent conversation engaged in by his
friends, j. Pierpont Morgan, Represent
tative Gillett, of Massachusetts, Mrs,
VIM. Rockefeller and others i
To force bachelors TO marry, and to
induce women to keep the cradle al
ways full, seem to be in the front rank
OF the endless schemes which fill the
brain OF man. The Mayor of Ports
mouth proposes to present every child
born IN the city with medal, properly
inscribed and decorated; that is If he
can get the. medals made. But that is
medal wouldn't feed or clothe the baby
after II came. No. If the. Mayor of
Portsmouth could offer prize of 81 900
or so Tor every baby born the census
of Portsmouth would show a rapid in
crease. But medal, De IL ever so
pretty, wouldn't bring a single baby
And, speaking of candy, the pastor
OF a church in Pennsylvania has lately
resorted to a novel way of filling uD
the classes in his Sunday School which
had fallen off sadly. Every young wo-
man who could induce two young men
10 accompany her to Sunday School on
q certain Sabbath and enter class
was TO receive two-pound box of good
candy Just how this scheme turned
out is not known, but it is safe to be-
lieve that it worked welI-for that Sun
day, anyway.
While We are beginning to have sew
eral pretty good. art galleries in this
country, yet, of Course, in comparison
to the wonderful galleries of the Old
World We have nothing, and have 10
keep very quiet. Consequently, when
any really fine pictures come TO us it is