Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1909-12-11
LITERATURE AT
DANISH COURT
American Minister the Most Pop
ular Man in Denmark
Today.
RECALLS LIFE OF LOWELL.
DR.. Esan Sets the Pace for Diplomatic
Corps-Loycd by Royal
Grandchildren.
(spccinl corrcspondeneeD

Especial Correspondence
~ OPENHAGEN. Nov. 3O.-One Of
the latest incidents in the career
of the American minister In
Copenhagen recalls the days
when James Russell Lowell was at the
court OF ST. James Like Lowell DR.,
Maurice Francis Egan is an author
Danish monthly magazine recently
conceived the idea of having an issue
devoted to Denmark a summer re-
sort to which the ministers of the
foreign powers should contribute short
articles giving their Impressions, OF the
country 1t was a bold project for
kings are not more timid about signing
their own names than are their repre-
SentativeS.
The editor approached first of all the
author OF the diplomatic corps. the
American minister. DR., Egan is a
friend OF the owner. and had already
contributed to the magazine, He ap-
proved of the idea, and readily con-
sented TO give the magazine his i'm
pressions of Denmark. This was short
iy after breakfast An hour later, Mt,
Egan received n call on the phone from
the legation of one of the smaller pow
erS.
"A Danish magazine has asked me
Il
summer resort. What would you do
II you were in my place.
II would write it, replied Or. Egan.
THANK you," and the minister rang
OFF
Before luncheon a handsome automo-
bile drove up lin front of the American
legation out of it stepped the min
lister plenipotentiaIy of one of the great
European powers. This diplomatist Is
a blue aristocrat and noted for MS
aversion to printed publicity
'.Dr. Egan. what would you do about
this magaZine?" he asked.
DO as YOU please" replied the Amer
lean minister "Of course the editors
would not be surprised II you declined
the invitation
What are you going to do?'
"I shall write" replied DR., Esan.
Are you serious?"
quite serious"
what will II. do?" the Norwegian
minister).
IT have no doubt he will write"
"And K?" Cthe Russian ministerO
"I don't suppose he Will" replied DIT
Egan, and the subject of conversation
changed.
MAGAZINE APPEARS.
The magazine is now out with BAN
ner number entitled Denmark as a
by Count Ahlefeldt-Laurvigen. the
minister of foreign affairs, 1t opened
with an article by DR.. Egan, accom-
panied by his photograph. After TINS
came euIogies of Denmark by the Bel
gian minister, Baron de Groote' the
British minister. Sir Allan Johnstone'
the French minister, Count de Beau
caire: the Norwegian minister, Profes-
sor Hagerup: the Russian minister,
Prince Koudacheff, and the German
minister. Count Won Dennersmarck.
1--WE have a distinguished diplomatic
corps in Copenhagen" a secretary IN
the foreign office remarked to me rather
drvly you see, they are all authors
Another Copenhagen magazine. The
Illustrated Weekly, has been running
as serial for several months Dan
ish translation of DR.. Egans novel,
"The Disappearance OF John Long
worthy" A recent issue of the Dan
ish Spectator contained an article by
the American minister on American
schools. Some of his sexton Ma
pinnie" stories are to appear in trans
lation during the winter. OF DR., Egan's
works In their original English one
can see in the book store windows his
Songs and Sonnets," Hamlet and
Other ESSAYS" and his last book. The
Wiles of Sexton Maginnls.
soNNETS AND BALLADS.
DR. Egan has written several SON
nets and ballads on Scandinavian
themes A sonnet by him on the ore
sund came Into the hands of the radical
newspaper. Politiken. The editors Of
fered "a dinner at the Dagmar, with
lady" for the best translation of the
sonnet by an amateur There were
fifty competitors. One of them the au-
thor. Baron Pale Rosencrants. was
disqualified on the ground that he was
a professional When the result was
announced. the journal published a
photograph of the successful palr
"catIng oysters from the Orcsund
QUEEN CoNGRATULATEs
Two Of Dr. Egan's love songs re-
Gently have been set to music by the
Icelandlc composer. Sveinbjornsson:
One night last week he gave recital
in the great concert palace ana VI.
Eean's songs were sung in the presence
of the queen. She herself from her
gallery, led hearty applause, and
afterward congratulated DR.. Egan in
person.
The American minister's literary |
sympathies bring him into touch with |
people and institutions unknown to oth- |
er diplomats. Every week the Copen-
hagen journals publish interviews with |
DIR. Egan. while other ministers figure
only In the dinner columns,
THE "COOKITE" DAYS.
DR.. Egan rises at eight, and devotes
The morning to his literary and Of
ficial affairs. He lunches at l with a
few guests. During portion of
the afternoon he usually studies the
life of the streets. either driving with
his wife and daughter, or walking
alone. through the crowded Artery"
visiting tho shops and talking with the
shopmcn. Even the small boys on the
streets can point out Den Amerikan-
slSe Gesandt." He became a still more
familiar figure to the Copenhageners,
when DR.. Cook came down from the
pole, so often were they seen driving
together, Postcards showing them to-
gether are displayed stll in the shop
windows, as souvenirs of what the
Danes call THE Cookite Days
The minister makes frequent expedi
tions into the country to study farm
ing. schools. fisheries. cooperative
dairies, towns, castles. and cathedrals.
In Copenhagen he visits schools for the
blind. paper mills. porcelain factories.
art galleries theaterS, the opera, the