The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1910-05-08
Gossip of Books and Writers

Gossip of Books and Writers
f. Berkeley Smith has lived most OF
his life in France. His wife is a
French woman. He has recently writ
ten "A Village Of vagabonds." in which
he describes a little village on the
Norman coast.
Katherine lyman began writing at
the age OF II and published her first
volume. book OF verse, in 1885. Miss
lyman is generally ranked as an ex-
ponent Of the novel OF the old fashioned
romantic school.
SewelI Ford has gone back TO his
first literary love for material for his
new "Just Horses" announced by
Mitchell Kennerly. This Is Mr.. Ford's
seventh book and Is a companion to his
first volume, Horses Nine" published
in 1903.
DR.. Percival Lowell has returned to
Boston from little trip to the west.
He reports that he found the scientific
men Of Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri and
Iowa most interested in the new ca
nails on Mars recently discovered in a
region that hitherto did not have them.
Prof Martin Schuetze OF the Chicago
university. author OF the poetic drama.
Hero and Leander," has been invited
to the University OF Muenster to de-
liver two courses OF lectures in next
summers semester on The Naturalis-
tic Movement In Literature and Mod
ern American Literature"
Florence Morse Kingsley lives and
works for the greater part OF the year
in an old fashioned house on Staten
island. The house is in a way some
thing OF landmark, and when bought
by the KingsleyS 15 years ago was
known as the ''old Jewett mansion" A
previous tenant was Buffalo Bill. The
house figures in many Of Mrs. Kings
ley's stories.
Miss May Sinclair, author OF "The
Creators" now running in the Century.
resents the statement that the book
reintroduces characters from The Dr.
vine Fire" AS a matter OF fact Miss
Sinclair has spent many months in
creating brand new personages for
The Creators" which IN it's final book
form will be even longer than The
Divine Fire" which was OF generous
proportions.
THE Involuntary Chaperon,' which
has been making it's way as a novel OF
romantic interest, also presents our
sister America in the light of rich
attractive world little known to North
Americans. The author, Margaret Cam
eron, does not neglect the opportunity
to tell a good deal about South Amer
lea, its people and it's great cities as
they impress the observant young
widow who chaperons the heroine on
the heels of proposed runaway match.
Arthur Sturgeon. general manager
of the London house OF Cassell & Co.,
expects to make short visit to New
York soon. He will also stop in To-
ronto for short period before return
ing to London Mr.. Spurgeon is one
Of the founders of the Publishers cir
Gle Of London. During the last year
at the request OF the German govern
ment he was appointed one of the dele
gates to visit Berlin for the purpose OF
bringing about a better understanding
between Germany and England, and
later, at the request OF the lord lieu
tenant, he was made y. p" for the
county OF Surrey.
Meredith Nicholson. in paying tribute
to his friend, General Lew Wallace. at
the recent unwilling OF the 1atter's
statue in Washington, said that the
idea Of 'Ben-Hur" came to the author
after chance conversation in a rail-
way carriage with Colonel IngersOll
Nicholson also described General Wal
lace's method Of writing; He could
write on his knee in railway train or
in an office beset by callers and never
be disturbed. I had many op-
portunities for observing him in various
circumstances, and I never saw any
lapse from that grave, beautiful cour-
tesy which marked him.
Prof. Ernest Fenolosa, who during
his life was four times decorated by
the emperor of Japan, has recently
been given posthumous honors and an
added order OF merit, the insignia OF
which, accompanied by the imperial
gift of a splendid bronze incense
burner. have recently been received by
his widow. Mrs. Mary McNeiH Feno-
lOsa of Mobile, Ala. 1t is understood
that Mrs. Fenolosa is soon TO sail for
Japan. not only to return thanks for the
many honors that have been conferred
upon her distinguished husband, but to
ask the assistance Of Japanese schOl-
in the task of editing the most i'm
portant work left by Professor FenO-
, losa. voluminous manuscript entitled
"Epochs Of China and Japanese Art"
: 1t sometimes seems that no writer
unless 1T be II. G. We1Is-can go in
n fancy so far ahead of facts as to fore
stall the possibility of being overtaken
Z by them during his lifetime. Surely
S when Mark Twain set Tom Sawyer and
i Huck Finn and the indispensable Jim
y adrift in an airship over the great
c desert, and made them look down on
: Arab wedding professions and firt with
{ the great pyramid. he meant to be just
q as wildly fantastic as he possibly could.
and all his readers rejoiced in the re-
e suit. But now that the Imperial aero
e Sahara in an aeroplane, 1t looks as IL
a even Tom Sawyer Abroad" might be
overtaken. There is no reason why the
e aerial explorers may not see all that
y Tom, Huck and Jim saw from their ap-
: parently impossible point of view: and