New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-12-03


larry American visitors. Old houses, In
short, have a far larger commercial value
than their owners always remember, ana
il is only when they have been destroyed
and tourists who have come to see them
VOW in their disappointment that they will
never visit the spot again. that this is
realized. An American gentleman came TO
ME the other day in quite bad temper,
saying that he had diverged from his di-
rect route from London to Liverpool to see
ancient Dorchester. only to discover that
he knew hundred towns in the United
States more ancient-looking than this. Old
All Saints was, ] believe, demolished be-
cause its buttresses projected too far into
the street. What a reason for destroying
record Of five hundred years in stonei 1
hammered man never scuttled a sacred edi-
fee Millions weli-known observation in
his "Areopa gitica' Almost as well kill
man as kill a good book''-applies not
little to good old building. which is not
only book but unique manuscript that
has fellow. But corporations as such
cannot help these removals: they can Only
be prevented by the education of their
owners or temporary trustees, or, in the
ship.
A sprightly book on life in Afghanistan
has just been brought, out by Ernest
Thornton, an Englishman, who spent
many years there as superintendent Of
leather factory. He tells story about
certain engines which he required. and
which were delayed in delivery. Find
ing the Amir in a good humor, he Sc
cured the promise of a loan of a port
able engine from the palace generating
station. Elephants were needed to drag
the engine to the factory. so Mr.. Thorn
ton applied to the head of the Annir's
elephant stables. only to find that red
tape was as exasperating in KabUl as in
mere civilized regions.
The head man said: I shall be pleased
to let them come when my superior officer,
the colonel. has consented, and in due
course he wrote to his colonel. The colonel
replied: BY my eyes. they shall come If
my general will permit them to-; and in
due course he wrote to his general The
general when the letter reached him, said:
Il am quite willing for two elephants to do
this work, but l must first get an order
from the Sirdar Nasrarullah. Eventually
made its way down the official ladder until
it reached me. Then. and not till then, [
r ItsatiiT it thoughtfuIv. said: Here is a
signed order for the two elephants: but it
does not mention their chains 1 shall re-
quire another order for them
The angry EngIishnan summoned
number Of men who straightway hauled
the engine to the factory. 1t was no
sooner installed than the elephant keeper,
terrified lest his conduct should be re-
ported TO the Amir, suddenly appeared
with two of his biggest animals. chains
and all. There should be an end Of
Haroun- al Raschid flavor to this story.
The three volumes of Professor Saints
bury's History of English Prosody"
have been abridged into one volume,
TIL ,cI,@ 70 a 1irC tIsaf,II
manual.
The Society for the Promotion OF Ro--
man Studies has acquired legal habita-
ton and is preparing the first issue Of
the Roman Journal. This periodical
viii appear early in the coming year
The late Mrs. Paget Toynbee left
nearly completed the edition Of Madame
du Defand's letters to Horace Walpole,
upon which she had been engaged for
several years. DR.. Toynbee is now pre-
pairing the collection for publication 1t
includes about FIVE hundred unpublished
letters from the pen of the French lady,
and eleven lately discovered letters
which were addressed to her 10y Wal
pole.
Eden Philpotts, novelist, has been
dropping into poetry. He INTRODUCES his
slender volume by this little lyric, which
Is not at all bad:
WILD FRUIT.
Mines but syrinX rough,
Won from a reed-bed by unknown
river
Would that II were enough
To make one heart throb or one eyelid
CULVER:
But here's no song of might.
No thunder from the height.
Mines but a frail OF rushes
Filled with wild berries from lonely
path,
Gathered off humble bushes.
From no sweet. sunshine-haunted. golden
garth
They come. No treasure these
OF far HeSperides-
And yet full many a thorn
Hid in the tangled boughs whence they
have been stabbed and torn;
Even for these uncultured fruits fought
Taste, ere with coming night
They are forgotten quite