The San Francisco call., 1910-04-03
Gossip of Books and Writers

Mrs Mabel Barnes-Grundy, author of
"GwenJa," is an English novelist whose
achievement is remarkable in view of
the fact that she has been for years an
invalid Her tenacity and pluck recall
the courage displayed by the American
novelist. Miss Mary Johnston. whose
work has been done under similar dis
coura ging circumstances.
r. F. Foster, the noted bridge expert
who has written an ingenious detective
story, Cab No. A." tells an anecdote
which will illustrate the difficulty of
describing a pretty face. Sitting in a
London theater one evening with some
literary friends from the Savage club,
he asked each of them as a diversion
between the acts to write down the
charming woman in a box whom all
happened to know. Five of these de-
scriptions, two of which were by well
known writers. were afterward sub
mitted to the ladys sister, who was
asked what sort of a person they sug-
gested to her mind. She guessed at
several women prominent socially or
on the stage, but finally decided that
they were all attempts to describe
certain picture at the Royal academy.
When told that her sister was the
model she laughed and said Really"
Nine. Modjeska's memoirs in the
April Century give the reader intimate
and delightful acquaintance with Ten
nyson and his family; "the irresistible
Ellen Terry, Millais, Alma -Tadema.
Robert Browning. the De Reszkes,
Forbes Robertson and many other no
table people. OF her London successes
the great actress writes modestly.
chatting mostly about the congenial
people who welcomed her to London
and of her own happy home life there.
Since the new so word night tele-
grams have come in, is it possible that
authors will begin writing their novels
by telegraph, Messrs. Henry Holt &
Co. received a wire from the anony-
nous author of skid Puffer" saying
that an omission made one of the
pages nonsense After another inter-
change of kilograms he teiegraphed
the omitted matter-nearly two pages
of it-and pretty eloquent matter, too
The book will appear at the end or the
month.
How many people know that Sir John
Tenniel is still alive? He was 80 years
old the last day of February. HIS
health is good, he can receive frlends
occasionally and smoke cigar with
tl6n, out ne Is HOW QuAbC DtihN- AANNAS
Silver writes that he and Tennlel are
sole survivors of the Punch staff Of
1850. Tenniels first cartoon appeared
in 1851. Till 1864, when John Leach
died, he shared with Leach the honor OF
doing the big cut" every week; after
ward, until January, 1901. save for one
period of IA weeks, Sir John was re-
sponsible for every cartoon. That must
be a worlds record. We are told that
Sir. John at the weekly Punch dinners
seldom suggested a subject; and. as he
was fopgetful. details of the approved
subject for the following week were
copied. put in an envelope and placed
in his pocket. Like Du Maurier, he
lost the sight of one eye in early life.
Another indication Of the literary
reawakening of the south is the an
nouncement of the forthcoming publi-
cation of the poems of James Ryder
Randall. the author of "MaryIandi MY
Maryland" A few years ago a col
lection of some of his poems was pub
lished in Baltimore These have all
been compared with the original
sources and numerous errors corrected
A large number of unpublished poems
will be included in the volume, which
will also contain valuable biographi-