The San Francisco call., 1910-04-10
Gossip of Books and Writers

Margaret Cameron. in her novel. The
Involuntary Chaperon.' a new edition
of which the Harpers have just printed,
has this canny word to say OF the men,
bers OF her sex:
Some ladies have yet 10 learn that
the Anglo-Saxon does not inevitably
admire what he stares at"
Miss Jane Brewster Reid is an un-
known author whose first book 'The
Owls of ST. Wisula's," is being pub
lished this week. Miss Reid is a water
colorist. whose work is known to many
artists. Her home is in Rochester, n. Y.
Concerning Jude the Obscure"
Thomas Hardy's novel. not all people
will recall that il was once called
Hearts Insurgent," and that il was
first published 16 years ago as a serial
in Harper's Magazine under that title.
Still less il is generally remembered
that the first installment was printed
under title different from both of
these-"The Simpletons." This last,
bearing some confusing resemblance.
perhaps, TO Charles Reade's The Sim
pleton," was changed to Hearts In
surgent' almost at once. The final
change to Jude the Obscure" made by
Mr.. Hardy was productive of a title
more in keeping with the quality of his
others, which. like Meredith's, are prop
well as tmpressiveness OF phrase.
Crittenden Marriott, author of the
forthcoming Harper volume How
Americans Are Governed" has been
Identified with about as many activi-
ties In the 30 years of his life as a
man could well be. At is he was ap-
pointed by President Arthur to a cadet
ship at Annapolis from which he was
Obliged, on account of disability OF
sight, to resign. After that he was
successfully student OF architecture in
Cahiornia, gold hunter in the noun
tains or Mexico, mining engineer in
South Africa, reporter for the home
press. special war correspondent in the
Spanish war, attached to the district
government service in Washington and
10 the geological survey, in which lat
ter capacity he has been acting for five
years. Baltimorean by birth. Mar
rlott spent his early bOyhOod in Dakota.
before going TO Annapolis he was edu-
Gated IN Kentucky and Virginia
A journalist well known to the craft.
ooth In London and Paris-Henry
Murray-has written an extraordinar-
lily candid autobiography which will
soon be published under the title OF a
StepSon or Fortune" The title conveys
somewhat the impression that this Is a
story Of vicissitudes and OF some mis-
fortune, but 1t is pleasant to note that.
Ike good novels. the autobiography has
happy ending.
Booth Harrington, who only a few
days ago came back to New York from
indiana, did so on account OF another
new play which he and Harry Leon Will
son are writing. Since the stage sue
cess of The Man from Home which
was supplemented by literary success
when the Harpers made a book Of il
these two writer's have been prolihcaIly
occupied at play writing to the excIu-
sion of almost all else Il hope some
day to get back 10 writing books" said
Harrington recently and added that the
writer can take but a small part in the
making of play. while with book he
can be himself and say what he
pleases."
This notably successful author re-
lates how he wrote for five years before
he had a single manuscript accepted.
During those five years his earnings
were just S67, of which the ma
jor portion came from a relative "for
services rendered. 500 for the sale OF a
drawing. part represented two prize es-
says. "and the rest" concludes Tarkinc-
ton with pride. was earned by shovel
ing snow for the neiShbors.'