The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1911-01-12

81 met Mile. Fullerton" he told Win
throp, some years ago In Paris. when
her father. Professor Fullerton. was
lecturing there. She was a very sweet
girl. and every year | have taken the
liberty Of sending her n token Of my
respect"
Ii may have been the champagne. 1t
may have been the ground on which
they met-talks about Dora-but when
the captains dinner was nearing Its
close Winthrop, who was known IN
college as the great introducer," stood
on his feet and declared he thought
that it was about time they had some
remarks from NJ. Vavin. the great In
tellectual light of France"
There was a ripple Of laughter. some
half hearted applause, but the Idea
had gained momentum. and finally
Vavin was obliged to stand and bow
his Acknowledgements.
Speech" insisted Winthrop, q cry
that was laughingly taken up by the
rest Of the diners.
dblCS CT hiCSSiCuios ~ ~
great honor hat you do me-" began
NJ. Vavin IN French. and then. fixing
his beetle eye on Winthrop, he con-
tinued in English. Il should hesitate
to respond to this fattering idea OF
having me talk my way into this won
derful country Of America II l did not
understand that perhaps 1t is the ma
tional custom" And along this line
he spoke for several minutes pleasant
ly and satirically. paying his attention
to the rest Of the guests and issuing
them the compliments that only a
Frenchman Of his ability can issue.
But. seriously. there Is nothing In
my life that ! reSret more than to say
that at the age of i%fty-nine | am COM
ing to America for the first time.
America Is the great country Of the
woman The entire geological process
Of the universe has meant America.
because the time was bound to come
when the women would control. mon
sieur- would control the nation. The
amazon was a futile effort, a sporadic
outbreak. Generalship on the part OF
the women has only paved the way
by whom, if ! may paraphrase the
words of your remarkable patriot, MIR.
Alexander Lincoln"
"Abraham" shouted Winthrop.
WAS 1t A~braham?" said NJ. VaviD
calmly. at should have been Alexan-
lnr ND,, nilI tnr1n, Tno 40 tha N or
ents made a mistake of that kind.
| am quite serious in what | say. and
| say II with all respect, ] say 1t
with the most sincere emotiOn-the
finest IONA that ever knew" and
into the eyes Of the speaker there
came just the suggestion of a tear,
was an American The finest
hat IS living'-his voice grew
strong and ~vigorous-"is an American
woman" Then. realizing with the
Frenchman's keen intuition that this
change in tOue and sentiment had
rather startled his audience, he drop
ped his voice and added. And 1t Is
with great satisfaction for my nation,
if not for myself. that | say that both
of these women had In the one in
stance "A fondness for France and in
the second a claim on France"
He was an extraordinary man, was
this Jules Vavin, coming up to Paris
at twenty with his little collection Of
poems under his arm. He had made
the rounds of the publishers and the
journals only to be regarded With
Amusement and eve with laughter.
1t was at a time when the p~arnasSians
were at their height, with the sym
bolists crowding them closely and with
here and there such rampant indi
vidual notes rs Jean Richepin's "Je
Blaspheme" adding literary chaos and
color to the situation, One publisher,
more kindly. more patient and with
more leisure than the rest, at last
promised. after he had glanced over
the first poem of the series, to look
them all over. Every one else had
handed him back his manuscript after
CHANGING at the first word and skim.
ming over the titles.
Poor Jules came back to the pub
VI - lll NhC S'Nobb p't hlH Nv at
full. his stomach empty. for the cheap
est of Paris living had eaten up his
funds, and there was only his mother
who took financial interest in his wei
fare. but her income also was meaGer
To have an interview with the head OF
the great firm that was Hachette's
principal rival was in itself a step for
ward. be argued. And If his book
should be published
The reception was most encouraging
"Sit down. my boy" said the old gen
tleman as Jules was uShered into hi
office. an office that had known th'
presence of nearly every great literary
man of France for years. Here HUG
had come with his first work. Lamar
tine and Balzac had conferred will
this old man, and dramatists galor'
from Angler to Dumas fills had taSeI
his counsel. II was to young Vavil
smother academy. dedicated to litera
ture, having an atmosphere Of its owl
being, in fact, a universe, differen
from that which made its presenc'