Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-29
SUNDAY MAGAZINE FOR MARCH %. 1914

a looking thing was this that you nave lOSt!
She described the diamond necklace.
"Ah," said the BIOLOGIST, for several days
my baboon has had in his possession, gen.
orally worn about his neck, a similar thing
to that described"
But why did you not tell me?" his wife
exclaimed in indignation.
Why answered Saint Hilaire, II sup
posed that it belonged to him. He seemed
to be very fond and proud of it"
II ORD DE TABLEY, poet and naturalist,
II used to delight in telling the following
story of himself. He was an enthusiastic
botanist, and one day, sauntering down Pic
cadilly, met friend who told him where
specimen of rare plant had been found.
De Tabley beckoned to cabman and
that time quiet old suburb. De Tabley
ordered the driver to cross meadow and
stop by ditch. He jumped out, plunged
ankle-deep in the mud, searched for few
moments, found the tiny treasure, pocketed
it, and getting into the cab, called out,
"Home!"
But the cabman looked at him thought
fully moment, and then, with a nod of
comprehension, drove rapidly back to Pic
cadilly and into the courtyard of a private
madhouse.
Here he isl" he cried to the porter.
I've got him!"
1t was with difficulty that the porter con-
WINGED him that Lord De Tabley was not an
escaped lunatic.
OF that form of eccentricity closely re-
~ lated to egotism, whereby many of the
world S greatest artists and writers have con-
veyed to us their appreciation of their own
work, most interesting case is that of
Thackeray, ordinarily most modest man.
But there is good authority that Thackeray
never passed the house in Russell Square
wherein he lived when he wrote Vanity
Fair" without raising his hat,-a tribute
from himself to his great work.
WHEN the younger Dumas read the
w manuscript of Camille to his father,
that great romancer was much moved by
this evidence of the genius of his son. Alex
andre" he is reported to have said, with
tears in his eyes and great solemnity in his
voice, "you have composed work that
will live as long as my own!"
In this connection one is reminded of the
period in the famous storyteller's career
when, at the height of his vogue, he could
not turn out his tales fast enough to satisfy
his clamoring publishers, and it became nee
essary for him to employ collaborators, to
whom he sketched the plot, perhaps, leav-
ing them to do the rest. Among the most
distinguished was Paul Meurice, who died
not many years ago at an advanced age.
Thus it came about that Meurice was the
author of one of the most amusing novels Of
Dumas, LES Deux Dianes.''. Dumas when
travelling found this novel in hotel and
opened it to pass away the time. He began
reading it seriously, got interested in it, and
was amused. Presently someone came. to
his room and found him with Les Deux
DANES" in his hand.
II am reading said Dumas, in response
to question, "a novel of my own which
did not know, and which pleases me vastly"
1t was Dumas who said when left to him
self, am never bored when have my own
company"
THE eccentricities of Dickens included
an exceeding fondness for gaudy jew
elry, of which he wore a great quantity.
Not only were his fingers covered with
considerable number of rings brilliantly set,
but his person was adorned with all kinds of
fashy gems. He specially delighted in his two
watches, one in each lower pocket of his waist
coat, across which stretched huge chain.