The sun., 1916-10-29
By DANA CATLlN.

NE OF the pleasant things about
wise sayings IL hat they are
always being disproved. There
II Q respected adage which adjures
shoemakers to stick to their last; yet.
In the face OF this warning. a famous
actor recently sat himself down to
write a book. and It has turned out TO
be one Of the most enjoyable books
Of the season.
The actor who turned author Is Ed
ward II. Sothern. and the book Is THE
Melancholy Tale of Me-" tScribner).
"People keep asking why it's called
The Melancholy Tale OF Me-" COM
meuted Miss Marlowe to me. They
complain that 1t isn't melancholy at
all. OF course 1t isn't; II It were he'd
call It something else. That's Just
like him."
In that last sentence Miss Marlowe
revealed a truth for critics. The title
10 "just like him" And the book Is
"just like him." And it is owing To
this. as much as to the content Of the
book, that M likes to pick 1t up TO
read and hates to put 1t down. one
naturally supposes that T.. ii. Sothern
would have interesting "reminiscences
to relate, but when he relates them
with a charm OF ann and quality
Of style which should alarm some of
our distinguished writer's, II is i'm
pressed and curious.
I was In this frame Of mind when
the Sunday editor asked me whether
=, should like to 20 into the country one
day. have lunch with Mr.. Sothern and
talk to him about his book. / remem-
Der that when I-such is the lamenta-
BILE effect Of living, in a commercial
world-made stipulations OF a business
nature the Sunday editor exclaimed:
"What! I didn't suppose there was
a woman In New York who would ask
to DO paid to lunch with +. H.. soth-
ern!"
Well. there's one who won't ask
that-the second time.
It takes a long time TO get up 10
tho Litchfield hills where the Sotherns
live: but one doesn't mind that on AZ
October day. when all the hills and
valleys are dressed up in gold and
copper brown and pastel rose and ma
genta, and when, at Danbury, a nice
little brook takes the "jerkwater" en-
CINE by the hand and leads 1t the rest
Of the way.
Mr.. sothern met me at the STATEN,
To one who had never before seer him
of the stage his quiet brown suit and
his eyeglasses were a trite discon-
certing, but, OF course. one couldn't
expect Hamlet or Mocbcth 10 meet n
train. Mr.. Sothern's manner is as
quiet as his dress. lie talks easily. ard
now mi then an unexpected drollery
will bring a quick smile to his face
Behind his glasses his eyes are OBJ
serving and sympathetic, but 1t IS tho
se~nsitiveness Of his mouth that best
explains what gives much OF tho
charm to his "reminiscences.
A little way out Of Litchneld. on z
hilltop where now all the silver birch
ladies are masquerading in yellow wis,
and all the other trees look tire,
mendously dressed up & tic charm,
ing old colonial house n which tn,
Sotherns have been passing The All,
tumn. 1t Is easy to believe that thu,
house and those occupants make ons
another mutually happy.
was at once given my promise.
lunch. though l did not eat 1t will
Mr., sothern. lilo merely sat an,
watched me eat.
MY wife lives according to n yer,
strict regime" he eXple.ucd, and
hnd II simpler to eat when she doe.
and what she docs"
Mira sothern. who, according to tn,
strict regime. was resting after a la,,
breakfast, did not appear TIL later