The New York herald., 1922-03-12

4
another day at Windsor, which the
Americans accepted. Walking was a
favorite recreation for them all, and
Spencer used to go about with his
secretary, stopping now and then in
a beautiful spot to dictate parts OF
books.
Publishers were more congenial in
those days, Mr.. Holt said, and there
used to be meetings about once a
month to talk over things that in
terested them and enjoy dinner
together. He has photographs of
William H. Appleton, Joseph w.
Harper, George p. Putnam and
Charles Scribner near his desk in
his office, and spoke in praise of
them as men and as publishers with
high ideals, He said that when he
first went into business Charles
Scribner came to him and said that
when he started he'd have liked to
have had some one to talk things
over with. and invited Holt to come
to him any time he wanted to; offer
ing advice and encouragement.
When he shared the same room
with Mark Twain they had all gone
| to Washington to secure the interna-.
tional copyright and protect them
selves from pirate publishing. The
town was crowded, but not with
publishers, he said. And he was
glad of it for Mark was delightful.
You got upon terms with him at
once. He told Holt about Blind Tom,
musician, he was interested in then
and joked about everything.
Then once he came to dinner at
the Holts' in New York. That very
afternoon Mrs. Holt had promised
her young son that she would return
for him and take him some place.
She was detained and it was dark
when she got back. But the child
was there on the steps waiting for
her. He was furious and said: Its
dark now, and you're a liar" Every
thing he said was true and his
mother didn't punish him, which
/ pleased Mark very much when he
heard the story at dinner that night.
81 have always been fond of COM
pany." Mr.. Holt has written, "and
/ am satisfied that the taste tends
strongly to longevity. And even the
deafness which more and more pre-
vents my knowing the point when
the laugh goes around is good dis
cipline in cheerfulness. which think
the very basis of long life. There
is no such stimulant as gale of
hearty laughter"
He thinks no one should dine
alone. He likes parties of three. six
or eight. Wrong eating" he writes.
| has more to do with being low in
your mind than you ever imagine"
He says it is useless to try to reason
this away, and advises diverting your
mind. IF you can't do that, seek
outer diversion. Go to see the best
woman you know. outside of home.
or If you can do no better. play soi-
| taire."
Speaking further Of the subject
Of eating. he says no one needs re-
gret the passing Of sixteen course
dinners where seven or eight wines
were consumed. Some. he said. sur
vived such feasts merely because
they were tough Our present sim
plicity is much better. Herbert
Spencer, he said, had tried to be a
vegetarian. but found he couldn't
think. While Gilbert Murray says
he eats nothing that sacrifices hu-
man life. About drinking, Murray
once said to Holt: Sometimes in
paroxysms of riotous dissipation 1
get as far as Apollinaris."
III.
Nowadays he writes whenever he
wants to. He used to write at night,
but admonishes all against ii. He
thinks any man better for regular
work and regular hours. and thinks
night fine for writing. but such hours
upset the household and the cook
gets in a huff and leaves. If you
want peace at home you must con-
form to the usual hours.
He is quite in favor of longer va
cations and shorter hours, but he
th;pLs HOLIDAYS that break info the