Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-03-09
Johnson, Who Recently Purchased
the Draught Of This Famous Classic for
$3.50, 900, Is Placing 1t ON Exhibition in
furious Cities Throughout the Country in
Order That as Many Children and Gro0on=
ups as Possible May See the Work.

BY WILLARD ALLEN COLCORD,
zutl1or of animal. Land and Wings
and PGsUs."
YES. $4,000 is a large sum to give
W for a small book of less than 100
4 paRes we confess, but this Il the
/ AZ amount paid by Eldridge r. john
SON of Moorestown, N. j., for the
ariRinal manuscript copy OF Aice IN WonoeI
hnd" now being exhibited in the hofafles Va
the leading cities Of America.
Being a man Of wealth, this seemingly lad
,,lous sum for so small a work was not sen
oaasly felt by Mr.. johnson. Nor ana ne PuE-
chase the book to make money out OF ". why
then, did he buy the book? What was ms %.
ject in getting possession OF so cosby cuiD'
no sooner had Mr. johnson acquired owner
~ shin Of the original copy Of this famous
English classic than he began pl cling II on ex-
hfbition-fTst, for some months IN the t1aphc
Library In Philadelphia then for time N the
New york Public Library; later on during we
closing months of 1929 and early 1880, m the
Library of Congress in Washington. Prom here,
in its itinerary over the country, IL went 70
Boston, where 1t is at the present time Before
the tour is over, large share OF the popuiA-
ticn of the country viii doubtless be given an
opportunity to see the original Of this famous
book
In a recent letter addressed to the writer, Mr.
johnson says: my only object is to let the
people in the country see as much OF Alice as
possible"
That "Alce in Wonderland" Is general
favOrite there can be no question. Asked which
IN the most popular book for children, WASH
inRtOn daily Of recent date says: Opinions
diner ON this subject but when 50 famous
autJnors were asked by q New York newspaper
to name which book they had read - cnaioren
and strI Mked, Alice IN Wonderland was the
overwhelming favOrite."
A WELL EDUCATED lady and mother OF nve
a small children, said to the writer not
long ago that she enjoyed reading Alice m
wonderland" ever so much more after sne
harmed something about Alice, Lewis Car
roll, the author and how the book came 70 De
written Naturally we al like to know the origin
Of things.
'"TeIi me a story" is request as old as chill
SSrer and the world in which children have
lived. Instinctively, after hearing few stories,
children come TO the story teller and demand
more? Not all the lovers and admirers OF
"Alice in Wonderland" are aware that 1t was
the direct result Of this constant and oft-re-
curing request ever yelling up from the lips OF
children, please tell me a story"
while the story is q pure fairy tale, or. more
properly, string Of fairy tales woven together,
IKE the Mary that had the little lamb, Alice
herself was a real girl, and the one who told
her her fairy tale sincere lover and admirer
d her.
Charles L. Dodgson, better known by his
pen name, Lewis Carroll, was born in DareS-
bury. Northwestern England January ~, 1882,
and died at Guildford, Surrey County, England,
January H. 1898. While q teacher Of higher
mathematics in Christ Church College, Ok
ford lecturer, and author Of a number OF works
ON mathematics, he Is best known by his pop
ular Lewis Carroll story books for children.
AS "Alice in Wonderland" is his first, most
famous and most widely read story, 1t may
be Of interest TO know something about its
origin.
Mr.. Dodeson was a great lover Of children.
When q small boy he did not have much to
play with and did not need much we are told,
because everything around him was his toy
and his tool" Like other gOod-natured chill
dren, he amused himself with such things as
came within his reach. HE made pets Of
toads and snails, and tried TO make worms
fight by putting pieces Of pipe over their ends. !"
While a boy, he entertained his young friends
by playing circus charging pins for admittance.
He finally got so many pins he sold his collec-
ton to a village junkman for several pence.
Later, after he became man and had an
apartment Of his own at Oxford, he had cup
boards filed with curiOsities and playthings
with which to amuse and entertain the chill
Gren that came to see him. Being unmarried
and having no children Of his own, he bestowed
his love and affection other peoples children.
He gave them all sorts Of good things and good
tinnes-books, rides up the river, visits 70 the
theater, especially theaters where children per-
te7med and entertained them with music from
3 are collection Of music boxes, and an organ
cite which had to be fed paper tunes. He did
not forget how he himself loved entertainment
and playthings when, Q, boy gsa. %~ss reyes
But it was not the games TOYS nor. tricks the