Life — November 15, 1906 — page 29: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

bid by hl a Felt BCHER ACY RY PT a0cea (eee [irr POfer ai RYR 200} WHE JUNGLE” isto havea career in France under the rather startling title of “The Poisoners of Chicago.” HAT was the real George Gissing? is a question which seems bound to be asked more and more in the future as his fame widens. Such a widening is already perceptible, and together with it is seen the disposition to award him a place in the first rank of English novelists. Though his death occurred no longer ago than December, 1903, legend has already been busy with his life, weaving around it a ‘‘convention,” we are told, ‘derived in the main from the auto. biographical nature of his writings.” ‘This legend, says Mr. Austin Harrison, in The Nine- teenth Ceniury (September), is “in part fictitious, in part too grossly misleading and fantastic.” He thus writes of Gissing’s carly struggles. His start in literature was made under conditions that might bave appalled the bravest, and for years his steps were dogged by hunger and many-shaped hardships. He lived in cellars and mares... He ate his meals in places that would have oflered a way-wearied tramp occasion for criticism. . « Once he tells us with a thrill of reminiscent ecstasy how he found sixence in the street! ‘The ordinary comforts of modern life xcte unattainable luxuries. Once when a newly posted notice in the lavatory at the British Museum warned readers that the basins were to be used (in official phrase) “for casual ablutions cals," be was abashed at the thought of his own complete depend- ‘exe upon the facilities of the place. Justly might the author call 18s a tragi-comical incident. Mark Twain and William Walter Phelps CASE of the kind happened in Berlin several years ago. William Walter Phelps was our Minister at the Emperor’s court then, and one evening he had me to dinner to meet Count S., a Cabinet Minister. This nobleman was of long and illustrious descent. Of course, I wanted to let out the fact that I had some ances- tors, too, but I did not want to pull them out of their graves by the ears, and I never could seem to get the chance to work them in in a way that would look sufficiently casual. I suppose Phelps was in the same difficulty; in fact, he looked distraught, now and then—just as a person looks who wants to uncover an ancestor purely by acci- dent and cannot think of a way that will seem accidental enough. But at last, after dinner, he made a try. He took us about his drawing-room showing us the pictures, and finally stopped be- fore a rude and ancient engraving. It was a pic- ture of the court that tried Charles I. There was 2 pyramid of judges in Puritan slouch hats, and below them three bareheaded secretaries seated atatable, Mr. Phelps put his finger upon one of the three and said with exulting indifference: “An ancestor of mine.” T put my finger on a judge and retorted with scathing languidness: “Ancestor of mine. But it is a small matter. Thave others.” Itwas not noble in me to do it. I have always Tegretted it since. But it landed him. I wonder bow he felt? However, it made no difference in cur friendship, which shows that he was fine and tigh, notwithstanding the humbleness of his ongin. And it was also creditable in me, too, that FOR SHOTGUNS ANO RIFLES @ Cigarette of Quality ett Sees AROMATIC DELICACY— MILDNESS-— PURITY SURBRUG-Importer T could overlook it. I made no change in my KREMENTZ On the Back of the Rutton insures Permanent Satis Te cannot break from service. The shape of the bead makes it . Easy to Made of the best steel by expert hand workers. Noted for durability, evenness of point, and ry to bation, ba eo oe ian Pen perfect. No seconds. very, Spencerian Pen widen buttoned it stays buttoned, There's a Spencerian Pen made for every style of Sold by Jeweler tnd Haberdathers, Wet fr booklets wegting, There ig one made for YOU. i‘ ‘Story of « Collar Btton. ple card of 12 pens, different patterns, sen: IAEWENTZ & 00, 60 Chestnut St, Newark, J. ‘upon receipt of 6 cents in postage. Spencerian Pen Co.,349 Broadway, NewYork for Liquor and Drug Using scientific remedy which has been skilfully and successfully administered by medical specialists for the past twenty-seven years. At the following Keeley Institutes: Pittsbore, Pa. 248 F comicbooks.com