GOSSIP AND NOTES.

Press, Volume LV, Issue 10042, 21 May 1898, Page 8

GOSSIP AND NOTES.

Recently a correspondent wrote to ask Mark Twain which books had had most influence upon bis life. Mr S. L. Clemens sent the following characteristic reply: "The books which have most influenced my life? With pleasure. This is the list—'The Innocents Abroad,' 'Roughing It, , 'Tramp Abroad,' 'Prince and Pauper,' 'Huckleberry Finn, , Tom Sawyei, , 'Yankee at the Court of Prince Arthur,' 'Personal Reminiscences ot Joan of Arc, , Tudd'nhead Wilsen, , 'Following the Equator,' and the publications of the late firm of Charles L. Webster and Co."

The late Sir John Arnott was fond of telling the following story: —One person, believing that by some los4s which occurred twenty years ago Sir John Arnott was financially ruined, and that his embarrassments would shorten his life—he was then upwards of sixty—insured his life for a great sum at a high premium. Sir John, however, did not fail and did not die. The insurer paid the premium until it ruined him, and then sold the policy to a syndicate, who paid the sum twice over and will now reap the disappointing result of the speculation. Sir John always told the story with a super-abound-ing good humour free from any trace of irritation or resentment, and ended by the remark, accompanied with a merry twinkle of his eye, "They will, I expect, be paying that premium for a little time longer."

On first thoughts, the business of a dentist among the natives of South Africa, near the Zambesi, might seem to be a perilous one. But the journal called "The Dentist" says the dentist is looked upon by the natives as a kind man. They think that to have a tooth drawn in the approved style is almost a pleasure. They have been used to less refined methods. They are very patient, too, in waiting for him. Appointments are made two or three months ahead, owing to the immense area of the dentist's practice and the time spent in travelling. If a native goes "up"—"up" meaning anywhere between the coast line of South Africa and the Zambesi—with a racking toothache, say, in December, he may, if he is lucky, have an appointment for somewhere in March.

The war craze in America has started a enrious fashion, which is all the rage at present. This is the mounting of military buttons as hat pins for women and as scarf-pins for men. As the militia of each State has a different coat of arms, and many of the regiments have special emblems of their own, the range of choice is decidedly wide. But the favourite is, oddly, the plainest—that worn by the West Point cadets, which is a plain, gilt ball about half an inch in diameter. The collecting of these buttons, like stamps and coins, U another of the patriotic fads of the moment.

The art of -window dressing is rising to great heights in America. So much latitude is allowed the professional "dresser" that a guarantee is required on his engagement to secure the\ proprietor against careless or unskilful handling of any goods which whidh, he may wish to deal. If, however, heavy responsibilities rest upon him, his emoluments are large also. Thirteen of these artist , * take £10,000 a year between them, ranging from £W0 for the poorest among the thirteen up to £1000 a year earned by one in Boston. Seven or eight hours to dress a window seems an unwarrantable time to the uninitiated. When one sees the result, (however, one marvels how such effects could be produced in the time. The windows, under the hands ef the skilled dresser, become scenic displays, lit up by electric light, requiring elaborate plumbing and xjarpentry to construct devices, sometimes set in motion by water power. Thousands of novelties have to be thought out by the dresser who wishes to become famous —waterfalls, woodland scenes, water mills, skating rinks and fairs being just a few among the many ideas that have already been extensively "worked."

An amusing story is told by tOie "Bookman." It comes from Hungary, where, it appears, a ballet was lately produced which, mas based upon Mr Rider Haggard's "She." The author, hearing of the production, wrote asking for some programmes, photographs, &c.,* and received a reply from the manager of the theatre that he was inucn shocked at the receipt of this letter, for he, in common with many other citizens of the dual empire, had for months believed that the creator of "She" was dead. Indeed, so the manager said, long obituary notices had appeared in some of the most important papers. Mr Haggard wrote again that v the obituary notices were in any more translatable language than Magyar he would be glad to see a few of them and at the same time he begged that a paragraph might be circulated amongst the newspapers to the effect that he was very much auye and in the best of health. The last that iv.as been heard is that the manager reports that no newspaper will insert the paragraphs, that they decline to credit his statement, and look upon his request £'S a clever but somewhat unscrupulous attempt to obtain advertisements for the ballet.

Mr Sambouenb, in "runch," satirises the new prisoa philanthropy so wittily that no offence is likely to be taken by the humanitarians. Ihey will rather feel pleased that their cause has got an advertisement by the caricature. In "The gaol of the future," as depicted by Mr Sambourne, the convict lies propped up by cushions on a deck chair in a luxuriously furnished cell, smoking a cigar and reading the illustrated papers. A warder is bringing him in an evening paper 'special,' and says to him, "Hope you are quite comfortable, sir? Latest edition, sir? Like anything more? Like the door left open, sir?"

Mr Ptjnqh's coster, who was reduced to silence in r a slanging match because his assailant had used up all the best words in his opening speech, had his parallel in the Queen's Bench lately. A publican had sued another for. abusive language that "made a horse blush," and one of his witnesses was asked if the plaintiff himself had not used strong words. "He had no chance," was the reply. In these contests, apparently, as in so many others, everything depends on getting first fire.

Among tihe group of mourners gathered by the grave of James Payn (writes Mr H. W. Lucy) there were at least two whose names are to-day familiar in English literature who owed their first step on the ladder of fame to his kindly offices. It was his quick eye and sure judgment that discovered the meritte of " Vice Versa " when the manuscript, worn with the weary round of other publishing offices, reached his hand at Messrs Smith Elder's. He also gave Conan. Doyle a lift at a time when appreciation is most valuable to an author. In some of the obituary notices mention is made of Payn's ineradicable fondness for London. It was, he used to say, good enough and big enough for him, and he didn't want to go anywhere else. Once, in a moment of always regretted rashness, he accepted an invitation from Mr Inderwick to visit Rye, where the Q.C., who ought long ago to have been a Judge, has a house. I'ayn inveigled a friend who shared his abhorrence of country trips to accompany him on this expedition. " Goodbye, Cohimbus," were the parting words of the son of this second adveuturer, who went down to the railway station to see his father off.

Foixowixg Mr Indenrick's instructions, the travellers got out at VVinchelsea desperately resolved to see that ancient town before going on to Rye. According to Payn's forlorn account, they for nearly an hour walked up and down the sleepy streets without meeting a single person. Going on to the ruined pier, they found the tide outi. only a waste of mud in view. "A dreadful place," murmured Payne's companion in tne day's misery; " even the sea has deserted it." Returning to the station, they wandered into the yard of an inn where a 'bus was standing. Peeping in at the window they discovered a stableman asleep at his ease in the vehicle. •• Ah," said Payn, " here's the population." They never got to Rye. Arriving at the station they found a train waiting to go back to London, and recognising in this the finger of Providence, they took their seats and reached the Reform Club in good time for dinner.