PEOPLE WHO REFUSE CHEQUES.

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume I, Issue 179, 15 July 1911, Page 1 (Supplement)

PEOPLE WHO REFUSE CHEQUES.

Although the kite Mi. Gladstone, who was four times Prune Minister, u rote tor the magazines and reviews, he only did so, (says a Homo paper), wlien lie felt inclined or when he had something which lie very specially wished to say, and no offer, however tempting, could persuade him to pus* pen to paper unless he felt some such necessity or_ call. The editor of a certain Transatlantic paper wrote to Mr. Gladstone for » lontnbution, offering him an unheardof sum at that time if he would aweil.* to his request. Mr. Gladstone refused, and the editor actually sent him a blank cheque asking him to fill it up lor himself, and to name his own price. Even this failed to draw Mr. Gladstone. who returned the cheque as blank as it came.

BROWNING’S RESOLVE. A somewhat similar incident happened to Robert Browning, the poei>. Browning made a vow novel to con-, tribute to tne magazines or reviews. The reason he gave was a curious one. He said that if his jioetry appeared ir a magazine or review which contained much other matter the people who laiught it for the sake of that matter uould have his poetry thrust upon them whether they liked it or not, whereas, if they bought a book of poems by R. Browning, they bought* it with thmr eyes open and because they wanted to lead his work, and if they aid not want it they could leave it alone. That was Browning’s attitude towards the readmg public, and it prevented him from contributing to periodicals except once, when he did it for charity. Nevertheless, this self-denying ordinajice did not prevent editors worrying him for copy , but, though Browning was never a ricn man. ho constantly refused the most tempting offers. There is no doubt that an American magazine, as in Gladstone’s case tempted him with a blank cheque*, but without success. NOT FOR BINNS

Jack Binns, who sent out from his watch-tower in in id-Atlantic wireless messages which brought help from hundreds of miles of ocean to the sinking vessel of which he was tho electrician and telegraphist, refused the most tempting offers from musichall managers. Such wide-spread interest had his splendid devotion to duty aroused, together with his patience and his courage, not to mention the fact that he had saved hundreds of lives by that mysterious agent wireless telegraphy, that there is no doubt ho would have been a great _success, and could have made more "a one week than he had ever previously made m a year. His answer, however, to the managers who tempted him waa that ho was not a music-hall performer but an electrician, so he refused their offers and went on with his work. The trouble at Barcelona some years* ago is well known to have cansod very groat pain and anxiety to the King ot Spain —then unmarried—and his mother, Queen Christina, and the -papers gave a good deal of publicity to their doings at that time. "When the affair was settled, Queen Christina re* ccivc-d n 'letter from the editor of an American migizino enclosing a cheque for £3.000 if only’ she would allow the <■ >' <■ T< - *-* w rite and sitm a onli uinii of matter for the paper, dealing i with the causes and results of the Barj ru’ona* t K* a-t-i'ippt-ing off ,i,» \ 1 1 > >'c’ t .- slur 'on ti'ic yo'inii K"*g' u i>.*'mo ;,”ti fame. I’i t<» i* r ' i 1 V• * - d Im- ; cd !*v th<> Om i’H

-rURNERb" M»* FGR EALIN The great landscape painter, J. M. W. Turner, refused, to part with his pictures at any price. Certainly he left a large fortune—£l4o,ooo—but had he wished he could easily have doubled it. One has only to go to the National Gallery, or th© Tate Gallery, to see the primely gift of pictures which he loft to the nation. I * ■■ these ho had offers galore, but if r ’ „ not uish to sell a picture, or , \ t l '** t i' bke to the person ,* ix i 1 ' i •' picture, he t r i t . > ’ .io that ... .-"‘be ri.-.-d T’redorirk was another porvrati nr-. <■ ■ g-■■■ ■ • •*• ■■ ■ 1 his fame rc.-os. *•■:. > .. < tho Tate Oallerv. he ■ : 'if»“'l "io P--*' J-' himself,” and tho’igh ho .. . ly offered great sums for this o, • " rnnv.ns he just as constantly refused them.

BRAVO, MRS. BROWN. A typical Scotswoman" was Mrs. Brown, wife of the custodian of tho house in Dumfries whme Robert Burns died. She was a descendant of th© famous poet. When the great exhibition was held in Chicago som© years ago she received tempting offers to go and sit in Burns’s cottage which the enthusiastic Amcncan-Swts.erected tn the gionrds. She refused, and told the writer that “sho could not Ixyu the idea of being stared at like a wild beast for a’ the gowd in tho warld.”