A NOVELIST'S ROMANCE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 13524, 22 February 1906, Page 8

A NOVELIST'S ROMANCE.

Henry),- Siwkiowiez, the world-famed author of " Quo Vadis," is the subject of an article in the Junuary Cassetl's, by Mr Harvey Scott. Sienkiewicz, born in 1816, lives in Warsaw. Ho has been married throe times. His first wife (Marja Szotkiewjez) died young, after bearing two chil(llioii. now grown up. The second left him during the honeymoon.

As i to the third venture, tho story runs thus:—"Alongside of the Warsaw city hall stands a small church, and attached to this church is the Convent of Canonesses. The rules and regulations under which they live are by no moans severe. They may) and do, go out into society, travel abroad, and entertain visitors of both sexes in the convent, which they are quite free to leavo at any limn, and marry if I hey chose to do SO.

" the canonesses was a lady named Uabshu, _ in whom Sienkiewicz became greatly interested. He was soon a frequent caller at the convent, taking tea with Madame lialiska nearly every afternoon, and paying her marked attentions. After some lime (hey became engaged, when, quite suddenly one day, without the slightest warning, Sienkiewicz left Warsaw for Paris, without even going through the formality of bidding his fiancee farewell or hiking the trouble to tell her that ho was going away. Ho remained three years in Paris, and during the whole of that time he never wrote a line to Babska. " After his three vears' absence. Sienkiewicz returned to Warsaw, and some days later called at the convent just as if nothing out of the way had happened, apparently expecting to pick up his engagement with Babska at the point where he had so unceremoniously dropped it. The canoness, however, does not. seem to have taken quite the same view of the case, and it is said that she refused for a long time to have anything to do with her somewhat eccentric suitor, Sienkiewicz continued to call, however, most regularly, and after a persistent siege of two years she weakened, and finally consented to become the third Madame. Sienkiewicz. They were married about a year ago, and the union is said to be a very happy one." It is mentioned that till lately the novelist, has made little out of his books, thanks to a bad Russian copyright law, which secures him no international rights. To protect himself ho now issues his new hooks first in England—a proceeding which the ovor-patrioiie Poles resent.