Page:Cyclopedia of illustrations for public speakers, containing facts, incidents, stories, experiences, anecdotes, selections, etc., for illustrative purposes, with cross-references; (IA cyclopediaofillu00scotrich).pdf/260

 painter."—, "Impressions of Ukiyo-ye."

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FAME, ILLUSIVE

A rather amusing illustration of the slender foundation on which literary fame rests is found in the following:

"Literary fame is not always highly regarded by the people," says William Dean Howells. "I remember when I was in San Remo, some years ago, seeing in a French newspaper this notice by a rat-trap maker of Lyons:

"'To whom it may concern: M. Pierre Loti, of Lyons, inventor of the automatic rat-trap, begs to state that he is not the same person and that he has nothing in common with one Pierre Loti, a writer.'"

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FAME, QUALIFYING FOR

Benjamin West's picture of the death of Nelson is closely connected with an anecdote of the great sailor. Just before he went to sea for the last time, he was present at a dinner, during which he sat between the artist and Sir William Hamilton.

Nelson was expressing to Hamilton his regret that he had not, in his youth, acquired some taste for art and some discrimination in judging it.

"But," said he, turning to West, "there is one picture whose power I do feel. I never pass a shop where your 'Death of Wolfe' is in the window without being stopt by it."

West made some gracious answer to the compliment, and Nelson went on. "Why have you painted no more like it?"

"Because, my lord," West replied, "there are no more subjects."

"Ah!" said the sailor, "I didn't think of that."

"But, my lord," continued West, "I am afraid your intrepidity will yet furnish me with another such scene; and if it should, I shall certainly avail myself of it."

"Will you?" said Nelson. "Will you, Mr. West? Then I hope I shall die in the next battle!"

A few days later he sailed, his strangely exprest aspiration was realized, and the scene lives upon canvas.

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FAME, SUDDEN

The name of "U. S. Grant, Nashville," on the Lindell Hotel (St. Louis) register was sufficient to spread the news of his presence with almost the rapidity of wildfire throughout the city. The Lindell lobby was soon thronged with people eager to catch a glimpse of the little man who had won the battle of Chattanooga. The streets which he paced in vain, time and again, only five years before in search of employment, now resounded with cheers in his honor.—, "Grant, the Man of Mystery."

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Fame Unsatisfying—See.

FAMILIARITY

Acuteness of the perceptive faculties characterized the celebrated Maine steamship captain who, for more than twenty years, is said to have regularly navigated his vessel in the thickest fogs and darkest nights through the tortuous reaches, thoroughfares, and channels of the "inside passage" along the coast of Maine, without accident. When asked for an explanation of his remarkable record, he replied, "I knew the bark of every dog and the crow of every rooster on the line, and often steered by them."—, "Joshua James."

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FAMILY CIRCLE

In Korea the family exists, but not the circle. There is no table around which they gather for meals, no reading nor music, no evening parties which draw them together, no "At Homes," no family pew in which to sit on Sunday, no picnic excursions in which all members join. The master eats by himself, the wife by herself, the sons and daughters each separately and alone. Because of this, our custom of conversing at table, and allowing the talk and attention to wander all over the universe, while semiconsciously engaged in the serious act of "eating rice," seems very absurd. "When you eat, eat, and when you talk, talk, but why try both at one and the same time?"—, "Korea in Transition."

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FAMILY OFFENSE IN STORKS

The following stories concerning storks seem to indicate that they have views concerning the purity of their race and act upon them: Bishop Stanley relates that a French surgeon at Smyrna, being unable to procure a stork, on account of the great veneration entertained for them by the Turks, purloined all the eggs from a stork's nest and replaced them with hen's eggs. Ultimately, chickens were hatched, greatly to the surprize of the storks. The male stork speedily disappeared and was not seen for two or three days, when he returned with a large