January, 1913 
HOUSE AND GARDEN 
7 
I F there is one thing more than 
another that makes a pub¬ 
lisher feel good all over it is to 
have someone he doesn't know 
send him a letter of intelligent 
praise — such as the following: 
Dear Sirs: 
I wish to tell you that I con¬ 
sider Travel one of the very 
finest publications in the world. 
As a teacher I have traveled in 
my native Europe and can ap¬ 
preciate your beautiful illustra¬ 
tions and well-written articles. 
I should enjoy, if you will, such 
articles like the one on Clovelly, 
or such places like San Gimi¬ 
gnano, Carcassonne, Cintra, 
Ronda, etc. I detest - ’s 
[guide book], but just revel in 
description of such towns, 
When I travel, I have no 
goal; I just keep on the move. The next trip will include some of 
the places you have described in Travel. 
I also want to say that some of your title pages, the covers, are 
very fine, especially the one of the May number. 
With best wishes for your continued success, I am, 
We are very sorry not to be able to give a satisfactory answer to 
the following letter, which came to us just a few days ago: 
I have just finished reading the most delightful book pub¬ 
lished by you, “The Girl with the Rosewood Crutches.” I 
will thank you very much if you will advise me if there are 
any other books by this same author—and their title; also 
the price of the book mentioned. Thank you for an imme¬ 
diate reply. Mrs. C. E. D. 
Our contract with the author especially provides that we are not to 
reveal the identity, and we cannot give the names of any other books 
by this author without violating our agreement. This is doubly un¬ 
fortunate, because some of this author's other books are well worth 
reading, although we feel that the writer of the above letter has read 
the best in "The Girl with the Rosewood Crutches.” 
▲ 
Lewis Gaston Leary, the well-known traveler and author, whose 
recent "Andorra, the Hidden Republic,” has aroused such favorable 
comment both in America and Europe, is discouraging copy for the 
literary press-agent; for he admits with sorrow that he has never had 
any thrilling experiences or hairbreadth escapes. During a hundred 
thousand miles of journeying in thirty countries, he has never been in 
a railway accident, or lost a day through illness, and he has yet to 
witness his first storm at sea. 
Mr. Leary has lived in the toughest slums of European capitals, 
traveled through the troubled Balkans, and ridden through the un¬ 
traveled districts of northern Syria, and his only really exciting per¬ 
sonal experience was being thrown over a cliff by a runaway mule. 
Once he drove unsuspectingly through a district which was being 
terrorized by a marauding robber tribe. His host was stabbed just 
after Mr. Leary left him, and another man was murdered within 
stones throw of the trail; but his own journey was deadly dull and 
uninteresting. In fact. Mr. Leary confesses with regret that, though 
he once lived in a town where there was an assassination every night 
for six weeks, he himself has never seen a serious street brawl. 
Mr. Learv contends that if it ever did come to shooting, the other 
fellow would doubtless know more about it than he would; so he has 
never owned a revolver, but contents himself with preparing for 
possible contingencies by carry a heavy riding-crop or stout cane. 
A 
The editors of a magazine generally are brought into more or less 
personal touch with their contributors, but occasionally they never 
see them from one year's end to 
another. (If that is an advan¬ 
tage, it works both ways.) A 
contributor to House and Garden 
who had for some years trans¬ 
acted all business by letter was 
asked for his picture for use in 
connection with some work in 
connection with publicity. The 
request was sent off to Mr. A. 
Henry White — or whatever the 
name was — and presently the 
photograph arrived. “A. Henry 
White” was a very comely young 
woman ! 
▲ 
House and Garden readers re¬ 
member John Anthony. He it 
was who went up to Vermont, 
bought a farm and began the 
growing of apples in a business¬ 
like way. He wrote his adventures in orcharding a year ago, after 
the first strenuous year of farm life. He was enthusiastic then, but 
you should hear him now ! One rainy day a few weeks ago we found 
him sitting on the Office Lounge, the water dripping from his wet coat 
onto the tiles. He had the happy smile of a schoolboy and his en¬ 
thusiasm was not a bit dampened by the melancholy weather. His 
first word was about his orchard in the country and the new adven¬ 
tures he has had there. It has been another successful year of joy¬ 
ful work, hard but satisfying. Every moment he has been learning 
something new, and he is going to tell it in House and Garden. And 
it is well worth hearing, for even if you are not particularly inter¬ 
ested in orchards or the country you like to hear of red-blooded life. 
John Anthony claims that he has only now discovered the real way to 
live. His letter notifying us that he is sending the account says: 
“John Anthony has spoken — to the tune of about 3.000 words. His 
speech now awaits family criticism and the decision as to illustra¬ 
tions. When his utterance has been torn asunder by the family critics 
and furbished up again, it will be forwarded to you. 
"My own opinion never yet agreed with that of an editor, so I ex¬ 
pect you to like this better than last year, because I don’t think it is as 
good. John has got lots more to say. only he hasn't yet found the gift 
of gab to say it. But here’s hoping!” 
Now, there are not many men who would care to call John a liar. 
We merely question his judgment in regard to his literary efforts. V e 
think he has the gift of gab. When you read his account you will 
agree with us, we feel sure. We know that you will enjoy his story as 
much as we did the great, juicy, red apple he sent us. Both have the 
same crisp, delicious flavor. 
A 
Some time ago we made a great mistake. We admit it now. We 
thought that the timely information in House and Garden was of 
chief interest about the time of issuance of the magazine. Therefore, 
we discontinued printing an index. When the next half year came 
round, we were nearly inundated by the flood of letters demanding it. 
That was one compensation. We learned how much people cared for 
past issues. There were requests for all sorts of past articles; some 
said that they had been deprived of their most valuable encyclopedia; 
one man wrote that House and Garden ranked next to the Bible in his 
estimation, and that he hoped nothing would make us discontinue the 
directory that rendered it constantly available. Well, we reformed, 
and rushed an index through for volume XXL We have now com¬ 
pleted that for volume XXII, which is from June through December, 
1912. Those we disappointed before please take notice. We have 
atoned for our crime by being forced to write thousands of letters 
directing people to articles they wished to re-read. Every one may 
have his index now, however. 
A 
“The Green Overcoat,” that deliciously whimsical detective story by 
Hilaire Belloc, with illustrations by Gilbert R. Chesterton, has gone 
into a second edition. 
