A KIND-HEARTED NOVELIST.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VI, Issue 1857, 5 December 1884, Page 2

A KIND-HEARTED NOVELIST.

Alexandre Dumas was writing a serial novel for a Parisian daily journal and one day tlio Marquis de P. called on him.. " Dumas," said he, " have yon cornposed the end of the story now being published in V "Of course." " Does the heroine die in the end I" " Of course—dies of consumption, After such symptoms as . I bare described, how could she live?" " You must make her live." "I cannot." " Yes, you must; for on your heroine's life dapenda my daughter's." " Your daughter's." "Yes, She has all the various symptoms of consumption which you have described, and watches mournfully for every number. Now, if you make your heroine live, my daughter, whose imagination has been deeply impressed, will'live too. Come, a;life to save is a temptation—" "Not to be resisted," said Dumas. Dumas changed his last chapter, His

heroine recovered.. and v was./ jiappy. About five yeara afterwards, Dumas met the marquis at a party, " Ah, Dumas,"he exclaimed, ''let me introduce you to my daughter. She owes her life to you. There she is." "That fine.handsome woman, who looks like Jeanne d.'A re!" " Yes; she is married and has four children."

"And my novel has just four editions," said Dumas, "so we are (jink l "..-.