The daily Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1855, 1854-07-07

Sls
Using columns, ia practice not always agreea-
hle, or frequently done by any editor,) we con-
slider to be one of the most extraordinary pieces
Of disinterested ltberalty within our limited ex-
perience
LITERARY PRIZES.
VTyHE proprietor of hereby offers the
i sum Of Three Hundred and Fifty nolars, in three
nrins Of 500 500 and $50 for the three best original
tales drlineatng the Early History of the West to be
written expressly FOR publication in tn" AIon C'artsr
Tile length of the tales to be not less than so page OF
30 wor a page and to Be sent in addressed to the
Editor of the tur;er before the 18th day of Au-
gust accompanied with sealed note giving the name
and address of the writer which viii not be opened uilI
after the award is made.
committee of literary gentlemen will make the award
whose names will be announced in due time.
All manuscript thus offered will become the exclusive
property OF the proprietor OF the Co"r whether success
ful or not. GEO. T. BROWN, Proprietor Courier.
Alton, April 20 1854.
Now, without desiring in the least to injurc
the standing or impugn the motives of Mr.
GEO. T. BRowN, the proprietor Of the Alton
Courier, we pronounce the above advertise
ment to be one Of the most serio-comical eff
forts of the day under the guisc Of promoting
the science of literature. AS ST. Paul aboundS
with gentlemen and ladies of great literary at
tainments, we would recommend to them a
careful consideration of this most liberal prop
osition. 1t will be observed, however, that all
manuscript offered will be confiscated to the
rapacity of the Courier, whether they draw a
prize or not, and that the tale is not to con-
tain less than $50 pages, of 30 words each,
which altogether makes the nice little total of
$4,000 words, liable to lie thus se4uestcred,
whether condemned Or approved.
Then again. you have three enormous chances.
The first prize for the trivial labor of writing
$4,000 words receives the gigantic reward of
S2OO-thc next of 800, and the third of $50.
What fortune in prospective. oh We refined
scholars and disciples of the hefati that is,
ifyou are successful. Behold the patron saint
of the liberal sciences, the refined profession Of
bellies tetttes, in the person Of the proprietor OF
the Alton Courier! If you fail to get the first
prize, you have still two minor chances, sort
of reserved corps, or sweepstakes for animals
that come in 'second best
The subject, as will be perceived, is to de-
lineatc the Early History of the West
w Hat IL Is tdO cdiIlcS l.
nimore Cooper has shuffled off this mortal
COLI He doubtless would have welded his
mighty pen on his favoritc subject, for this
eItrdrdgGM remuneration and run the risk too
of being laid on the shelf for the private bene-
fit of the donor Of these liberal prizes. 1t is a
wonder that we have not heard of those bril-
liant literary lights, Longlellow, Emerson, 6.
p. X. James, Tuckerman, Matthews, or 9th
ers, entering the lists, to contend in chvarous
tournament booted, spurred, and lanccd for
this noble gucrdon-far more enticing than the
love Of any ladye faire," or the bubble re-
putation" of deeds in arms.
The aspiring authors are to send sealed
note" giving the name and address of each
contestant. There is not to be any anonymou,
writers-nor can the tale be credited as books
are, to the author Of some dozen or more
other works." without ever mentioning tho
narpe, whether it be Smith, Jones, Higgins
Simpkins, or Doolittle. The successful papers
are to be published in the Courier, with larg,
caption: -
THE GREAT PRIZE TALE. ::
WRITTEN EXPRESSLY For THE ALTON SorRER.. :
HISTORY OF THE WEST.
BY GEORGE WASHINGTON sILLYHEAD.
nd oop,mopcinr Oft bar with 60 Onoo upon d.