, 1877-03-05
"HELEN'S BABIES.o

"HELEN'S BABIES"
An Interview with tho Parents Of "Budge ~
and "Toddie ''-uow 3Ir. Hnbberton Came
to Write the Greatest Literary Sensation of
the Perfod-3Ir. Habberton'H Estimate Of
the Average Publishing House " "Reader"--
''The Sequel to IIelen's Babies"
dpscial Correspondence oT The Tribune
NEW York, March 2--Pcrhaps no phrase has
been so commonly used In the literary world, no
question more generally asked, than ssWho In
The world are sHelcn's Babesa'" Many copy
Of the book has been sold from the slmple Gu
riosity created by the tantalizng title. The ap-
petite for this knowledge being satisfied, the
reader Of the book then becomes intensely anx-
ious to know who the author WIS. The stories
that were printed we're very amusing to the
author, and the amount OF information received
about his little book camc with the delicious
aroma Of constant surprise As happened to
know that there was an immense amount OF
trash aecumu1ating about the book, it's writer,
his wife, anl children, + called ut his house to-
day for the purpose Of getting the golden grains
Of truth about the greatest sensation in the lit
erary world for years.
Standing On the heights OF Brooklyn, out
looking on New York and its embracing waters,
is d spacious yine-clad house, occupied and
owned by wonderfully energetic Eastern
Eoman, Mrs. Grannis: Some three years ago she
felt 1t her. duty to start q weekly paper, adyo-
eating the union Of churches-she does so.- It is
still going on, has a large list of contributors
(she pays nothing for her COPY. She has just
spirit enough to keep at It till she dies; but the
Church U'.io, will fail in Its object. It is the
size Of Bcenher's Christian Union.
nf Ia
book aud babies both has the second floor
of this house. When was ushered into his
parlor found Mrs. Habbcrton, who said Mr..
Habberton would be home in few minutes
vokug things, stupid things, aud kind things
about my husbands 'Hclen's Babies and the
amount OF .ingenuity TINT has been wasted by
some writer's would be invaluable to them H.
original work. Why, some Of thcm have gone
go far as to say that was won by my husband
in that suprcmely ridiculous fashion. Why, a
woman who would be won in that fashion would
be 4 goosie-but, good gracious, Mr. Habberton
never could write about love. All! here he
c0mes.n
Mrs. Habberton turned to her husband and
said: ''Jack, this gentleman wishes to know
5he only trus and % accurate account Of .Helen's
Mr.. Habbcrton motioned me to seat, and
talked to NC after this fashion: well, you
want to know all ubout <Helell's Babes.' Now,
ii you will let rue just talk ahead will tell you
what think know about that book, for aln
rapidly coming to the conclusion that am oil
wrong in my knowledge. Some hundreds Of
writer's have such an absolute fund Of information
about It, radically different from mine, that l
hesitate about putting forward my solitary
opinion against theirs. However, ! will do what
Ms. pombeY didn't d. .E, VII make an
literary waif, which went into the world without
a soul to acknowledge it and suddenly wakcnel
up one day with greatness thrust upon it. Its
origin is simply as follows: Some time ago my
wife bad prolonged Illness. You know how
colorlcss the hours are in a s!ck-room,-so olls
rainy day my two children being kept home from
school, commenced to give lis one Ct those
frequent unsolicited performances oi private
nursery theatr:cals that parents nerer tire OF.
Struck with the humor Of their semi-theoiog-
cal, sem-wicked remarks, for jou know fool
islness is bound up In the heart OF Child and
they are all a mixture of the saint and the imp,
seized some paper and rapidly wrote OF some
ed my wife, and for the pure purpose Of anus
ing her continues the record from day to DAY
for Il few hours. as the manuscript Increased
! saw the opportunity OF turning it to some IT.
tic account perhaps; SO, to put It into readable
shape, composed an Introduction and an end
ing. I was just ten days at it In NIL. It Is no
more story Of my buys than OF yours. and
the hundreds Of letters have received saying
fThat Is Just what my boys do tells the simple
secret Of its enormous sale; it puts into print
tt4~ +~tt.AA ~Sa'S|1N - ~ fS ~
bic families, and 'buuse ana iou41e' charmed
them all because thcy were tnelr buoge' anu
'ioddlc., so ocs you Will lust olsmiss the laeA
that all the romantic narrative OF the BOOK IS
anything nut pure 1masnatlon:
here asked Mr. HabneEton II ne hao neafo |
the book haa peen attrloutea 20 otaer autnors.
"Oh, yes he continued, among otners 70
my wife One paper Traced her genealoSy PACK
to the Revolution, lnuceo, across TO England
before the settlement OF this country. VIZ were
both very grateful Tor tne information. 10 De
sure it was vi "rone 1or century oack, oat
then the rest VIC dla not kto" nJtaihs apout
ourselves; and that part Me cann9s contraa,cI;
Now the TACT IS, II my WIG hau only oeeu wen
enough to have had hand IN II inc antnos
could have taken more pr1oe IN II. twoula not
have been without form, anu al1nost YOU Oh re-
spectacle connection ol hafF31l'e. 1naeea,
read the proof IN seetlons' anu never saw Tue
book complete untu u was lssued 1or sae. N9",
do not want you to tnlnk tnat am specially
proud OF tue success o. DOOR tnat say was so
carelessly treated It would 1e con
.cited; humanity Boast had ~ no ldea
The book would & run . over = a'uo W., copies copies
sale never intended 10 own II, anu tnieW
i upon the ocean Of nLeratlre ), eApeetlng
It to live DAY In the sunshine ana tnen golnto
oblivion. indeed, SO INT WIS tue luea lionl Luy
mind that It would DC more than a palnteo snip
Upon patntea ocean, t1at eatuely AoEsok "
change the family names IN IL; anu u was tnls
:razy omission that eTc utuaay oesaaseu II % ti Lne
authorship. Althougn "oulu hot W ~ toot-
sh Us to say nm not more tnan Elatlneu trou |