Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1878-08-28
A Publishers Interesting story.
Springfield Republican,


A Publishers Interesting Story.
Springfield Republican.
1t is singular how different neon,o
will sometimes claim the AUTHORSHIP &c
the same book, especially if it is a s, "
cessful one. The two most striking IN
cidents of this. in my experience wers
in the case Of the two poems, "Notn;no
to Wear" and Betsy and | Are ON, 5
The first poem, it is well known ORC
inally appeared in Hoxpers Weeslv 7
picked up a paper containing it at q
friends house soon after it was NH
lished, and was amusing myself bv
illustrating the poem with pencil on
the margin Of the paper, when ladv
friend, looking over my shoulder, said.
F" You ought to publish an illustrated
edition of that poem" The idea strucl
me favorably, and, after thinking it over
night, | decided to do so, and wrote NV
friend Gus Hoppin to draw the reouis.
lite pictures at once. Your correspond.
dent has always understood that a ia.
NOUS New York belle allowed Mr.. Hon.
pin to draw her face for that of Flora
McFlimsey, and that a brother of the
artist was delineated as the hero of the
poem.l AS soon as l got the pictures
our firm published neat little muslin.
covered edition of the book, which sold
for so cents. We had sold a few edi.
tons when Miss Peck, clergymen's
daughter from Norwich, Conn, came
into the store and claimed the author
ship hitherto attributed to William
Allen Butler. Her story was that she
had dropped the manuscript of the first
part of the poem in a. New York omn
bus, and knew nothing of its where
abouts till she saw her poem, much en-
larged and expanded, it was true, but
embracing all her lines, in Harpers
Weekly. The lady's appearance was so
much in her favor that we told her ii
she could produce evidence of sufficient
literary ability we would pay her for
her production and compensate her
Herewith for the poem. Ere long, she
brought us good novel, and We paid
her 81 900 as compensation for both
works. We afterward PUBLISHED second
novel for her, and the lady was at work
upon the third when her death occurred,
not long after she had made happy
marriage, Mr.. Butler never ad-
mitted the ladys claims to any
share Of the authorship. and
his character and high ability al
ways made the matter mystery. He
subsequently published "Two Millions"
and a volume Of selected poems, which
we shall probably publish for him here
after. The controversy as to the
authorship Of Nothing to Wear" had
much to do with its sale, which was very
large. The other case of contested
authorship was also over a poem pub
lished in Harper's, although it first saw
the light in the Toledo Blade. This was
the famous "Betsey and l are Out"
which is claimed by Will Carleton, a
young Western poet, whose name was
attached to it in Herper's, and by Mrs.
Emerson. The poem had appeared in
Harper's when Mrs. Emerson called up
on us and asserted that the poem was
hers, gerbatim ct Hteratim; that 1t was
written by her at her home in Maine,
grew out of actual incidents in the lite
VI lcI SuClc IlidD dIlu Aulit DCVSy, va
bore the real Christian names OF the
hero and heroine Of the poem. and
that it had been repeatedly read aloud
by her from her own manuscript 70
and friends, at whose request
she had made and given away copies
thereof. Her theory was that one OF
these stray copies got into the hands OF
Will Carleton, who sent it to the Toledo
Blade, very probably without claiming
the authorship originally. and that the
publishers of the Blade might innocentiy
have attached his name. as he was a
writer therefor. Harper's copied, the
poem, and Will Carleton, finding HIM,
self famous. went to work and produced
a volume of g Farm Ballads" Of similar
style and meter, which he sold oy
including the disputed poem
in his volume. We sent to Maine ana
having verified Mrs. Emerson's state.
ments, published volume OF
poems for her entitled, "a thanks
giving Story" including Betsy
and | are Out" whichhas sou
tolerably we'll.
A COUNTRY deacon went on a rec
ticket to a circus entertainment. us
no stOr romouStr,ted with him on the