Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1880-02-24
LITERARY NOTES.

DIR. Lapham Of the Ndine Farmer Will
give the history Of the counting out con-
spiracy In that State In book form. II Will,
as a record Of crime, be next 10 the
pirates Own Book"
An article on common sayings and their
origin Is going the rounds Of the newspa-
pers, In which Companions are odious"
Is credited TO Shakespeare. This Is a mis-
take. The words are to be found In the
writings Of DR.. John Dome. - Belfast
| Journal.
1t Is proposed to print universal cat
albgue OF English printed literature. and a.
| the best possible foundation for IL, TO print
the catalogue OF the printed books In the
| British Museum, from the year 1880 10 the
present time, representing about l,25O,O
volumes. Mr. Bullen, the keeper OF these
books, says-and every scholar who has
had much experience In the magnificent
reading room OF that Institution viii be
disposed To agree with him-that "no cat
alogue In the world, whether In print or In
manuscript. Is equal TO that OF the British
Museum. IL remains only that IL should
be printed To make this apparent TO every
one anu often myself surprised At the
historical information that II has COM
pressed into notes. sometimes OF a few
lines, rcplcte with knowledge. Some Of
the first scholars OF the day, speaking bib
geographically. have been engaged In its
compilation He estimates that the work
might be ready for printing ''in rough
and ready way" in two years, and that II
would make forty-dve volumes OF one
thousand pages each.
A little while ago the Inter Ocean pub
lished paper on "winnowing Machines,
meaning thereby the editors who read and
reject or accept manuscript for publishers,
aud now Margaret Bertha writes Not
very long ago l heard popular story
writer tell some OF his experience with
these winnowing machines. He had been
writing stories. with very small success,
for number of years. He felt sure-as
many others feel-that story-writiny was
his forte. and the Que In which he was TO
gain his support and n reputation. IL fortune
had any In store for him. But somehow
the winnowing machines and he had differ
eut opinions upon the subject. He kept
writing stories and the W. NJ kept re-
turning them-"with thanks" or without.
Now and then--very rare now and then
they were, too-one Of his stories was
published and paid for encouraging him TO
hold on 10 his determination TO win his
success In that line II In any. But as his
declined with-ihanks," (or withou) came
pouring In upon him almost a. rapidly as
he poured them upon the world, he was
forced to furnish sort Of reservoir for
their accumulation. In his writing room
was a huge bureau, or chest OF drawers
| taller than his head. He could just reach
up and pull the upper drawer open by an
exertion. This upper drawer, deep and ca
pacious. he resolved TO leave always half
open for the convenience OF his rejected
manuscript Therefore, whenever a ere.
turned. with-thanks" Cor without made It's
appearance he simply tossed II skyward,
leaving it TO land In that upper drawer,
while he went on writing newer stories,
and. he hoped, better ones. After while
that upper drawer, upon the contents or
| which many winnowing machines had win
moved, became pretty full. But just about
! that time the authors patience and deter
mination brought their just reward. He
| became quite famous as novelist, and
| stories nom his pen became III demand.
| Instead of returned with-thapks" COR
without) he was now kept quite busy with
requests that he furnish something for the
next Mdi<ehiN, the TcO Nightly Rerielc, or
the Saob's Magazine. Therefore what did
he do, so much more confident in himself
! than In winnowing machines, but TO take
long cane with crooked handle and fish
In that lofty drawer for manuscript, which,
when caught. was uurolled-rerolled, and
without examination or revision, sent OF
anew, perhaps to the same winnowing ma
chine which had once winnowed II away
| from It's harvest. This author is Justin
Mccarthy. and some Of his best and most
successful stories have been those both
winnowed into and hshed out of his high
upper drawerl