The Russellville Democrat. [volume] (Russellville, Ark.) 1875-1898, 1881-06-30
THE FOOLS ERRAND

How It Came to BE writi--, se.-as It Was
Sold For, and Something About Its Author
"Gath" writes to the Cincinnati En-
quirer as follows
To-day had few words with Tom
Keogh, of North Carolina, late Secretary
of the Republican National committee.
Said /; "Were you not townsman and
fellow defender with Judge Tourgee?"
Yes" said he, II knew him well. He
lived four miles from Greensboro on q
farm he bought, and practiced law in our
town. The manuscript of his "FooPs
Frrand," his celebrated book, was given
to me to sell for him and his family. His
wife thought it was good book, and /
sent to Tom Platt, now Senator from
New York State, to see If he could not
sell it to the New York Tribune. 1t was
returned to Tom Platt with the state
ment that they could not publish a long
story like that in the Tribune. He after
wards sold it, understand. for $4,000,
receiving that money on account of the
success and prominence of some of the
books he had published. But his next
book, called SBricks Without Straw
which / think is his best, he owns HIM
self, and it has made him great deal of
money!
"How much money!" asked.
"About $4,000. understand that he
has got that amount of money from his
book, and is buying himself a farm on
Lake Chatauaua. He is also investing
some money in mining enterprises in
Colorado, and is now attending to money
making chiefly"
"How did the Fools Errand" affect
you personally, Mr.. Keogh?"
We'll, was amused at 1t, because 1t
read to me like history. know every-
body he had sketched in it, but never
thought the book would have anything
like the success it has had. Tourgee,
however, was one of the most remarks
able men ever knew. He was always
in hot water-never happy unless ag-
gressive, and, perhaps, it was his bold
ness that saved his life. He is ofFrench
extraction think, which accounts for
some of his temperament. He was born
in Ohio, or came from there, and brought
his property with him to North Caroll-
ma, and he was always in advance of
everybody with ideas. In 1855 he began
to work the reconstruction, talking loud,
when none of us dared to do it, in favor
of immediate negro suffrage. 1t was
poison TO the people tnere, Dut ne kept
it up, and it turned out to be the result.
Then he went into the constitutional
convention of North Carolina, and has
impressed himself forever on the laws
and institutions of that State. Previous
ly the common law had been the guide
of all the lawyers and the law practiced
there. Tourgee insisted that the guide
of The State of New York should become
the guide for our practice in North Caro-
lima. Other lawyers, old in the State,
bounced the proposition, but he stood up
for it and carried it through. For some
time the old fellows fought desperately
against it, but as new generation came
to the bar it was found that the code
served better purpose than the CONS
mon law, and the rebels have never
altered il. There 1t remains, and it is
Tourgee's monument.
For fifty years there has been no man
in North Carolina of anything like a
constructive spirit. He was then put on
the Superior Bench, and served there
SIX or eight years. 1t was while riding
over the State holding Circuit Court that
he saw so much which he has put into
his books of the scenery, botany, lite
and character.