Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1881-06-01
THE DANCE OF DEATH
Who Was the Real Author Of the
Literary Sensation?

The Sunday Chronicle, in giving bio
graphical sketches of California authors
speaks of T. A. Harcourt as havin:
written "The Dance Of Death' in thirty
eight hours. Three men have beer
credited with having written the book
Rulofson, the photos rapher, J. Bigelow
and Harcourt, Rulofson's son-in-law.
Shortly before Rulofson's death the
writer called upon him at his gallery in
San Francisco. The conversation turned
upon the book, and Rulofson seemed
anxious to know how it was looked
upon in Nevada.
ado people read it because they think
its pages suggestive, or because they
think am in earnest %
When he WIS told that it was read
for the first season suggested, he seemed
angry that such was the case. He then
led the way into little room, and gave
the following history of the work:
"People think that l wrote this book
simply to make a sensation and some
money. never was more in earnest
in my life. When a young man lived
in New York State. l was engaged to
be married. had never seen a ball in
my life, but one night l heard some
music in hall and strolled in. About
the first thing | saw was my ;ffianced
swinging around the room in the arms
of a man whom she had probably never
met before, and who would have never
been permitted to set foot in her fathers
house. l said nothing, but left the
room, and before midnight had sold
three thousand dollars worth of photo
graphic material for eight hundred dol
lars, and in the morning left the town.
A few years afterwards / married
another girl and came to California.
My wife and l lived in cabin which
had no floor except the ground. One
New Years eve the citizens of the town
got up a ball. wasasked to contribute,
and refused, telling my reasons. The
people thought me stingy, and said that
forced my wife to remain away. The
act of the matter was she had no clothes |
or ball. Well, the ball came off, and !
ended in stabbing affray, one man kill
ng another whom he found waltzing
With his wife. 1 described the incident |
n the book. One of the musicians got |
trunk and, falling into the river, was
lrowned. From that time l fought
and made many enemies. I
net an Episcopal clergyman who held
he same views. Together we wrote
he book. This was twenty years ago.
kept the manuscript several years, re-
Using it from time to time, when my
ouse burned and the manuscript with
t. For ten years have been working
n the book, and the more l saw of
ancing the stronger wanted tc make
he book. 1 wrote and rewrote it, and
t last gave it to the publisher. have
hown society what a loathsome ulcer
esters in its midst. l shall write
mother book soon sho wing the remedy.
t will be stronger than the "Dance of
)eath. will talk palmer, and the pub
C will profess to be Mortified, but they
I'LL not be, all the same"
A few weeks after this conversation ,
.ulofson fell from the roof of his gall
Try and was killed. He was hardly
ne man to have related so circumstan-
ally the history of the book unless he
as telling the truth. The book bears
ne marks of careful work and elaborate
Judy, not book to be dashed off in
oirty-eight hours, by even as clever a
ritter as Mr.. Harcourt, although per-
,ns familiar with Harcourt's pro-
ounced and original style, claim that
ley can detect his handiWOrk in the
ook. No doubt he assisted Rulofson
/ the revision, and wrote some of the
riking passages.
A BOSHY BOOK.