The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1881-08-03
THE DANCE OF DEATH.

VI Sa''i"fnla ani Iors, speaks al Cgi
lfornia authors, speaks Oft. A. Ha:.
ronrt rs having written the "Dance
OF DEATH in thirty eight hours.
Three men have been credited with
having written the books Rulof.on
the photographer; j. Bigel,w. and
Harcourt, Rulofson's son-tnfaw. -
Shortly before Rnlofson's death the
writer called upon him at ais gallery
in San Francisco. The CONVERSE
ton turned upon the book, and Ru-
'ofson seemed very anxious TO know
how it was looked upon in Nevada.
do people read it because they
think its pages suggestive. or be-.
cause they think | am in earnesL?"
When he was told tllat il was read
for the first reason 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 | wrote this
book simply to make a sensation and
some money. l never was more in
earnest in my life. When young
man / lived in New York State.
was engaged to be married.. I had
never been to ball in my life, but
one hight ! heard some music in a
hall and strollcd in. About the first
thing | raw was my allianced swing
ing around in the arms Of a man
whom she had probably never met
before, and VIII, would never have
been permitted to set foot in her
fathers house. / said nothing, bu,
left the room, and before midnight /
had sold $4,000 worth ofphotograpl.
ic material for $500, and in the mr.
uing ] left the town. A few Jears
af'erward l married another girl and
came to California. My sife and !
lived in a cabin which bad no floor
except the ground. Ope New Years
eve the citizens of Tie town got up
ball. ! was asked 20 contribute and
refused, telling my reason. The peo-
pie thought me stingy, and said ]
forced my wife TO remain away
The fact of the matter was she had
no clothing for ball. Well. the
ball came of, and ended in stab
bing ARRAY -one man killed another
whom be found waItzing with his
wife. described the incident in the
book. One Of the musicians got
drunk, sand falling into the river, was
drowned, From that time l fought
dancing and made many enemies. l
met an Episcopal clergyman who
neld the same views. Together we
wrote the book. This was twenty,
years ago. kept the manuscript
several years, revising it from time
to time, when my house was burned
and the manuscript with it. Forsen
years have been working on the
book. I wrote and re wrote it, and
at last gave it to publisher. l have
shown society what a loathsome III.
Ger testers in its midst. I shall write
another book soon showing the rem
edy. 1t will be stronger than Dance
of Death" will talk palmer, and
the public will profess TO be horri-
fed, but they will not be, at! the
same"
A few weeks after this converse
ton Rulofson fell from the roof OF
his gallery and was killed. lie was
.ha,dly the msa to have related so
ENTHUSIASTICALLY tho History of the
book unless he was telling the truth.
The book bears the marks of careful
work and elaborate study, not book
to he dashed of in thirty-sight hours
by even as clever writer as Mr..
Harcourt, although persons familiar
with Harcourt's pronounced and
original style claim that they can
detect his handiwork in the book
No doubt he assisted Rulofson IN the
Revision and wrote some of the stri-
king passages. = Carson (Neyadx)
Appeal.
UNTIL VIC dStuAs EcsuIt VI Vffc
Presidents wound can he determined
it Will he impossible to bring Gui
teau to trial. HIS case will 60 over
until fall. This will give ample OPP
portunity to put into execution the
plan proposed by the humane New
York Graphic. By way Of impress
ing a moral lesson it wants Guiteau
taken about the country and whip
ped through the streets Of every
prominent city at a carts tail. This
refining entertainment being over,
it would return him to Washington
City andhav him drawn and quar-
tered. The worst feature Of tue at
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