Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1883-12-18
A POPULAR NOVELIST.

r
right place in the world, as writer OF
religious novels, would make an interest
ing illustration for one Of Samuel Smiles $
pleasant books. He was an army chap
lain during the war, and afterward be-
came pastor Of the little church at High
land Fals, near West Point A new
church was needed, and to build It the
pastor himself went pluckily to work to
rails, the money. The summer visitors
at the Point did their share, but there
rem aimed gap, to fill which Mr.. Roe
began to lecture abou, the country on
the facts Of his army life, bu; without
any notion that he was writer OF nc
ton. Meanwhile the Chicago lire &C.
Cured. and under the strong spell OF a
desire TO visit the scene, though without
special purpose in view. he made a
"forced march" by railroad, and reached
there while the ruins were stu smoking.
In his study there are some curious relics
Of the FIRE in the shape Of China. which
he found in the ruins. on which the IN
tense hea, had burned in a smoky rides
cence. Dat Of this journey there grada-
ally developed barriers Biraed Away.
his first work Of fiction Il was pub
lished in 1872, and a. oncc had an enor-
nous sale. Up to thi, fall be had pub
lished nine novels-miss.ng oaly Two
years. when he issued. instead OF q nov
e!. his Success with Small Fruits
and their sales aggregated $40, 200 cop
les. The tenth novel. His Sombre
Rivals, utilities his experiences Of the
war: and the seasons sale Of this and
the previous books promises TO bring the
total up TO 400. 900 copies-an cXtTaor-
binary result, Tor little over ten years Of
literary work. A. the usual return Of
10 per cent this would come to $780,
900, but this, which represents very near
ly the high-wa,er mark of successful au-
thorship il, after all, little in comparison
with the returns OF successful business
men. Mr.. Roe's method of work has
been peculiar. He writes his Ms. in a
huge ledger or hand book, and usually
finishes novel under tremendous pres
sure, sometimes shutting himself up IN e
room in a New York hotel, and driving
away on diet of beefstake and coffee,
allowing himself only the recreation Of an
evening Of good music. till his book is
finished. This method occa'ionally r.
suits in visible carelessness Of construc-
ton, which his readers, however, easily
forgive. Besides writing novels Mr.. Roc
has been very successful "a grower Of
small fruits, and does one Of the largest
businesses of the country 10 strawberry
plants His pTesen. residence and fruit
farm is at Cornwall, on the side Of old
Storm King. He is now finishing sto-
ry of a novel kind. the plan of which was
suggested to him by the editor Of Harp
er's Nagasiue, and which will begin in
the forthcoming Christmas number Of
that periodical. and run, in company with
William Blacks judith Shakespeare.
for year The title is Mature Serial
Story" and the life land love- making OF
a country home is followed month by
month through the year, with careful
studies Of the outdoor phases Of nature,
Of plant and animal life. Mr.. w. II.
Gibson is associated with Mr. Roe in this
work, and has been making studies for
lavish illustration in the neighborhood Of
Storm King, where the scene of the story |
is realistically placed. His pictures will
be supplemented by figure illustrations
from Mr.. Frederic Dielman, who drew
"A Girl Know" in the mammoth Harp |
,r's Christmas of last year. Mr.. Roe's
books have also had considerable sale in
England, sometimes with, oftener with
,u,, profit to him; but his American re-
urns alone would have made him, had
t not been for his having some Of the
nisfortunes Of Others, the owner Of what
or an author might be called consider
lble fortune But his own satisfaction |
seems TO be rather in the good the stories
nave been to others, in their thousand
pulpit power, than in the returns they |
nave brought to Unsatisfactory |
World.