The Bozeman weekly chronicle. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1883-1889, 1883-10-24


The new magazine, the Manhattan, is
said to have one of the firm of Arnold,
Constable & Co., IS its chef backer. 1t
is making q very creditable fight for ex-
istence, but it must have hard shedding.
Mr.. Roswell Smith, publisher Of the
Century, with whom spent some days
at Lucerne this summer. told me that it
cost about 5000 a number to get out
that beautiful magazine. Among the
chief impediments to magazine publish
ing is the fact that we have few writers
of good short stories in this country, and
few writer's of long stories who can divide
them skillfully for serial. Just think
of Charles Dickens work He under
took to write to space, and he did it
wonderfully well. Before beginning a
novel he contracted to write a book of
$40 pages to appear in sixteen monthly
parts of forty pages each. Each monthly
part was not only to be exactly forty
pages, but it was, if possible, to end a
situation, so as to furnish at once a stim-
ulant and rest for the next number. But
Dickens is dead.
There has been q good deal ofagitation
here in literary circles over the fact that
a certain lady, who gave popular recep-
tions and organized and managed con-
vivial club, has for years held improper
relations with Col. Harry Van Rensselaer,
who, she claimed, was her uncle, and
whom she affectionately called "Uncle
Harry" She was known as Mrs. Fen
nimore, a prettier name than the one she
bore fifteen years ago, when she worked
in printing Office down town. Just
how she got into literary society here
four years ago, nobody seems exactly to
know; but "Uncle Harry" was well
known and much liked for his-ra cul-
ture, his talent, and his bluff heartiness
and when she began to give receptions
in her beautiful house (where "Uncle
Harry" lived), she was soon as we'll
known and as much liked. Nobody
asked many questions. All the best
known writer's in the citv gathered in
her fine parlors-journalists, novelists,
poets, playwrights, actors, musicians,
mayors and senators-spouted their rec
itations, exchanged their witicisms, sang
their songs and drank her wine. Mrs.
Fennimore was always delightful. A
brilliant woman, witty and amiable, a
poet, a musician, author of a play or two,
incredibly suave, immensely clever, she
knew how to sharm her guests and make
them come again. have met host of
interesting people there. She took spec
ial delight in gathering young girls
around her, and organizing them into a
phalanx of sweetness and light" Many
of the most attractive bellies of the city
have been under her protection, and are,
l suppose, none the worse for it. But it
is now generally understood that Mrs.
Fennimore and Uncle Harry live together
in the residence he presented to her;
that Uncle Harry is not relative of
hers, but is the husband of a lady and
father of children in another part of the
city; that Uncle Harry has given to her
several houses, of which she collects the
rents; and that is sad case all around.
A hundred or two ladies and gentlemen
who have accepted her hospitality. dur
ing the last five years, and have enjoyed
it undeniably, are now mad as a wet hen
and claim that they have been imposed
on; and they imprecate and call Uncle
Harry names, and say that he might at
least been more discreet and lived in
another house. So there are sore heads
all along the skirmish line, and our lit
erary society is silently weeping over its
sawdust doll.
The Tribune building is the greatest
newspaper headquarters in the world
Not only the Tribune. the Journal, and
half dozen other papers, are printed
there; but occupying the rooms of the
front building are representatives of the
following papers, recording them in
order from the eighth -four downward:
Chicago Times, Pittsburg Telegraph
Louisville Commercial, St. Louis Repub
lican, Chicago Tribune, Cincinnati Com
mercial Gazette, st. Louis Globe-Dem
ocrat, Louisville Courier-Journal, Peck's
Sun. Omaha Bee, Kansas City Journal
Washington Republican, Denver News
Oregon News, Kellogg lists Il ,3l1) papers
New Orleans Times-Democrat, Philadel
phia Press, Kansas City Times, sar
Francisco Bulletin, San Francisco Call
Chicago Grazier and Baltimore American
These newspapers fill up the best rooms
in the building.
w. A. CRoFFUT.