Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1883-02-08
Louisa AIeott,s BEGINNING.

- 1AAVtN = DNE tt&biiSs
The Boston Correspondent of the ST.
Paul Pioneer Press writes as folluvs Of
the early literary openings Of the sataor
OF Little Women saying: In auather
she writes Of her early literary sxper-
fences, and says:
sill have a very vivid reeot elton
Of the mingled hopes and fear with
which sent my second story to y lis
fate in a newspaper. My first al cared
in Ballou's Pictorial Museum, Z i the
5000 paid for it was the most " come
money ever earned. The RIVAL Prinia
Donnas Jared still better. for il b uughl
me $40 and a request for more, Al which
delightful news my heart sung f89 IN
and ! set bravely forth along the ll,er-
airy lane, which for twenty years snow
ed no sign of turning. | always s.la-
sldered this tale 3 very successful one.
not only because il was SO Hospitality
received, bat because When drama4zed.
at a hint from q kind friend, it WIS ae-
cepted by the management Of tie B0s-
ton theater. The ladies who wire to
play the prima donnas were actually
rivals upon the stage. and between the
two the poor play Jared i'll. Ii was
wisely given TO the flames nc last, to
the great relief OF all parties. Other
stories followed this fortunate QUE. One
OF the memorable moments Of my life
was that IN which, as / trudged to nav
little school on q wlntery day, my ewes
fell upon a large yellow poster With
these delicious words upon il: Bertha.
a new tale, by the author Of The Rival
Prima Donnas, will appear in the Sat
urday F''ening Gazette was late.
it W. bitter cold, people iostled me.
w 5 mortally afraid | should be recog-
nlzedi but there | stood, feasting my
eyes on the fascinating poster, and say
ing proudly To myself, in the words Of
the great Vincent Cummeles, This.
this is fame,' That day my pupils had
an indulgent teacher: for, while they
struggled with their pot-hooks, / was
writing immortal works;and when they
droned out their multiplication table, /
was counting up the noble fortune my
pen was to earn for me in the dim, de-
lightfnl future. That afternoon my
sisters made u pilgrimage to behold
this famous placard. and finding il torn
by the wind boldly stole ii and came
home to ave it like a trlumphal BAN
ner IN the bosom of the excited family.
The battered paper still exists, folded
away with other relics Of those early
days. SO hard and yet 50 sweet, when
the first small victories were won and
the enthusiasm Of youth lent romance
TO life's dtudgery. A dozen OF more Of
stories We're written during those win
tiers when | first set out to seek my
fortune. With what eagerness did /
unfold the Gazette and read aloud those
foolish tales 70 my partial audience,
who all predicted q future which would
eclipse the fame Of Shakespeare, Scott
and Dickens! Only those who have
known this experience can understand
the intense satisfaction one feels on see
ing his first literary efforts actually in
print, and the sheet IN which they ap
pear always finds a warm place in tie
heart Of the grateful scribller. For to
no other work ever goes SO much love
and labor, hope and fear, rs 10 these
faulty darlings, whom we secretly
cherish long after we are heartily asham-
ed OF them. This training ia the pro-
duction Of short dramatic stori Prov
ed very useful in after years, Ws.an or
ders for tales Of certain lengJ we're
plentiful, and q dozen q month were
easily turned off. and well p for,
especially while q certain editor abor-
ed under the delusion that the writer
was q a The moment III truth
was known the price was lower |, but
the girl had learned the worth Of her
wares, and would not write for ass. %
continued to earn her fair VS. ges ia
spite of her sex. Now hatwompB ave
made a place for themselves ia j3lrtat-
ism and literature, it is wise for lAem
to cultivate not only their Intellectual
faculties, but their practical ones also,
and understand the business details vi
their craft. The ignorance and belp-
lessness OF women writers is amazing.
and only disastrous experience teaches
them what they should have learned
before. The brains that can earn
money in this way can understand now
to take care If i6 by a proper know
ledge Of contracts, copyrights, ana the
duties Of publisher and author toward
n another. Then there would ne less
complaint en- both sides, and fair play
for those that win not only admiration
for their work, but respect for their
wisdom in the affairs Of their trade.
1t is not only 4 pleasure to record eX-
perienccs Of this Kind. bat a duty also;
because in this work-a-day world, where
SO many are struggling up the steep
road that seems 50 easy % climb till
u tries, every success may be made
helpful to others if those WHO win do
not forget their hard apprenticeship,
nor those who aided them when an
known BY The encouragement that
cheers, the criticism that cducates, Tie
sympathy that consoles. and the gener-
osily which gives 4 chance for each 10
do his best