Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-06-21
SEEKING A PURIISHER
Full Of Writers Eager for
Fame.

Warrington Full of Writers Eager for
Fame.
SCENE IN A PUBLISHING HorsE-THE ExPE-
RIENCE OF A PUBLIsHER-MoRE AUTHORS HERE
THAN IN NEW YORK OR BoSToN-BooKs THAT
ARE NEVER SOLD ExcEPT To THE AUTHOR.
He had peculiar analytical expression In his
mild blue eye, and a huge bundle. OF what
| might have been manuscript, under his arm, as
he walked into an uptown publishing house.
'NThis is publishing house ?" he said, in
| quiringly.
1T il" replied the man at the desk
"You publish oooks?'
1--WE do"
"You publish books to sell?" he again in
| quired, shifting from one foot to the other, and
handling his bundle nervously.
I've publish books to sell. We have all the
latest publications. both our own and those of
other houses. Is their any particular book you
want?" replied the man at the desk, getting
down of his stool.
You publish scientific books?" continued the
visitor, not needing the question.
4es-er, mean no-er. Ter, we don't pub
iish anything but poetry. Our scientific branch
Red line-editon-gilt- edge half morocco, his
eyes sticking out as his visitor began to unroll
his bundle OF papers.
'Ah," replied the stranger. his analytical eye
melting into look of satisfaction as il he had
Just begun to taste the blood of his victim
Il have poem here called Nibbling at the
fly; or, how to get to the Great Falls II YOU
would just publish it-antiQue paper rough
| edge, gilt back parchment-full name across
top-title underneath-Mr. --'s poems on
--&c. Very neat. When'll you have 1t out. -
| and he laid the IN. 8. on the desk and rubbed his
| hands one within the other.
"But-er-"
'NO, no, not butter. have another on but
ter which I'll bring you after this is out. This
is purely aquatic in long hexameter with double
| rhyme"
| 'But-er-I was going to say" stammered the
| victim. 1--WE are very high in our charges NJ.
Il Co publish poetry much cheaper than we.
Indeed, they are very fond of 'erratic poetry"
"Oh, never mind that" replied the poet. al
don't care for the cost. You'll take that out of
the sales. you know. That book will make me
famous. Don't forget parchment paper. Good
type. Never mind the cost"
NO. Yes. But our poem department Just
happens to have gone fishing this afternoon.
Don't you think (persuasively.) Don't you
| think you could come in tomorrow or any other
timer Just take your time about it. In
| deed-you know don't know anything about
| ment."
MANY like that?" asked STAR reporter as
the observation-disclosures" waltzed out his
manuscript carefully slowed away under his
vest and the analysis again going on in his
eyes.
"Just wait That was narrow escape" re-
piled the exhausted bookseller. "Are there
many Of them? Oh, Lord. yes; Washington's
full OF them. It's the worst place in the coun-
try for them. It's perfect pestiIeDce. There
are more authors in Washington than In New
York or even Boston, though their works
don't get before the public. Every other man.
woman and child has written something they
| think it would do the world good to see. They
come here every day. Some have poems, some
have novels. and some scientific works. Scien-
| title works we have the most Of. Washington
must be the great scientific CENTER Some
| long haired genius of research drops i'm here
every day with wonderful exposition Of scien-
tifc principles, which is to give light to the
world and enrich publisher and author. None
ofthem care what the publishing cost u.s. We
are to take that out Of the sales. They write
on almost every subject, from 'Diminutiye
| Sight, or the Analysis of Gnat's Eye or The
Classification of Star Fish, to the Philosophy
| OF Evolution"
.'Do you ever publish any of their works.
asked The STAR.
VERY seldom"
''How do you get rid Of them?"
"Oh, In various ways Generally by telling
them that we require advance payment of costs.
And sometimes We tell them right out that the
work Is OF no value and would not find sale.
That generally settles them, and they go of full
| OF indignation. Sometimes they complain of
the ignorance and want of taste on the part OF
| lli1cdIeN 10 SET up puDnSfllng
establishments themselves and give the people
what they want. Then again they will 90 of
some where and have their books printed and
bring them back here to place on sale. We gen.
orally let them leave them, in that case; but the
| author always proves the best customer. Some
| times we sell the whole lot to the author who
leaves his books here and then comes and buys
| them to give to his friends as autograph edi-
| tons. There Is writer here of some reputa-
| ton as poet and essayist, who does this
zone very fertile subject for writers here " he
added, g is social life in Washington Nearly
| every woman who goes into WASHINGTON society
| for the first time. thinks she should write some
| thing about it. We have novels full of the .Ro-
| nance of Washington Life thousand Seasons
| In Washington and ten thousands of First
sons and Their First Seasons all setting forth
how social and political life are blended at the
national capital. Then comes the essays on
| etiquette, DO and Don't, and How and why
to do it, The Disbursing Clerk, or the Great
| Deialcation.' All these things come In every
| day and have to be disposed Of together with
| their authors. Then there are great many moral
| essays and Gems of Poetic Fancy, by Young
WashingtOnwriter, that have to be gotten rid Of
| However," he added, ''there are really quite a
| number of good writer's in this city. You have
| no idea Of them. 1t Is quite remarkable for q
city OF its size. Two new authors sprung ur
this week, and their little books, which are
| quite good. are now for sale. Miss Anna Arm.
strong of Capitol Hill. furnished very nice little
| book Of poems; and the other. Miss HitZ, puts
| out good, but strong-minded work on mo-
| raiity. These just mention casually as some
| that came out this week. But the city is full OF
| pretty good writer's, and some very excellent
| ones"