The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-06-07
sCONWAY'S CALLED BACK
Something of the Work and Character
istics of a Successful Author.
ErOm an Auctioneer's Shop to Literary Fame
Marvellous Popularity Of Called
Back"-Death Ends ALI.

Correspondence OF the Indian polls Journal
LONDON, May 2s.--I recently interviewed for
you the friend and collaboration of Mr.. Hugh
Conway. 1t is my privilege this week to have
him supplement my brief sketch of his work and
career with account of his relations with the
author of Called Back Mr.. Comyns Carr. in
reference to my request for personal account
of Hugh Conway for your journal, has written
to me the following very interesting letter
my Dear Hatton-You ask me to tell you
something about my poor friend Hugh Conway.
When we were chatting the other evening about
Dark Days and discussing the prospects of the
drama which he and had carved out of his
thrilling story, / little thought that l should
have TO speak of his death. IL 10 only few
days ago that received a pencil note from him
in his own hand. After long and hard strug-
gle he seemed to have fairly beaten this terrible
fever He wrote to me of his delirium and of
the strange visions that had haunted him. but
he wrote cheerfuy withal. The worst as we
hoped, was over He was weak and exhausted,
but he was convalescent and he was look
ing forward to a speedy return to England
and to his work Then the bad news came. The
very morning after we parted found a letter
from his wife He had been allowed to take his
first drive in the open air. bat sinister fate had
lain in watch for him. The horses in their car
rage had grown FESTIVE and had broken the har-
ness. The invalid had been compelled to wait
Carlo, and the shock of all this, perhaps also
chill that followed the shock had proved too much
for the poor fellows enfeebled strength and shat
tered nerves. That very night he was again in
high fever, and since then there has come only
bad news day after day. A week ago they thought
all was over then his strength seemed to rally a
little under the influence of morphia, and my
daily bulletin from his poor wife has aternated
between hope and fear ending as you know, in
the telegram received on Friday, bringing the
sad news of his death.
Il can hardly believe now that I have only
known him year and half. His was such
sweet nature that intimacy quickly ripened into
the closest and most loyal friendship, and find
myself to day mourning his loss as though we
had been friends for many years. You know
what literary partnerships are: how quickly and
especially in connection with the affairs of the
theater, where there are many latent elements
of irritation and estraneement-the warm
alliance of to-day is transformed tomorrow into
half acknowledged hostility and you will, there
fore, appreciate the full force of what say when
I tell you that no fantest note of discord has
ever disturbed the complete harmony of our re-
lationship. This speaks strongly for the strength
of our friendship but to me IL speaks also OF the
rare character of the man himself He had
made up his mind he could trust me in the work
had undertaken to do and although he was al
ways ready with helpful suggestion, his conf
denee in my Judgment never wavered for mo-
ment
my first acquaintance with Hugh Conway
d
with a friend in the Fielding Club on the 10th
November 1888, when first heard of the story
Of Called Back give the precise date because
it has certain significance in connection with
the rapid and extraordinary fame which the
book shortly afterward secured My friend was
full of its weird power and fascination. He had
read it the night before by the advice of bar
rister of the Western circuit, known to US both,
who had across the volume at Bristol.
where, as you know, it was originally published.
Get it and read it, he said to me. and if you
don't find in it the materials for drama shall
be very much surprised On my way home
that afternoon asked for Called Back at every
booksellers passed, but asked in vain. It was
not known; they had had no inquiries for it; if
cared to wait for couple of days, no doubt they
could get it for me- Such were the answers
received in some half dozen shops |
AS forlorn hope, 1 tried my own little news
vender near my house. Had she got Arrow
smiths Christmas Annual Yes; copy had
been ordered, but the customer had declined to
take it; could have it if pleased. paid my
sixpence Tin the original issue the price was only
sixpence) and took the book home. That night
l read the story half through, and then |
stopped / felt if / had gone any further
should not have slept all night In the morning
read the remainder-read it in the street as /
walked down to my Office. The next day
wrote letter to Hugh Conway, to the care of
his Bristol publisher. / did not know the name,
/ knew nothing of the man; but l wrote to ask
him two questions: Would he authorize me to
dramatize Called Back?" Would ne write me
a story for my new magazine! The answer came
by return of post. He freely gave his consent
to my first proposal, and, as regards the second,
Mr. Conway would call upon me on day named
in his letter. He came, and was instantly inn
pressed with of power about the man.
He agreed to write me a story for the English
Illustrated Magazine, the second number of
which had just appeared. He also, Of his own
accord. pledged himself to give me the refusal
of his first novel, and he finally concluded the
arrangements for the drama of Called Back
All this be il observed. was settled between us
before the book that has made his fame was
known to any large section of the London public.
had myself told the story to few literary
friends, and they, in turn, had told others.
Then, little later, came a paragraph in Truth,
written by Mr.. Labouchere, and from that mo-
ment the fortune of the book and of its author
were made. ! suppose that IN the history of
modern literature there has been parallel to
the sudden and phenomenal success of Called
Back Conway originally sold the copyright to
his publisher, Mr.. Arr0wsmith, for tS0-a very
fair sum to be paid for a country bookseller for
Christmas story; but, to the honor of Mr..
Arrowsmith, it must be recorded that when the
sale had reached 100.O 600 copies. he voluntarily
rescinded his own bargain, and admitted the
author to full share in the profits of the ad-
venture. Ultimately the sale. believe,
reached over $50, 900 copies When the drama
was produced in the spring of 1884 it gave
fresh impetus to the popularity of the novel, and
/ believe the story has still continuing and
steady sale
'Iu the experiences of editor, nothing Is
more droll than his correspondence from un
known readers of his magazine and could give
you some quaint and interesting evidence of
Hugh Conways extraordinary power OF convey
ing an impression Of absolute and unimpeachable
veracity In this respect doubt if he has ever
been excelled by any modern writer of fiction.
Only the other day received a letter from the
wife of Queens Counsel resident in London,
regretfullv informing me that she felt compelled,
on the score of morality, to discontinue her
Subscription to the English illustrated Magazine.
She had arrived at the point in the family
affair where the author had first limited at the
parentage of the founding child, and she felt
that the story was no longer fit reading
for her daughters. / remember, too,
that when Paul Vargas published /
received several astounding communications.
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