The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-03-29

ctrning preparation, qualifications, methods
optoTtuDitjesan Il Oh enlDRs. To ttem an open,
letter, or ratl er several embodying the re
cults Of the writer's observation in this Ted
msy he OF value.
AS civilization advances, competition
grows stronger, and training and skill b.
con essential to high success. The woman
who wins most easily is she ~ho is best pre-
pared for her work ard who concentrates
Der efforts. Whatever the line OF work ch0-
sen, nothing is OF greater advantage IN the
preparation therefor tran the acquisition of
sound health. The middle aged woman In
The midst of the heat and labors OF the day,
forct0 Terbsps 10 fight the wolf from the
door, or fesying to fai;er lest Sue should l0se
her iootboid so hardly gained. may not be
able - afford the time to brild her physical
s. stem anew. q must counsel with the
spotf ecEry and patch up with powders AID
pills, But the young woman, With her life
before her should choose q more wise and
economical course OF braciDg the back TO the
burden. Before the enters Tor the race, let
Ter take a careful inventory OF her physi-
cal conditions and then proceed To
eliminate by means Of intelligent
and suitable physical training all
the aches and pains, weaknesses and
ailments with which it Is afflicted. Deb IS
a bad burden to begin life with, but IL will
pay in the strongest sense OF that expires
sive commercial phrase, it will pay" a
young woman TO pawn her most precious
heirlOoms, or to borrow the means If neces-
sary 10 enable her to devote three months,
elk months or a year, TO such training as
wall put her in the field untrammelled by
bodily ills or weaknesses. To Be strong
lin bed, feetfooted end clear Drained, to
be in perfect physical tone, is to be able to
laugh at obstacles, to scof ct fatigue, to
climb without slipping back.
Among the qualifications that constitute O
talent for authorship none are more valuable
than an observsnt eye, q rettntive memory
and q capacity for untirirg labor, and tue
early and sssidious cultivation OF these will
be OF immense advantage. To be able to take
IN at q glance all the minutiae OF a land
scspe. to catch the details. touches and asides
of a moving street scene, to see the twitches
aud wrinkles, the deepening of lines, the
changing of tints. lights and shadows that
make upa heeting facial expression is to
possess the secret of strong and vivid de.
scription.
To be able to remember facts, whether
presented through reading Or hearing, to re.
peat Conversations. speeches and sermons, 10
Quote passages and to tell where they can be
found, to know who wrote this and who said
that, in short, to retain the what, when and
where of everything that comes before you
that is likely TO be OF future use. Is to save
months of laborious research. and to possess
an Invaluable qualification for every branch
Of literary work.
To be capable of careful, ~tireless work ard
OF striving toward perfection, to be willing
to study, observe n experiment in order
to obtain a thorough knowledge of o subject.
to be willing TO re write again and again, to
cut, change and condense. 10 revise and pol
ISL. to seek and wait for the right word, is to
be able 10 reach the excellence essential TO
true art. 1t was Goethe's belief that genius
is largely a capacity for sustained and IN
wearied labor. The methods and successes
~ Mfeo Nav ~ rfron fGhn rfoo Lrhnrf Tr.6-
dock are in illustration OF this belief.
IL is said by those acquainted with this
young author and her labors that her power
for sustained effort and careful finish is re.
msrksble. She composes rapidly, striking
off her theme at white heat. Then she re-
vises and publishes. Her first notable story
The Dsncin Party at Harrison's Cove"
was written in one day, then subjected to
the process of finishing and polishing for
three weeks. She condenses her mar uscript.
relentlessiy striking out redundant wcrl'.
often reducing it one half. Iii related that
in order to write the gambling scene in one
of ner books which the Literary World
quoted as an example of fine realistic writing
she sent for Schenck's Hand Book and with
the members of her family played poker for
three months. her interest in that seductive
game waning as soon as she was satisfied that
she was thoroughly prep red TO write her de-
scrjption. In the book Where the Battle
was Fought" q law question was involved.
She was not content with the information
given by her father and brother,
both able lawyers, but made
a thorough study of the whole
subject pertaining TO the statute OF limita.
items. In the serial now being published in
Wide Awake" Down the Ravine," she
introduces the supposed discovery of gold
which turned out to be iron pyrites. In test
ing the find heat was used and a description
of its effects was given. To prepare this
chapter che got all the books on metallurgy
that the Public and the Mercantile libraries
had on their shelves. and made q close ana
metbodical study of the subject. That Miss
MuIfree has never had a M. s. rejected is
due probably quite as much to her psinstak.
ing labor as to her masculine pseudomym,
and masculine chirography. though the
concealment of her sex doubtless secured
her a quicker reading at first.
General News Notes.