Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-07-28
KILLING A VILLAIN.
Important Meeting OF NoveIists-D isorde<iy
ENDING.


Mr.. Nude recently sent a circular to
his novelists warning them that they
must find a new way Of killing-of vii
lains. The circular was read at meet
ing Of the craft and discussion followed.
Miss Braddon, who was warmly re-
ceived, had no objection to stating her
views. She had little time, however,
for reading other peoples books, and
the only really sensational novel she
knew was called Lost Sir Massing-
berd." The villain here, she very we'll
remembered, died horribly in the trunk
of rotten tree. Perhaps Mr.. Payn,
who had the reputation Of being An ON
piyorous reader, could acquant the
meeting with the authors name.
Mr.. Payn having explained that he
did not know the work,
Miss Braddon resumed. She was
strongly Of opinion that collision at
sea, with loss Of hands, might be
worked to advantage. IApplause.l
Another method, with much to recon-
mend it, consisted of fall from a scat
folding. 1.-The flooring suddenly gave
way, and Rupert Dubois felt himself
sinking. 1t was an awful moment. He
chung TO the ledge Of the house until
his numbed hands lost their hold, and
then, with a wild cry that rings in
my ears still, fell down. down. down,
to fearful DEATH Great cheerlng.l
She did not herself believe in such mild
expedients as shipping a villain off to
Australia. allowing him to land safely,
though that was way OF getting rid of
him for which there was undoubtedlya
precedent. A well in the garden or
underneath a secret staircase might
lack novelty somewhat nowadays, but
there was still something to be made
out Of them with little ingenuity.
A deep pond in an adjacent field
had the advantage Of recalling to the
readers mind an actual murder of
perennial interest, that of Mr.. Weare.
She would also observe that it was not
bad sentimental touch to make the
villain turn the corner and be seen no
more Or he might grind his teeth
for the last time, land so pass out Of
our hcroinc's life." 1t had not been
done so very often, she believed. On
the whole. however, she thought no
thing so effective as desperate strug-
gle, and the dispatch Of the villain on
one of his numerous scenes of crime.
loud applause.
Ouida was Of opinion that out and
out the better way of diSposing Of the
villain was to allow the grandly Ian
guild hero to lift him up in one hand
and drop him out Of the window into
the moonlit waters below. Having then
busted his fingers on his lace handker-
chief, the hero should resume his rose
scented cigar. The idea was so excel
lent in itself that she was convinced it
would stand good deal OF repetition,
Of course with judicious variation.
Mr.. G.. r. Sims, who said he was a
novelist, as well aS a playwright,
begged to say a few words. How
would it do for the policeman (he pre-
sumed they were TO be allowed to re-
tain the policeman, when the villain
orders him to arrest the prosecuted
hero, TO advance suddenly and put the
handouts on the villain himself? lie
fclt confident that the originality Of
this suggestion would commend it to
Mr.. Nude.
Mr.. F. W. Robinson was glad that
10 one had risen to second this sugges-
ton. lie was prepared to take an oath,
if necessary, that he had seen the vii
lain dismissed in this very way on the
stage upwards Of fifty times. But if
Mr. Nude wanted real novelty he had
one in his mind. What did that gen
tleman say to making he villain drink
by mistake the poison he had prepared
for another;
A hundred and nineteen novelists
present having jumped to their feet to
insist and prove that they had worked
ont this idea before it seemed to have
struck Mr.. Robinson
The author Of " Alack-a-Day" and
" 50 Runs the World Away" main
tanned, in opposition to the author Of
Lady Audley'S Secret" that there
was something barbaric in hurting a
,illain to his doom while his hands
were still red with blood. Would it
not be better and more original to en-
tee him near church and set the
organi,t playing: lie could then burst
into tears. and at once become an al
tued man. Cheers
Mr.. Farjeon considered the last
speakers motion good one on the
whole. The better plan is to dispose
Of the villain at Christmas-time. There
is snow on the ground. The village
children sins their simple carol beneath
his window. All at once it strikes
him that he himself was once a child,
and his hard heart is touched. APP
plau>e.i This suggestion might seem
from its novelty little daring at first,
but be was confident they would like
~ when they thought it over.
Mr.. Howells argued, amidst good
hatmed laughter. that there was no
need Of villains in fiction at all. There
were certainly none in real life that he
va, aware: and even if there were,
and they must be put into novels
which, however, he could not for a mo-
ment allow--why should they come to
any sort Of sending at all? Mr.. How
ell; had not proceeded far with these
remarks. when
The young man from Mr.. Nudes
said he could not remain any longer.
His employer had drawn up list of
ways Of dispoSing Of the villain which
must in future be avoided; and h.
would, with the permission of the
chairman. read these out. The list
was - follows:
o. Drinking poison he had intended
for another.
- Falling into
(a) Well,
lb) Pond,
t') Space.
Cjl Shipwreck.
A. Disappearing forever with last
malignant curse.