The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1886-08-18
Penalties of Authorship.

profit by the experience of others l
wrote a story. There was nothing won
derfu in this, for young people are con-
tinually running good paper, pen and
ink in the same manner. The title
was "'The Smithton SWANS" When
saw the book in the cold print of
proof-sheets it seemed so slight and
colorless, compared with what had in
tended it, that l begged the publisher
not to use my name on the title-page.
My request was granted the publisher
frankly saying that he did not see that
my name would do the book any good
commercially, while, Unpublished anony-
mously, the story might be attributed
to any one of several noted authors,
suggestions of whose styles might be
caught from my pages. But L had
another reason besides dissatisfaction
with my work for wanting my name
suppressed: | was doing so well at the
time as a salesman of hardware that l
had hopes of one day becoming junior
partner in our firm-Hobbs, Tobbs Il
Co.-and l feared the result of either
member learning that any of my time
had been spent in book-writing.
/ spare the reader a recital of my
own sensations when | saw my book in
print. 1t is necessary, however, to say
that the general public was affected
Just as the publisher had been; every
reader seemed to have known among
his acquaintance or in his native town
Just such people and incidents as APP
peared in The Smithton Swains;' so
very soon the publisher began to re-
ceive letters from different parts of the
Union asking if the scene of the book
was not laid in towns specified by the
writers, and whether the author was not
Mr.. - or Miss --. The pub
Usher professed to be truthful man,
but he answered all those letters in
such way that the writers felt assured
their surmises were correct.
A consequence of this was that dur
ing single trip for our firm | was
introduced three several times, in three
different towns, to the author of "The
Smithton SWANS" and, still more start
ling, each of the three persons to whom
was attributed the doubtful honor ac-
cepted without the faintest perceptible
sign of guilt the congratulations which
/ offered. The humorous aspect of the
laundering amused me greatly, but /
must confess that my fun was short
lived, for there was always present
some one who was fiercely jealous of
the supposed author, and who would
explain privately that the book was
such wretched twaddle that it seemed
strange how people could read it at all
Although never openly disagreed with
these persons, their condolences always
made me angry.
The number of towns and social cir
cles that imagined themselves the scene
rs r.
so rapidly and piqued curiosity so much
that the book began to sell far in excess
of the publishers expectations. Blu
one day found out. The book CHANGED
to fall into the hands of friend in thu
city in which was born; he recognized
in one of the chapters story told wore
for word as l once told it to him, so h'
sat down at once and wrote a two
column letter to his favorite newspaper
in which he announced his discover,
in a few lines, and then consumed thu
remaining space by giving minut,
biographical sketch of me, my tastes
and peculiarities. He even caused m,
portrait to be engraved from an OLE
photograph and printed at the head o
the article; then he bought severa
hundred copies of the paper and sen
papers throughout the country.
He wrote me of what he had done
and said he was sure it would do me
great deal of good AS for me, KEEP
out of sight as much as possible, an
grew beard so should not be recoe
nized through the medium of the news
paper cut.
The revelation of the authorship 0
" The Smithton SWANS soon reache
New York, and those of my bushes
friends who first heard it came to on
store to ask who was making fun of me
None of them seemed for moment
imagine that had written the book, c
that could write a book of any kline
so | frequently lost my temper, and di
not find it again until | met some lad
aintances-members of that dc
lightful variety of their sex that believe
whatever it hears, and thinks the write
of the most Insignificant story or poeI
greater than any statesman or warriC
that the world ever knew.
But my gentle acquaintance were nj
restricted to these ladies'. There wer
others, highly intelligent and educated
whom ] had always been glad to met
and who had not seemed averse to mi
But now their manner became strangel
distant. did not long have to wondt
why, for voluble damsel who kne
them well told me in strict confdenc
that they too had written stories-storie
which any one could see $50 they sale
were vastly superior to " The Smithto
Swains," yet for which they could nj
find publishers. They were not exact
jealous of memo one could be jealol
of such trashy book, they said; still
they could not help feeling hurt at til
lack of appreciation in the world, an
they could not help showing it in I'll
presence of one who was a constant II
minder of the low tastes of publisher
and the reading community. TO reiI
state myself, if possible, in the estee
of these injured damsels, l severely b.
rated my own work when talked wit
them, and wished aloud that publishe
would give the public something bette
This course had the effect of restorir
condolences; it also caused me TO /
charged with the friendly service
reading their manuscripts and pressin
them upon my own publisher. AS tn
astute literary purveyor declined eac
and GUAM, do In tu pac bora Of nj