The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-05-03


sluggish and will not move. But do not give
up at such times, because never can tell what
may happen within a few minutes. Some strange
and sudden Qualifications may take place. and
my Up pen 60 on easily and rapidly
Very much, :" he answered. I never leave
sentence or a paragraph until it entirely pleases
me, no matter how long / have to work at it.
There are some passages in Ben Hur' that
must have rewritten fifty times, think"
In answer to my inquiry as to when he had
taken up literature, he said he began writing
1.-THE Fair God" when he was eighteen years old.
He had worked on it irregularIy and at intervals.
Sometimes it was untouched for years Then
he would take it up again. In this connection
he said IF any person will write few lines
every day-say ten lines oniy--he will be sur
prised to see what it will amount to in the course
of year." A good pointer, | thought, for busy
people who would write good book if only they
had the time.
By profession General Wallace is a lawyer
but he has not practiced since his appointment
to the Governorship of New Mexico in 1876. Il
never liked the law" he said. ut was always
drag to me. like this kind of life very much
BETTER" and saw by the enthusiasm in his face
that he was royalty pleased with his present vo-
cation. He has now two new stories in hand, of
which he will not tell much nor indicate in what
state Of progress they are. But one can say,
Is an his torical novel, dealing with the mosem
faith and life among the Turks, and has for its
elimination the capture of Constantinople from
the Romano He told me that he finds relief in
IN carrying on two pieces of work simultaneous
ly for when wearied of one he can put it by for
time and take up the other, experiencing
kind of novelty and freshness by means of the
exchange.
Contrary to the general experience of literary
people, the author of "Ben-Hur' has found lit
erature not Improbable in q financial sense.
The book JUS. mentioned has not only had
very large sale, but its sales are steadily in
creasing from year to year / learned from ap-
parently good authority that from January to
November of last year General Wallaee's royal
ties amounted to So, 500, while for the year pre-
vious they aggregated $4,000. The nature of
the subject will cause permanent and continu-
Gus demand for the book. A prominent lawyer
said to me not long ago. II would rather be the
author of 'Ben-Hur than any novel ever written,
for the subject is eternal, and the book will en-
dure as long as the English language.
ssTo each new generation it will have as deep
an nterestas it has for the present one, and will
therefore be in perpetual demand. The church
will also take pains to keep the book we'll before
the public But / expect from Lew Wallace"
he continued, another great work. The litera-
ry experience which he has acquired will be a
great aid to him, and he now has the leisure and
the pecuniary independence which will enable
him to thoroughly master his subject, whatever
it may be- and execute his plan perfectly. His
next volume may not be as popular as his last,
but if So it will only be because the subject will
not approach in interest and importance the one
which forms the foundation of 'Ben-Hur.' But
/ shall expect his new book to really surpass the
latter in point of pure literary merit"
Ii is said Of ben Hur" that both Jews and
Catholics read ii with pleasure, and find little in
it that is open TO serious objection This Is GER
tainly high tribute to the judicial fairness and
candor of the book.
This work cost him seven years of labor. An
immense amount of time was required to make
the exhaustive researches necessary to furnish
him the reliable historical data which it contains.
Ee hunted up and read everything that could
throw any light on the period with which his
novel deals, but was careful to select and use
only that which was well authenticated.
According to a statement of the publish
ers. more than eighty thousand copies of
ssBen-Hur" have been sold, and the book has
been translated into German and Turkish. Gen.
Wallace told me that he had recently received
from the English publisher. who had issued the
book in a mutilated form, letter inclosinR
check for $75, and that he intended writing him
only do the author the simple justice of printing
the book as it was written. | asked him what
explanation the publisher made of his conduct in
changing the book
"Oh," said he, mo particular explanation. He
left me to infer, however, that his purpose was
TO make some improvements in it, he added,
with twinkle in his eye but that is the true
spirit of the average Briton. He thinks he is
wiser than anybody else in the world, and has no
consideration for anyone's feelings"
are too much in the habit of looking at things
through English spectacles, reading their books
and adopting their views, and that our supple
mentary independence is yet to be declared.
General Wallace spends good deal of time on
the cars, riding from one place to another. He is
always careful to have a small wrting-tablet
with him on these journeys. and does a consider
able amount of composition in this way when he
finds no acquaintance on the train to talk to. In
fact, he does not always look for acquaintance
oh nj nrnf in,oo RI xUpifo
rather than talk.
In person the author Is Of medium height and
stoutly built, with round, soid-looking head
and dark, penetrating eyes, which look out at you
through gold trimmed spectacles. He is growing
stouter with increasing years. His age must be
little upward of fifty, though he looks ten years
younger. His only child is grown to manhood
and married. He does not inherit the literary
taste of either of his parents but Is inclined to
business pursuits. And just here it is proper to
observe that Mrs Wallace is also an author, and
lady of fine literary and artistic talents. She
Is hest known by her volume of letters entitled
1.-THE Stored Sea, but has written quite extern
sively for various magazines and periodicals.
Show me the picture of the Greek slave,
which the Sultan gave YOU" asked and seeing
that had read the newspaper squibs about it,
he laughed as he conducted me 10 an adjoining
room and pointed to the portrait of little Turk
ish maiden, plump and languid, with large,
dreamy eyes, and richly clad in the costume of
the Orient. The picture is a rarely beautiful
one. 1t is the work of an eminent German art
ist, and was painted probably thirty years or
more ago. The coloring is perfect, and it has a
soft, rich finish that proves it the work of
master hand The picture, which is very valu-
able, came into the possession of General Wal
lace in this way: While he was occupying
the post of minister to Turkey the Sultan
was always offering him some present or
another, and insisted that he should accept
something, as the other diplomatic representa-
tives were willing to do He was informed that
the laws of the United States did not permit it's
officers to accept presents at foreign courts Still
his Majesty did not appear quite satisfied, and
General Wallace finally told him he might law
fully accept loan from him, tho article to be
returned at the close of his term Of service. He
had often admired the picture of the little prin-
cess down in the old palace and when the Snlfan