The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1888-03-17

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has become an important branch OF
literature" said an old writer whose
charming stories have tickled gencr-
alton of young people. 1T seems sim
pie enough, doesn't II. to draw a little
upon the imagination and spin out
lot OF stun about Jimmy the Safe
Cracker or Bob the Boy Detective,
bat somc OF the best newspaper writer's
in this city have seized the story writ
er's quill with sort of holy enthusi-
ashland have failed. One of them
whose hcart-rending tale was published
had the happiness OF hearing himself
called 'chump' by gamin critic who
had just finished reading the effort
81 guess this faculty Of writing iic-
ton must come voluntarily to person.
/ have tried my hand at other branches
of literature. aud have Immediately
and with great unamty been pro-
nounced no good. Shortly after this
rebuff story telling of the superhu-
man deeds of young hero appeared.
and ever since l have not been able to
turn out manuscripts quickly enough
for the publishers.
ION some days l can't. to save me-
write single line. while at other times
/ may worry through long para
graph, but on reading il second time
j tear it up in disgust. Nothing re-
mains but to wait for an inspiration.
This does not come from above. gift
from the gods. as is vulgarly supposed.
but is brought on by knowledge of
the fact that the publisher is waiting
impatiently for. the next chapter of my
story. When once get started the
thoughts come along too quickly.
DO l ever correct my copyP We'll,
not much. put the story together in
my Uranium and then spin it out /
sometimes read il second time and
change word occasionally,
then off she goes to the prin-
ter. We are not particular,
any way, since we are working for
Doodle, not for undying fame. II we
were to follow the advice of Horace
and lock up our manuscript for nine
years. and then take it out and revise
il, / am afraid that bootblacks. messen-
ger boys and the young in general
would 60 without intellectual food for
some time. That. however, might not
prove serious blow to the community,
for messages would then in all proba-
bility be delivered promptly. Why.
have seen messenger boy, on whose
fleetness Of foot fortune or probably
life depended. standing on corner
for half an hour intensely absorbed in
one of my compositions Quite fatter-
ing TO me. was il notp
lyon think the increasing drain
should exhaust my store-house of ideas,
do youP Let me inform you that it
doubtless would. did | not learn some
thing new every day. | always make
a note Of everything strange see or
hear, and the books and papers give
me any number of ideas which | mold
to suit my readers-not my readers ex-
actly-but the publishers readers. We
write 70 please but one person, and he
is that all powerful individual who can
take the story or return it with thanks.
You want TO know how we are
padP Well none of us ever become
millionaires. yet a person with ordin-
airy talent can always make good liv-
ing at the business.
IL do all OF my own writing in two
or three days OF tho week and make
fifty or sixty dollars without exerting
myself. The most money | ever re-
ceived for story was five hundred dol
lars for little thing finished in four
days. II was for celebrated come
dian who. with my permission. erased
my name from the title page and insert
cd his own. don't know how much
he received for his name and my
story.
II think am doing rs much good
for the young as many who make
more professions. Most OF my stories
are founded on history. and probably
impress truth on youthful minds more
forcibly than do some of the professors
who affect to despise our profession so