The Forrest City times., 1888-02-25
Mental Trash for Rnvs

Mental Trash for Boys.
 "The writing of fiction for the youn-- has become an important, branch of literature. said an old writer whoss charming stories have tickled a gcner- ation of young people. '9t seems sim pie enough. doesn't it to draw a lillls upon the imag nation and spin out a lot of stuff about J mmy the Sats Cracker or Bob the Boy Detective,' but some of the best newspaper writers in this city have e'zed tho story-wris- ,r's quill with 8 sort of holy enthusi. asm-and have faileA One of them whose heart-rending ia. .e was published had the happiness of h,'aring himself called a 'chump' by gami.7 critic who had just finished reading the effort
 "I guess this faculty of writ ng Go- ion must come voluntarily to pc, son. l have tried my hand at other branch ss of literature, and have immediately and with great unamity bcen pro- nounced no good. Shortly after this rebuff story telling of the snperhr. man deeds of a young hero appeared. and ever since have not been able lo turn out manuscripts quickly enoa,,h for the publishers.
 On some days cant. to save ma write 8 single line. while at other limos may worry through Q long para. graph, but on reading t second dmo tear it up in disgust Nothing re. mains but to wait for an inspiration. This does not come from above. a sits from the gods as IS yulgarly supposed, but is brought on by knowledge of the fact that the publisher is waiting impatenuY for the next chapter of my story. When l once get started the thoughts come along too quickly.
 'Do l ever correct my copy? We'll not much. l put the story together in my c,aa uu aad then spin it out ,omet mes read Il q second timo and change word occasionally, then of she goes to the prin- ter. We are not particular, any wav. since we are working for poodle. not for uniying lame. Ii we were to follow the advice of Horace i and lock up our manuscript for nins years. and then take it out and rev So t. I am afraid that bootblaeks messen. ger boys aud the young in general would go without intellectual food for some time. That however. might not | prove a serious blow to the community, | for messages would then in all proba- bility be delivered promptly WhE. l have seen a messenger boy. on whoss heetness oi foot a fortune or probably life depended. standing on corner for half an hour intensely absorbed in one of my compos tons Quite faiter | ing 10 me, was il not?
 .'You think the increasing drain | should exhaust my store-house of deas. do you? Let me inform you that 1t | doubtless would. dd not learu soms ! thing new overy day. always make note of everything strange l see or hear. and tho books and papers give me any numbe of ideas which I mold 10 su [ my readers-not my readers ex- actlg-but the publ readers We write to please but one person. and he is Chat all powerful individual who can take the story or return it with thaaks
 You want 10 know how we arc paid? We'll. none of IS ever become ] millona.res. yet q person with oriin. ar talent can always make good liv- i ing at the bus ness.
 T do all of my own writing in two or three daes of the week and make fifty or xts dollars without exertiug myself The most money I ever re- ceiyed for a story was five hundred dol. lars for little thing fin shed in four days It was for celebrated come d an who with my perm sson. erased my name from the tie page and insert ed hs own l don't know how much he received for hs name and my | story.
 [ Il think am doing as much good for the young as many who make more preteusions. Most of my stories arc founded on h story. and probably impress truth on youthful minds mora forcibly than do some of the professor, , who affect to despise our profession so much. --Ae'0 lort Telegram.