The state chronicle. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1883-1893, 1889-05-17
THE SOUTH IN LITERATURE.
GROWING SCHOOL OF WRITER'S
OF SOUTHERN FICTION.

zines Towards An bilious w riters of the
South.-SOme who Have Won Fame.
WOFFORD COLLEGE, SPARTANBURG, S. C.,
May II, 1889 A few years ago the cry
was heard on every hand LET us have a
Southern magazine of high literary grade!'
The plea was that, owing to the bitterness
engendered by the civil war Southern
writer's could not get hearing in North
ern magazines; that Northerners stoutly
persisted, in literary as well as in political
matters, that no good could possibly come
out of Nazareth. AS the years have worn
away the cry has become feebler. South
ern capital was neither strong nor enter
prising enough to establish a magazine
which could successfully compete with the
great New York monthlies.
1he only attempt to establish such a
magazine was made at Louisville about
tiye years ago; but the Southern Bivouac
no sooner showed signs of vigOr than it
was bought out by the Century. Several
young writer's, whose first efforts appear
ed in the Bivouac, now contribute regu-
larry Is the Century. SO Southern talent
has been obliged 10 20 sorth for an out
Northern publishers that they forgot war
prejudices much more quickly than did
the politicians, and were not slow to see
and appreciate the efforts of young South
aru writer's A fresh, breezy story is a
thing of delight to the editor of a literary
journal, and it became plain to the editors
As we'll as 10 their readers that the veins
struck in the literary mines of the South
yielded rich ore.
The New England Yankee and truly
interesting character he was-has been
masquerading through our lighter litera-
ture til we know all his tricks by heart
and now tne time has come when his place
is being rapidly taken b. lreshar 9outhern
and Western types. The Southern story
especially has CONS. TO be looked upon as
the winning card III our big magazines
They sometimes tell their readers hat the
next number will contain, among other
attractions. . fresh Southern story. More
than one Northern critic has said that the
the South; and ex-Judge Tourgee, in a
late nGmbe. OF tie Forum, gives il as his
opinion that the 6Outn l. destined - reap
a rich harvest 10 the held of fiction. He
thinks that the Southern negro and the
Confederate soldier will get the lion's 5
share 4 the song and story of the coming
wears II iii 5i4.s he true, it is not a mat
ter fer boastlng. bat fot Aot t2St "ongratu-
latiou
Why should We not have literary fe
naiSSance! Our pulses have been quick
entd by the stir and thunder OF civil
war, We have a picturesque and checkered
past in which the social fabric was semi
patriarchal ana semi teudai, tho interest
In which will deepen as the years bring
their changes; the Old South is pre- emf
nently a land Of memories, and around
many freside day may be heard tales
of pTivation and poverty, Of noble daring
aud of still nobler sacrifice; many a grave
now covered with periWiEl1lec apd roses
has its story Of love and devotion aud
death
All these literary sheaves may be had
for the gathering; and the following eur
sorry glance at some Of the writer's who
arc now delghting thousands of our mag
azine reader viii show that the reapers
have not been SLOW to thrust IN their sick
les and that the harvest has been far from
Scant
The first Southern writer who won a
national reputation after the war was Mr.
George W Gable. He published in the
Century series of sketches of creole life
in Louisiana, which at once attracted pub
lie notice. The life pictured was new to
most American readers, and the lightness
and grace OF touch with which the work
was done did not fail to charm. Mr.. Ca
BILE, despite his vagaries Oh the negro ques-
ton, continues to please many readers of
the great magazines. Two other New
Orleans writer's have won their spurs
within the past three years Miss Grace
King and Mr.. LafcadiO HaaTI3. They have
infused into their stories OF New Orleans
life more wealth of coloring and tropical
warmth than Mr.. Gable has into his. Mr..
Hearn writes for Harper's, and Miss King
has contributed several stories of creole
life to the New Princeton Review.
Coming further east, we find group of
story te,lers who picture the life of mid
die and notherp Georgia, dealing with the
cracker, the negro and the mOpntaineer.
These writer's are Col, tichafd Aialcnm
Johnston, Joel Chandler Harris and Harry
Stillwell Edwards Col Johnston was so
years of age when he gained foothold in
the Century, his earlier life having been
devoted to law and teaching. He has
made h!G home of late years in Baltimore,
and gives to literary work his undivided
time. Both Mr.. Harris and Mr.. Edwards
have had journalistic training, the former
in .1tlanta and the latter in Macon. Mr..
Edwards has recently published several hu-
m0rous stories i'll ths Century.
The Old Dominion furnishes the next
group OF writers as we Journey north"afd
| along the Atlantic coast. The Mother OF
Presidents can claim to by far the largest
number of the newer story writer's. Thom
as Nelson Pages stories Of life in Old
| Virginia, in which the pathetic devotion
of the old family negro is idealized, are
read with delight around every treslde
Mrs. Amelie Rives Chanler enjoys the
! questionable distinction of being the
American Ouida; Miss Frances Courtenay
BAYLOR, Miss NJ. @. McClelland and Miss
Julia Magruder nave not only publlshec
volumes which give faithful pictures ol
certain phases OF Southern life, but they
contribute regularly to the metropolitan
magazines Perhaps the latest aspirant
for literary fame is Mr.. a. g. Gordon, who
has written for the Century some charac
teristic sketches, which show decided
ability.
Tennessee and Kentucky come in fol
their share Of glory; each contribute ONT
story teller of national reputation. Charles
| Egbert Craddock's stories of mountain
yrhi hoy pn(