Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-02-15
EDITOR SULLIVAN INTERVIEWED
BY BILL NEE. &

and had an hour or two OF earnest talk with
him.
I found Col. Sullivan seated in royolyine
chair facing roll top desk. As came In nd
had before him largo sheet OF paper and a
new. sharp. pencil. io was trying to think
OF word. Tho Office boy said that Col. Sui
liyan hud been trying to think of tho word
all tho afternoon.
He rose and shook me cordially by tho
hand and then asked mo how literature was
looking from my standpoint He said no
thought literary people ought to stand by
each other, and asked me il 1 would tell him
tho French synonym for the smuggling recital
SAID L did not know exactly. unless we
called 1t tho sorcc dc scrappe or something
hko tlat. The term seemed TO pleaso him
so. taking out his tablets and his tongue, he
nude note OF it.
IF not asking too much. Colonel" said I.
scratching match on tho log of tho great
nttcrateur. and lighting my cigar with it, Il
would like TO know your literary habits and
nc, 81 work. together with your portrait.
ior publication. II would do you no harm
at nll. and 1t would tickle the reading public
just about to DEATH"
%. notwithstanding. Tho papors has
always stood in with me. and am ready to
ten what know that1l jerk literatoor out
OF tho SOUP"
We'll. now. Colonel. would you mind tell
or perfunctory2"
No. It's mono of them at nil. At least.
limits my idea about 1t. The janitor tends
to thut. / Jest write"
Il know; but is your work easy? Do YOU
write rapidly. MS Howclls and I do. or Is It
IKE having u fclon? In other words. do tho
cnlidren OF your brain keep you awake
nights? Do you write sentence and then
go to tho hospital or do you turn out copy
by tho pound?" ~
turn out my stun by the pound. I didn't
Understand you ut first Yes my work Is
lor the paper and knocks the spiral springs
out Of me-"
"Onn mara ouoction HoIoooi $780,.
ms ate Il few caramcls from tho half open
drawer OF his desk: how does a Thought
first come to your Docs it como stcnlthily
upon you-the way II reaches Browning. or
is IL porn with full set of teeth and sido
minister's rs 1t comes to the think tank Of
Lord Tcnnyson?"
4 guess / don't tumble. Potio. I can't
seem to sabby. rs we say. / thought YOU
came here TO talk about litcratoor and
things"
=, We'll. 1 did. Colonel. did. But what
tho people want to know is your methods of
thought, so that they can do it themselves.
how think is thought tho difficulty is over.
we'll now, We aim to get all tho various
methods together and then n writer has no.
body to blame but himself If lie doesn't sue
coed. Sec?"
Yep"
well. now you understand. II one writer
puts his feet in hot water with mustard in
II. ana Ties a red yarn string around his
thNho' W. ANhc tHHJ anu use IL WITH
other information. and thus we get n good
idea OF how 10 do any kind of writing. We
also want to know. as / say. how thoughts
come to each literary wonder. and so ask
you that question. Do your best thoughts
come TO you early in tho morning when tho
dew is on the heather and the little song
birds arc pnyinG attention to each other.
or at evcntide. when the shrill cry of tho
dewdad is borne across tho bosom OF tho
silent nght?"
"Oh, now you touch mo. get on to your
undcrcut style. Yes. of course. Christie
pher Columbus. yes. You talk so much
like Syvanus Cobb that I'll swear at first
l didn't follow you at all. We'll. 1 think my
best thought is in tho morning. In tho
evening my thinker is confused would
rather do something else in tho evening.
Morning is good enough for mo-"
We'll. Colonel. let mo ask you. in your
work, what writers do you read most to
give you style and finish? Do you prefer
the old tones OF almost forgotten lore? Do
You read mostly Xenophon. and Putarch,
and Cantharides. or do you prefer such men
us Jnmes?"
Il don't care cuss for tho pharmacy fell
!crs you speak Of so fur rs that goes. and rs
for James. I've always said lie ought to be
dom time in Missouri fifteen ycnrs ago"
We'll. Colonel. would you Just as soon
give me an idea OF your literary habits
right through. shy for ono day?"'-
Yes. of course. l get up tolernblc curly