Telegram-herald., 1889-09-20
TILT BETWEEN NOvELIsTs.

a TILT BETWEEN NOvELISTS.
How Major Calhoun FinIshed . story
Which sSed Buntiine" Had Begun
COPYRIGHT 1889.
Major Calhoun. one OF the most pro-
life OF modern blood and thunder story
writer's, and Louis Neumann. who is the
author OF three composite novels.
adapted from the German, Spanish and
Italian, and averaging million words
apiece, were comparing experiences
few days ago
Il once had a rather exciting passage
with the late Ned Buntline." SAID the
Major. He was writing a story for a
weekly paper on which We were both
frequently engaged, when he took a
sudden vacation IL was a way he had
and nobody thought anything about it;
but In this case the publishers were in
a dilemma, as they had but single in
stallmeat ahead. was sent for and
told 10 read the chapters already
printed. and then 20 set 70 work and
finish up the story in one or two install
mcnts.
Well, l read the part that had ap-
peared, and IL was a job. / soon dlscov-
cred that there was an enormous num-
Der OF characters In the story-more
than could very well handle; for Jud-
son was a man who could keep track Of
a large number of persons all at once.
This multiplicity Of characters puzzled
me. Finally, l resolved TO get rid of
some OF them. and | adopted very
original method. / put a number of
them on board an excursion steamer and
then exploded her boilers. sending them
to kingdom come. With the rest |
worked out a plot to climax and
wound up.the story in fairly good shape.
You may imagine Judsons wrath
when, on returning 20 the Office two
weeks later. he had learned what had
been done. I explained that / had acted
under orders, of course; but he couldn't
be pacified, and was very mad man,
indeed. He cared nothing. he said,
about the finishing OF the story; it was
the brutal way Of killing OIL his charac-
ters that be objected :O-the Wholesale
annihilation. which he declared 10 be
inartistic. By-and-by he saw the thing
in its proper light, and we had many a
good Joke over II"
That reminds me-" said Neumann,
''of somewhat similar incident that Oc-
Cured in Paris. A highly sensational
story was running in one Of the daily
papers, and the chief had 4 few install
ments on hand when the brilliant
young author took 1t into his head 20 90
off and get married. Then he set out
on a wedding tour, which was 20 last a
week The instalments were soon used
I'D. and another member Of the staff
was directed 90 wind Up the story. lie
sent the heroine 10 a watery grave in
the river seine: he poisoned the hero.
slew the able who was the sole witness
Of the marriage. and closed the tale in
a most tragic and narrowing manner.
II was a dark and weird success, you
may believe. At the end OF the week
the author showed UP. tie had with
him several instalments which he tend
cred 70 his chief.
Your story is finished, VI. --'
said the editor.
g. Pardon me. returned the IN
dauuted novelist. 1T Is no. finished.
have here the continuation. and there
is more % come. Indeed, the best part
OF it is here.
Tchut exclaimed tho chief: Why
insist2 I sav BE- is finished. VI. -
bad 20 do ir i'm your absence.
"I am aware that he wrote several
chapters. said the unbiushiug romancer:
but II you viii kindly read this manu-
script I am sure y0u will agree with
ne that I am right
The manuscript was passed over.
and 20 the chiefs surprise. ID was re-
nsrkablv dramatic sequel 20 the story.
The heroine. instead OF being drow ned.
was rescued by some fishermen on the
river below Paris. the hero was saved
by a medical frie nd. who applied the
stomach pump in time, and the able re-
covered from his wounds and was on
hand " bless the nurtisls cf the happy
pair
Ny friend said ~ nposit q
novelist as he turned 20 he contempla-
+ ton Of q Portuguese book on shorth0rn
cattle. which he vas translatinE for a
Mexican rsnchero. ''there Is no obstacle
that true Ee1ius cannot overcome.