The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1889-05-16
SOUTHERN LITERATURE.
a GROWING SCHOOL OF WRITER'S
OF SOUTHERN FICTION.

The Fostering Care Of Northern Maga-
zines Towards Ambitious Writers Of
the South-Some Of Those Who Have
Achieved Fame. .
From the Charleston y ens and Courier.
A few years ago the cry was heard
on every hand "Let us have South
ern magazine of high literary grade !"
The plea was that, owing to the bitter
ness engendered by the civil war,
Southern writer's could not get he,r-
ing in Northern magazines; that
Northerners stoutly persisted, in liter
ary 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 and
feebler. Southern capital was neither
strong nor enterprising enough to. es-
tablish magazine which could sue
cessfully compete with the great New
York monthlies.
The only attempt to establish such
magazine was made AT Louisville
about five years ago; but the Southern
BiUOa1ac no sooner showed signs of
vigor than it was bought out by the
Century. Several young writer's,
whose first efforts appeared in the
Birouac, now contribute regularly to
the Century. So Southern talent has
been obliged to 60 North for an outlet;
and be it said to the lasting credit of
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 Southern writer's. A fresh,
breezy story is thing of delight to
the editor of literary journal, and it
became plain to the editors as well as
to their readers that the veins struck
in the literary mines Of the South
yielded ore.
The New England Yankee-and a
truly interesting character he was
has been masquerading through our
lighter literature till we know all his
tricks by heart, and now the time has
come when his place is being rapidly
taken by fresher Southern and Wes-
tern types. The Southern story es-
pecially has come to be looked upon
as the winning card in our big maga.
zines. They sometimes tell their read
ers that the next number will contain,
among other attractions, a fresh South
ern story. More than one Northern
critic has said that the best stories we
get nowadays come from the South
and Ex,Judge Tourgee, in late num-
Der of the Forum, gives it as his opin-
ion that the South is destined to reap
a rich harvest in the field of fiction
He thinks that the Southern negro
and the Confederate soldier will get
the lions share in the song and story
Of the coming years. If all this be
true, it is not matter for boasting
but for modest congratulation.
| Why should we not have literary
renaissance? Our pulses have been
quickened by the stir and thunder oi
civil war; we have picturesque and
checkered past in which the socia
fabric was semi patriarchal and semi
feudal, the interest in which will
deepen as the years bring theil
changes; the Old South is pre-eminent
ly land of memories, and around
many fireside to day may be hearo
tales of privation and poverty. o
noble daring and of still nobler sacri
flee; many grave now covered with
| periwinkles and roses has it's story o
love and devotion and death.
All these literaty sheaves may bt
had for the gathering; and the follow
ing cursory glance at some of tn,
writers who are now delighting thous
ands of our magazine readers will
show that the reapers have not beer
slow to thrust in their sickles and tha
the harvest has been far from scant.
The first Southern writer who wol
a national reputation after the wa
was George w. Cable. He publish
ed in the Century series of sketche
of Creole life in Louisiana, which Al
once attracted public notice. Th
life pictured was new to m66g Ameri
can readers, and the lightness an,
grace of touch with which the worl
was done did not fail to charm. MI
Cable, despite his vagaries ON the ne
gro question, continue to please man,
readers of the great magazines. Tw
other New Orleans writer's nave wo
their spurs within the past three year
Miss Grace King and Mr.. Latcadi
Hearn- They have infused into thei
stories of New Orleans life NOR
wealth Of coloring aud tropical warmt
than Mr.. Cable has into his. Nj
Hearn writes for Harper's, aud Mis-
King has contributed several stories |
Creole life to the New Princeton q.
vieso. =
Coming further east, We find grou
OF story-tellers who picture the life {
middle and northern Georgia, dealin
with the cracker, the negre and th
mountainteer. These writers are Co
Richard Malcolm Johnston, 10,
Chandler Harris and Harry Stillwe
Edwards. Col. Johnston was so yeal
Of age when he gained u foothold
the Ceatury, his earlier life havin
been devoted to law aud teaching. II
has made his home of late years j
Baltimore, and gives to literary wor
his undivided time Both Mr.. Harr
and Mr.. Edwards have had journa
istic training, the former in Atlanl
and the latter in Macon. Mr.. E,
wards has recently published sever.
humorous stories in the Centuru.