The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-04-28

much less writing them, but l
must write about life MS IL is, or | should
not be true to myself or others. To the
pure all things are pure, added Miss
Daintroy, sententiously
"What is your opinion in regard to such
writer's as AInelie Rives or Edgar Saltus2"
81 never express any opinion on other
writers OF the day. This is a cast iron rule
Of mine, II you will allow the expression.
/ have only one remark TO make and II Is
this, that l object to being classed with
the realistic school OF fiction. ! wrote be-
fore II came into existence or before had
ever heard OF any OF the little local cur
rents Of the New York literary world. j
am n member OF the Society OF Authors, OF
which Lord Tennyson is president and
Mr.. Walter Besant the founder"
MISS LIBBY EXPLAINS.
Miss Laura Jean Libbey's homo on Put
nam avenue Brooklyn, is a very pretty
Queen Anne house. She has been engaged
in novel writing now for four years.
Miss Libbey Is the younger oil two
daughters. Her sister, Mrs. Olive Z. Fair
childs, Is the author OF several books,
among which is "a Double Love-"
Miss Libbey is OF medium stature. She
has proiuson of light brown hair, which
she wears closely colcd low down on her
neck and in irizzled mass over her fore
head. She has clear, rich complexion,
large blue eyes, and firm, well-cut mouth,
indicating strength OF will. She has a
light, merry laugh, that seems to fill the
room, and has peculiar way Of throwing
herself back in her chair when she laughs,
rs II she were determined 10 enjoy herself
as much rs possible. She wore u hand
some pm in her hair, gold bracelets, two
diamond rings on her fingers, and was at
tired in a neat blue dress, which contrasted
well with the crimson-lined chair in
which she was seated. She used 10 write
veses, when at boarding-school, between
hours, and one day she sent some TO q
newspaper. II was not until year after
ward that she learned that her poem had
been accepted. She continued to write
verses after this, and finally tried her hand
at story writing. Her plan is to write two
hours in the forenoon and two hours in
the afternoon, but she never writes on
Friday, no matter how urgent the case
may be, and she has an old inkstand that
she has used for nine years, which she
would not part with on any account
Miss Libbey generally takes her charac-
tiers from lie. "Alss Middleton" is a
Brooklyn girl who lives not very far from
Miss Libbey's house. Her next novel
will be story OF lie in Baltimore, and
Miss Libbey expects TO eclipse all her ior-
mer efforts. She cares very little for 30
ciety but is u great reader and is fond OF
travel.
THE ABUSIVE CRITICS.
When asked what she thought Of the
critics who had abused her she said:
III am glad TO have this opportunity oil
expressing my views on tho subject from
which have suffered kecnly aud in 81.
lence. Never, | think, in the annals OF
history has such rank injustice been
shown an author as has been SHOWN me
In the abuse OF my novel, Miss Middle
toms Lover by the critics. II they de-
ociye me IN one instance can we trust
them agaih2 In "A Forbidden Marriage
they were more truthful. The first de-
rogatory paragraph started in the East |
said 10 myself that review was probably
the work OF some ono who had tried his
hand at writing an interesting novel and
had met with dire failure. | was
sincere In the belief that the re-
viewers would not misrcprcscnt mo after
having read the book. But no, seeing that
SNOWFALL, the sizo OF marble, in this
great Eastern paper, the lesser lights
looked through their spectacles, and with.
out taking the trouble TO open the book,
tossed the SNOWFALL from one to the other
until II grew into alarming proportions,
aud beautiful moral book was stamped
~ immoral--and not ono of them, II theiI
very life depended ON Il, could point oui
any such passage.
"Right here lot me give you one or two
amusing incidents Of accepting other folks
opinions. While in Washington recently
met widely-known newspaper mar
who had written no end Of cruel thing
about Miss Middlolon's lover lie di,
not catch tho name when We were intro
duced. aud consequently did not recog
niEe in the the author Of tho aiorcmcn
toned book. During the conversation
asked him II lac had ever read the bool
carefully through, and he amazed me b.
declaring ho had never read itat all-ha
never seen It, There was an amusin
scene when | revealed my identity. The
he frankly admitted he had gathered hi
opinion irom-exchangcs
WHAT II iNNoRALirY7
"Why, ! would as soon think Of puI
ting a scorpion into the hands OF youn
girl ~ an immoral story.
IAN books having lcwd women M hero
ines. describing liccnlious actions, appeal
ing In any way TO the bascr senses, should
II permitted 10 reach the public at all, b
labelled poison, for they are dangcrou
and deadly"
Miss LibbcY may be seen almost an
day riding Ia Prospect Park. and sho hi
nj least eighteen huncshoes which sho III
picked up ut various umcs in her root
In Putnam avenue. One Of them Nj
prize. more highly than all the rest.
stands on an ebony easel and attached |
Il, by a crimson Gllk bow, " a card bca
ing the words
"Maud SIS shoe. Presented 20 Mi
Laura Jean Lbbey with compliments
Robert Bonner, New York. sept, 1851.
" -