The Arkansaw traveler. (Little Rock, Ark.) 1882-1???, 1889-04-27


spent some days with one "septimus Felton," who
lived In "House with Seven Gables !" here, too,
they met "Mr Barnes Of New York." who enter
tanned them with the thrilling story, "The Mys-
terry of Hanson Cab" One day they had quite
an adventure while out hunting for who should
they meet on 1.-THE Jericho Road" but the "Hoosier
Schoolmaster" and "Ben Hur," holly disputing the
ownership Of al ncle Toms Cabin" AS Il was "a
Foregone Conclusion" that neither had any title to
1t, the matter was allowed to drop and the whole
party fell to discussing "The Mystery of Metropo-
isvile," and failing to solve IL, finally agreed to
leave Il TO "The Banker OF Bedford" "Daniel
Trentworthy" then happened along and said that
"Helen's Babies" owing to their mothers death,
had been sent "Over the Hills to the Poor House.
They all agreed that here was q case for "The
Breadwinners" to consider, and as they were only
"Just Campin'," IL was high time they turned
their faces "Homeward Bound" before II leaked
out on what "a FOOLS Errand" they had been.
am not kicker, / am not unappreciative
genius and hence what am going TO say concern
ing the ways Of eastern editorsI those fellows
who sit In the editorial anctums OF the eastern
mAgazines-is not born of any personal feelings of
resentment toward them But there has been 30
much talk of late years to the effect that 1t Is utterly
impossible for the average western writer to obtain
recognition at their hands, that after due DELHI
Grafton, want to add my testimony that 1t IL the
truth. | go further, however, and assert that not
only has the average western writer no chance to
get his work accepted by the eastern magazines,
but the average writer of any section Of the
try Is in the same category. The average magazine
editor Ia quick enough to avail himself of the work
of celebrity, no matter where he resides 1t Ia
the individual whose name, no matter for what
reason, has been in every body's mouth who stands
show to get his work accepted by the magazine
editor.
WhyH
Because 1t helps sell the publication. 1t is on
this principle that the editors fill their pages with
matter that sells, not because of its literary excel
ence but rather because some notorious person has
written article and people simply curious to
see 1t. Not long ago leading eastern monthly pub
lished an article from the pen of man whose only
claim upon the public's time and attention was
that he had achieved some fame as q tight-rope
walker. His "reminiscences would have gone beg
ging in any newspaper Office, but this great maya
zine devoted several pages of its space to them So
another publication favors its readers with art-
Gle from an old and played-out ballet dancer,
whose recollections of two three generations on
the stage caught the discriminating and apprecia-
tive editor and brought her, doubt, generous
sum of much needed cash.
or course, there are many noble men and women
who have achieved fame and name in literature and
whose works are eagerly sought after but such
always have more engagements than they fill !;
and the magazine editor, unable often to get
matter from this class does the next best thing
what he must think is 30, at least, and eagerly
accepts stuff from those whose notorety will alone
sell 1t. These editors boast, too, that 1t Is
not their business to discover talent. For years.
LANES w. Riley WA doing sc good work "a he now