The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-11-24
LUCKY BOSTON AUTHORS.
NOW "looKINo BACKWARD AND
Gvnou SHALT NOT" ARE SELLING.
w.o The Writer Of the Latter Book Re-
.uv I,-Hs Answer 60 the Question
apoe. Novel writing ray7" with Ad-
,,ce 70 Aspirants TO Literary Fame.
Especial CoroSpondenco.l


poeroN. Nov. 2l.-Seatcd at a table
4, a restaurant the other evening, the
,.r;ter saw the man who wrote one OF
che two great literary successes Of tho
wear in American fiction.
DWELL. how is Thou Shalt Not sell
ing asked.
"First rate was the answer; "the
American News company tells me that
INV book and Looking Backward are
tho only books that are selling TO amount
20 anything.
Tho speaker was the man who, under
fho assumed name Of ALBERT Ross"
wrote that much discussed book, "Thou
Shalt Not" and a companion novel,
"His Private Character In that as
summed name there is an intentional pun
a, the name Of tho series in which both
novels were published, the Albatross So
YES
At first the novel Thou Shalt Not"
Wa Put forth 20 the reading public
ANONYMOUSLY. II was not long, how
ever. before there came a demand to
know the name Of tho author. With
The success Of tho book assured, it was
deemed advisable 10 still keep his per-
sonaliiv a secret while seemingly salts
fving the demand for the authors name.
Ills real personality is now for ~e first
time made known in print in this arti-
clo lie is Linn Boyd Porter. He is a
man OF about %, Of medium height and
stout. with frank and CHEEKY manner.
His pleasant blue eyes light up with a
smile when he meets you, and the chang
INC EXPRESSIONS Of his face, which are
unconcealed save by short mustache,
show most Enthusiastically his pleasure in
meeting old or new friends, He has
served an apprenticeship of many long
wears in newspaper work For years no
was editor Of The Cambridge Chronicle,
and atterlv he has been one Of the I.ight
desk editors on The Boston Herald, from
which hes resigned when his book be-
came a success.
During our talk, he became rather
more communicative on personal mat
fers than is bis wont. and for the first
time openly acknowledged that he was
the author of Thou Shalt Not" lie
also gave several incidents relating to
the early history of that book which
have never been told. Aspirants for
literary fame and resulting fortune will
be- interested in this story Of a phenom-
cnaRv successful novel. It is now near
ing its one hundredth thousand, and its
sale is made more remarkable from its
being the first work Of an unknown
writer. tell the story just as he told
10 me.
IL wrote tho story" he said, "nearly
three years before IL was published. In
order TO secure perfectly legible manu-
script dictated it to typewriter, after
which laid it carefully away in a bu-
reau drawer. l often took IL out and
read it over, and | never doubted that ii
would be n success if it once got on the
market: but could not muster sufficient
courage to offer it to any publisher. AZ
last. when going on a pleasure trip &c
New York. / took the manuscript with
me. determining 10 make one desperate
effort 10 overcome my timidity. The
next morning walked to Twenty-Five
street. and with many misgivings as
cended the elevator, to the Office Of G.
w. Dillingham;. / never felt more re
lieved in my life than when a gentle
manly clerk informed me that the pub
Usher was not in.
"'IIere is some manuscript that
would like to have him read, l said
LAYING down my little package. tn,
clerk took il. informing me that it would
probably be returned at my expense
which did not doubt in the least. II
such had been the story's fate, it would
very likely. have been RELOCATED to the
bureau drawer for another three years
but within fortnight received letter
from Mr. Dillingham;, accepting thenoye
and proposing a royalty, which was al
generous. believe, as is paid by any
American house 10 its authors
Il is not likely that any Anonymous
novel has ever had such a rapid rise TO ;
great circulation i'm this country, for the
first editions appeared, as stated above
without any signature whatever, anC
with no especial advertising OF othel
means Of attracting attention. Wher
the second novel was issued last Angus
therewere advance orders for 90 900 cop
les More than $4,000 more have beer
sold since that time, and the demand fol
both Thou Shalt Not and His Private
Character" compels at the present time
the printing of 1000 copies week. They
are sold from Bangor to San Francisco
and from Galveston 10 Montreal, and The
demand bids fair 70 continue.
While thus talking over his success
Mr.. "Ross." as no still prefers to bt
called. let out the fact that no is en-
gagged on and has nearly finished story
which will bear the peculiar titl'
Speaking Of Ellen" 1t treats Of the
labor question, and In 1t is interviewer
love story Of the kind which has made
his pen famous Ellen is the chief o.
the spinners and weavers Of Riverteld
and the contest Of intellect" between
her and Philip Wes;land, agent Of the
corporation, In which. Of course, The
girl comes out victorious, makes story
which. asrapidly outlined by Mr.. Ross
In his impctuous conversation, must b
Of absorbing interest.
The writer asked him the question nov
30 frequently raised;
"Does it pay 10 write novelsf
In reply. he said that his income, tn
first year Of his attempt in that direction
exceeded tho salary Of United State
cabinet oflcerand equaled thecombine'
amounts paid by the state Of Massachu
se,ts 70 its governor and council. II
other words. it amounts 10 about 5000
ayear for the first year. He will put HI
money TO good uses, too. He IL receiv
Ing proposals from prominent publisher
slmost daily. while REQUESTS for his an
tograph are sent from all over the co''i
Try yho best Of the whole matter, toe
Is that his head is not at all turned b.
his sudden elevation from comparatv