Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1890-07-19

CAPT. KING, AUTHOR OF .'rwO SOLDIERS"
Capt King first tried his prentice hand
at writing when u subaltern of artillery,
| just after the war, but not with pecuniary
| success, If any other He found n,,,,,,s ,,s,s
ton duty in the south, he began "Kitty's
| Conquest" and tried several publishers
with it. No one wanted it, and he pitched
| the MSS. into a trunk and went out to
Arizona to join the Fifth cavalry for the
| Apache campaign. For six years he and
his regiment were in one Indian war after
another, and scouting all over the conti-
nent, from the Missouri To the Colorado.
1t was while recovering from severe
wound that he began sketches of Indian
campaigning, and they led to demands for
more.
The Lippincotts read his "Colonels
Daughter as it was being published as a
serial in an army magazine that could
hardly afford to pay for the paper it was
printed on. They instantly offered to pub
lish it in book form and pay him royalty
and take anything else he had, including
kitty
''The Colonel's Daughter" is selling yet,
and so is its sequel, "Marion's Faith"
while 'rhe Desertcr' and From the
Ranks and his several later complete
novels have exceeded all the publishers ex-
pectations, and astonished nobody more
than the author himself, His largest work
and considered by professional critics his
best = is 1.-The Famous Battles of the
World" an 800 page volume, published in
Philadelphia, but he has written several
short stories and sketches for Lippincotts,
Harpers and others, and for the next year
or two, am told by the captain himself,
he can accept no more offers, for all that
he can possibly write is bcspoken.
In answer To n question as to his method
of work Capt. King said that there had
been only three months u year until 1887
that he could give 10 writing. The ma
tional guard Is IA thing in which he is
deeply interested, and he has given it q
great deal of time. When nc does write it
is generally for several hours at "a stretch
from s or in the morning until |, or
sometimes ,. lie writes rapidly, and yet
hates to revise and correct; but no one ever
sees his work, good or bad, until it is
opened in the publishers office. Every
thing he has written since 1882 and much
that hc wrote before has found its market.
Capt. King wac born in Albany, n Y,
Oct II, 1SiI, and comes of "a family distin-
guished in literature and politics. His ia
thcr was for several years United States
minister to Rome, and during the war be-
came brigadier general of volunteers. His
once president of Columbia college, aud
his great grandfather, Gen. Rufus King,
was one of the signcrs of the Declaration
of Independence and twice minister to Eng
land On his mothers side he is IA direct
descendant of John Eliot, the Indian apos-
tie In lSi5 Rufus King went to Milwau-
kce and became editor of The Sentinel, re-
siding there continuously until his appoint
ment to Rome. In 1858 Charles King was
sent to Columbia college, where he re-
mained until 1851. Within "A few hours af-
ter Fort Sumter had been fired upon young
King turned up in the campof the Wiscon-
sin volunteers at Washington, with drum
sticks in hand. At IL years of age he saw
his first soldering in Virginia He was
guide for Gen. w ;. Hancock when ho
first crossed the Potomac at the head of
his brigade In 1862 King was appointed
cadet at West Point by President Lin
coin and he graduated No 2 1856, and num-
Der - IN a class Of +6. After graduating at
West Point he was kept there for some
time as military instruetor-a high compli-
ment To subaltern officer.
From 1865 to 1869 Capt. King served in
the regular army as cavalry officer, sta
toned at New Orleans. Then he was or
dered to West Point as instructor in cav
airy tactics. He was relieved from duty in
to 1874 he was confidential aid on the staff
of Maj. Gen. w. H. Emory, with station
at New Orleans There was "A romantic
turn 10 Capt. Kings life about this time
1t will he remembered that there was
good deal of excitement over an nterua-
tional race of gentlemen riders on the old
Metaire track at New Orleans in April,
1872. England, Ireland, France and Aus
tria Were represented, but there was no
one 10 ride for the United States At the
last minute Capt. King entered the con
test, ana the race was a notable one Dis
tinguished people from all over the coun-
try were present. The flower and beauty
of the south turned out, and the grand
stand at the Jockey club on that particu-
lar day was scene of bewildering beauty
and chiyalry. The race was a magnificent =,
one aud 10 the surprise and delight of
every one King won it by two lengths.
After the huzzahs of congratulation had
subsided the victor was presented with a