The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-07-14

locations.
Robert Louis stevenson's Alleged
Home In Samoa,
Especial Correspondence of The independent. ]
NEW York. July 11.-Some skepticism may
be pardoned regarding the truth of the SEN
sat1onal story which has been flashed under
the oceans and is now surprising the liter
ary world to the effect that Robert Louis
Stevenson has picked out Samoan noun
tain slope as permanent home and will at
once begin to build house To whatever
extent the gifted author of "Jekyll and
HYDE may indulge his passion for study ing
wild and unfamiliar life in the remote hooks
of the globe to which his yacht carries him,
it seems improbable that his numerous liter
ary engagements can admit of his choosing
as home place far removed from the
centers of thought and study-hundreds Of
legaues, indeed, from the nearest liter
airy convenienoes and secluded from
the worlds activity and progress. The
writing, serials, sketches, ETC., for which he
is under contract are sufficient to occupy at
least twelvemonth, and the total remuner-
alton for the work ia estimated at CSC, 900,
of which sum New York literary weekly is
to pay $4,000 for a serial story.
Curiosity is allowable concerning the au-
tograph Of writer whose pen-marks bring
him such remuneration. Mr.. Stevenson's
signature is disappointment to those who
believe that an authors personality shows
itself in his handwriting. It is small, hu-
emit, delicate and most graceful, indicating
none of his weird originality in writing and
none of the forceful disregard for conven-
tionallty which the author shows in his
speech and his dress.
Observers who believe that a man mir
rors himself to some extent in his hand
writing could find many instances to sup
port their theory in the MSS which come
and not few instances which would puz-
zle their faith. In any event they would
learn much of what the curious public is
ever eager to learn.
Harold Frederick has bold. simple and
easy handwriting which .i is icy to the heart
ing Of James Parton is like unto it.
Elizabeth Stuart Phelps has quick and
nervous hand and her manuscript is filled
with erasures and interlineations. Julian
Hawthorne's "copy'' averages eighteen
words to line (his copy paper
s ss;as 's with inches p. sds and 1o,5
ink, which flashes into old gold or deadens
to purple in certain lights. Edgar Faw-
cett's handwriting is plain and full. Frank
Dempster Sherman prints his poems with a
fine pen, forming u,ifully delicate let
cate and lucid as his verses. The same
could be said of Clinton Scollard's pen pro-
ducts. Mrs. Amelia E. Bars writing is
large and firm and angular, yet delicate.
Judge Tourgee uses ink which is like Julian
Hawthorne's, only more SO; Mrs. Made
line Vinton Dahlgreen's chirograp by is
massive and Gothic with lofty arches and
sky aspiring rs. Anna Katharine Green's
handwriting is delicate, graceful, magma
> tive and semi fashionable.
Writers who send in several MSS. in the
same enclosure make big mistake" was
the information recently vouchsafed to me
by reader for one of the weeklies. It is
much better for q writer to take little adj
ditional trouble and mail the articles at in
tervals Of a day or two. Few readers care
to recommend more than one out of four
or five short stories sent at one time by the
same author, and it is frequently the case
that two or three of those same stories
might be recommended if week elapsed
between the receipt of each story. When
an assortment of short stories, poems,
sion given is distinctly unfavorable. A1The
idea of the sender is too boldly evident,
perhaps I'll make a strike out of the whole
lot!' is easily read between the lines. Many
publishers require their "readers" to keep
an elaborate record and index of all arti-
ers'' is increased disproportionately when a
job lot of stories, poems, etc., is received.
As for serials, it is in most cases compar-
atively simple to judge of them. Just now
the magazines and the higher grade week
lies have fewer serials than was tho case
mr. 0roo puo k~-ls ~L =
the weeklies used to print as many as six
serials in each issue. To-day, however,
most of the superior periodicals use ONLY
two serials, some of them only one serial.
Consequently only serial of special brill
lance has any show of being accepted. Ac-
serials profered are rejected off hand. As
novel published serially must be in seri-
al form (that be divided into instruments
nearly equal IN length, and have q rafting,
old-school suspenseful climax and as many
new new writer's do not write in pursuance Of
saleable and bright in book form are
thrown away by readers for magazines
and weeklies. Above all, a serial must have
q hair.lifting first instsllment. It must
lose no time in description and analysis, |
but must get down at once to action; the
about the third or fourth installment.
But the fact is that serial by an I'M
known author has not one chance in thirty |
of acceptance. Most publishers have stored |
IN their safes from ten to twenty-five or
thirty serials by standard and popular au-
thors, and these may have been awaiting
insertion anywhere from six months to
three or -FOUR years or more. With such q |
wealth of serial fiction on hand and with |
lessenlng demand for fiction on the part of
readers, it is not strange that magazine pub.
fishers should be reluctant to accept q serial.
no matter how excellent, from an unknown
genius.
just now magazines and weeklies are on
the lookout for short sketches Of travel. adj
venture, exploration, etc., which are can
able of bizarre and artistic illustration-
Strange life and scenery in remote hooks Of
the earth, picturesque features of metro |
politan life, higher phases of sports. re- |
igious practices, etc., etc., etc. in fact.
anything of interest which can be illustrated
from photographs or by fancy of a crea-
tive and poetical artist. have a better show
for acceptance to-day than fiction. By the
way, amateur photography is destined to
play dictatorial part in the weeklies. A
series of good photographs will float an in
ferior article, the editors touching up the |
manuscript. and, if necessary, giving IT to
a literary hack to rewrite.
Regarding poetry: As might be expected, |
most of the verses which come in are
evolved from feminine cerebral cells. There |
is craze for metrical confections such as
rondeaux, roundels, villavelles, triolets, |
quatrains, and other fanciful products in |
the line of vers de societe. Such things |