The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-02-04
HOW HE BECAME A STORY WRITER.
Richard Malcolm Johnston Talks of His
Career and Early Efforts.


Richard Malcolm Johnston's sketches of
rural life in Georgia have been among the
most delightful contributions to current
magazine literature. Col. JOhnston-for
he bears that title-is tall and elderly, his
hair and mustache being white, but his
eye is clear, his manner gracious, and he is
the most entertaining talker, his speech
having a rich southern flavor. He was
with James Whitcomb Riley when the re-
porter came upon him at the Denison
House, and that gentleman kindly gave his
assistance to draw the colonel out.
STORY writing" said the colonel. sis the
last thing for me in literature, and came
to it in a way altogether accidental. had
published two or three volumes on English
literature and in conjunction with a
friend had written the life of Alexander
Stephens and also a book on American and
European literature, but bad no idea of
story writing for money. Two or three
stories of mine found their way into papers
before / left Georgia"
when was Abraham Blliugslea' writ
ten?" inquired Mr.. Riley.
"Oh, that is recent-only three years ago.
went to Baltimore in 1861. had been a
professor of English literature in Georgia,
but during the war l took a school of forty
boys TO Baltimore. There was at Balti-
more in 1870 a periodical called The South
ern Magazine. The first nine of my Duke
borough Tales were contributed to that
magazine. These fell into the hands of
the editor of Harper's, who asked me what
/ got for them / said, Not a cent and
he wanted to know why l had not sent
them TO him. 'NeeIus Peeler's Conditions
was the first story for which got pay. 1t
was published in The Century over the
signature of Philemon Perch
DIR Holland told Mr.. Glider to tell that
man to write under his own name, adding
that he himself had made a mistake III
writing under a pseudonym. Sidney Lanier
urged me TO write, and said that if would
do so he would get the matter in print for
me- So he took 'Neelus Peeler's COndi-
tions,' and it brought me $50. | think he
was more greatly rejOiced over the money
than l was, and I'm not a man TO turn my
back on $50. ! was at first really sur prised
that my stories were considered of any
value, either in a literary or pecuniary
way. l am little surprised yet. with
drew from teaching about six years ago,
and since that time have devoted myself to
authorship.
Il have never put a word in my books"
continued Col. Johnston, that | have not
heard the people use, and very few that
have not used myself. Powelton, Ga, is
my Dukeborough. | was born fourteen
miles from there, and the road leading
down to that place was a rough one. The
first Of the 'Dukeborough Tales was the
'Goosetown School OF the female char
acters that | have created. Miss Doolana
Lines il my favorite, while MIR. Bill Will
Jams Is my favorite among the male char
acters / started Doolaua to make her
mean and stingy like her father, but /
hadn't written page before she wrenched
herself out Of my hands. She said to me,
L am a woman, and you shall not make
me mean, and then she just made herself,
and she was like her mother.
These stories are all Of Georgia as 1t
was before the war. In the hill country
the institution of slavery was very differ
ent from what il was in the rice region or
near the coast. Do you know the Georgia
negro has five times the sense Of the South
Carolina negro? Why? Because be has
always been near his master; their rela-
tons are closer. Ny fathers negroes loved
him and he loved them, and IL negro
child died upon the place my mother wept
for it.
Some tine ago went TO the old place,
and an old negro came eight miles-walked
all the way-to see me. He got 10 the
house before o'clock in the morning and
opened the shutters while / WAS asleep.
With a cry be rushed into the room. On,
Iassa Dick We cried in each others
arms We had been boys together. one
Of Iny slaves Is now a bishOp-BishOp Lu-
Gus Holsey. Heisone OF the most eloquent
men IN Georgia and lives il Aggusta-" -
Indianapolis News.