The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-09-04
WRITER'S OF FICTION.
Kipling, Jerome, Stevenson.
Caine and Meredith.
NEW STARS IN ENGLISH SKY.
Their Lives and Methods Of Work-The
Two Greatest story-TeIlers Not
Yet Past Thirty Years.

LONDON, Aug. 17.-[Special Correspond
ence. The brilliant author of idle
Thoughts" "Three Men in Boat" etc,
and the pretty plays barbara" and "Sun-
Set" Jerome K. Jerome, is quite a young
man-only 50 years old-and a man, con-
sidering his sudden leap to fame. of singu-
lar and exceptional modesty. His reputa-
ton dates from but few years back. but
Mr.. Jerome has literally been a writer
since he was baby. He says himself he
thinks he wrote stories when A years old.
He did actually write play which was
produced with great applause before
select audience when he was only 10 years
old.
He lives in charming house in Chelsea,
whose windows command lovely view of
the gardens, the river and the trees of Bat
tersea park in the distance, and he is happy
in the possession of a wife and child. So
fortune has conferred on him her dearest
favors at an early age.
Mr.. Jerome's ways Of working are some
what irregular and underlined. He tells
me he thinks he does not average more
than 200 or 300 words day, in the way of
composition, but then in his long rows up
the river, his walks in the streets and
parks, and his solitary moments while
smoking in his quaint little study (hlled
to all corners with delightful sketches by
his artist friends, bric-a-brac and quaint
old carven cabinets), he is always thinking
ing, plotting and constructing dialogue,
so that the tale or play is actually built up
and ready before he puts pen to paper.
But that latter part of construction he
hates, and candidly owns that even when
he was connected with the Observer he put
off the production of an article until it
actually had to be done.
Yet he gets out good deal of work, and
he differs happily from many well-known
authors in that he does not believe in pro.
ducing mere rubbish. simply because some
enterprising magazine or weekly news
paper offers him so much down "for any
thing" He has the courage to resist the
monetary temptation.
l asked him if he thought 300 words
day good work.
"Well!" he said. quite Mortified, 81 think
it would deserve a weeks holiday"
The coming dramatist, as many call
him, lives but short time in the year in
London. He spends as much of the
warmer weather as is possible in Cumber-
land, Scotland, or by the sea roaming,
dreaming and thinking. The Americans
have perhaps estimated his coming value
better than Englishmen, for Mr. Frohman,
the well-known New York manager, has
already engaged him for two plays. and
Mr.. Jerome has also, I believe, contracted
to write two books.
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.
Before the publication of what many
think his chef d'euvre "Dr. Jekyl and Mr..
HYDE" the features of Robert Louis Stew
enson were not so well known as they are
today. The thin face, the thoughtful
eyes, the long hair, are now familiar
enough. In spite of the disease against
which he wages long and almost hope
less fight, Mr.. Stevenson succeeds in get
ting through with large amount of work.
From his new home in Apia, Samoa,
(where he goes about with naked feet, and
wears the wreath of native chief, he re-
mits pretty regularly wealth of manu-
script TO England. His letters from the
islands are perhaps the best literary fea-
ture of the new weekly, Black and White.
His short story the Bottle Imp" and his
new novel, now nearly completed, are
descriptive of the strange scenes and man.
ners among his outiandish neighbors.
He has announced his intention of never
again returning to England nor to his
dearly loved native hills of Scotland,
where, while lad, he imbibed, as did Sir
Walter Scott, the healthy spirit of ro-
nance, which is the chief charm of his
work Perhaps for his health's sake he
will not. and besides he has his nearest
with him in the Pacific, for where he is
his wife and his mother will remain also.
For many years, too, he will find near at
hand material sufficient to furnish him
with plot and scene for novel, essay.