Los Angeles herald., 1891-05-08
THE LITERARY WORLD.
will Colonel John Hay Write Novel
Dealing with Political Life?
Especial Correspondence


Dealing with Political Life?
Especial Correspondence.l
NEW YORK, April 20.-Mr. r. w. Glider.
who is the editor of The Century Maga-
zine and an intimate friend of Colonel
John Hay, is reported recently to have said
that the claim of a clergyman of Cleveland
that he wrote the novel, ''The Bread Win
ners," cannot be maintained by him. Mr..
Glider declares that he knows who did
write 1.-The Bread Winners" and, although
he is not permitted to mention the name
vet the interview with him confirms the
general suspicion that this famous novel
was written by Colonel John Hay.
Colonel Hay is reported variously. Some
friends of his say that he has denied the
authorship of the work, while Others de-
clare that he has confessed it. Literary
men who have made close study of the
book assert that it bears internal evidences
of Colonel Hays workmanship, and that
some indications are also to be found
which suggest that another person may
also have had hand in the work. One of
the ablest editors in New York has said in
private that it is his opinion the story was
first conceived and the manuscript pre-
pared by person unknown to fame, and
this person took it to Colonel Hay, who re-
vised it and rewrote so much of it that it
may honorably be claimed as his work.
1t is doubtful, perhaps, whether the
mystery will ever be cleared up any more
satisfactorily than the authorship of the
Saxe-Holm stories, which, when published
a few years ago. made almost as great a lit
erary sensation as did the short stories of
Bret Harte when they first appeared.
If Colonel Hay wrote "The Bread Win
ners" he certainly must have been busy
man. The story was written at a time
when Colonel Hay was very busy with the
finishing touches upon the life of Abra-
ham Lincoln. This life, written in col
laboration with Marshall Nicolay, entailed
a prodigious amount of work. The ma
terial which Colonel Hay and Major Nico-
lay had collected while they were private
secretaries to President Lincoln was enor-
nous, and had been vastly increased in the
fifteen years after Lincoln's death, during
which they were engaged in the prelimi-
nary work of compilation. So that, if
Colonel Hay wrote 1.-The Bread Winners"
he did so while he was also engroSsed in
one of the most stupendous biographies
ever written.
Colonel Hay has extraordinary literary
elasticity, so to speak While engaged in
the most serious of literary work he was
able to find recreation and rest in penning
an editorial or in writing brief and semi
humorous essay or poem or sketch. 1t may
have been that in this way he put the fin
ishing touches upon ''The Bread Winners"
In literary circles in New York rumor
has been heard for some time that as soon
as Colonel Hay finishes some business en-
gagements which occupy his time he will
undertake the writing of book which,
while not exactly fiction or romance, will
nevertheless undertake to portray certain
business and political types with which his
experience has made him very familiar.
Nobody now living in Washington would
be more competent to give us in counter
felt accurate and delightful types of the
men who were prominent in governmental
affairs. Although Colonel Hay appears to
the superficial glance to be rather stern
and unsympathetic person, yet he is really
possessed of the keenest sense of humor,
and if he were to draw some of the dis
tinctive types who make life in the Amer
ican capital so picturesque we should be
sure to have some delightful sketches.
Colonel Hays friends have hoped that he
would undertake to write a novel of Amer
lean political life as it is developed in
Washington, and many of them have urged
him to do so. Mr. Blaine has told his
friends that from Colonel Hays pen we
could get what no one in recent years has
ever been able to draw, and that is a faith
full and easily recognized type of the true
American politician. Colonel Hay would
not make the atrocious blunders which
characterize a novel purporting to repre-
sent political life in Washington, and which
was called Democracy" Some of the in
cidents written in that novel were mon
strously ridiculous. For instance, the presi-
dent elect was represented as selecting his
cabinet Immediately upon his arrival in
Washington and holding a cabinet meet
ing although he was not yet inaugurated,
nor was his cabinet officers confirmed by
the senate. And the book was full of blum
ders, so that, though it was accepted in
England as a perfect picture of political
life, it caused nothing but amusement in
circles familiar with such life.
There are some indications that Colonel
Hay is almost tempted to make the effort,
and it will be red letter day in American
literature if he finally determines to do so.
The success of ''The Bread Winners"
brought out n number of books of a SINH
lar purpose. Inc nOSC SUCCESSFUL OF UneSe
was the one entitled "The MoneF Makers"
which was published anonymously, but
the authorship of which was at last traced
to Henry f. keenan,. Mr.. keenan, has just
written a new book called "The Iron
Came" and in some respects it is the most
spirited and delightful of his novels. Mr..
keenan, was for many years a journalist of
ability, but he abandoned that profession,
I 1
erature, and has even quilted the excite
ments of the city and is living in the re-
tirement of Pennsylvania town, SO that
his attention may not be distracted in any
way from his literary work. Some of the
critics expect to see a really great work of
fiction from his pen. E. j. EDWARDS.
Willing to Change.
A rf