, 1891-02-12
HOW Ia escAMe 4 sroaY waIrgR.
Richard Malcolm Johnston Talks Of His
Care-r and EarIy Enarts.

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 10 current
mAgazibe literature. Col. JOhustou-for
he bears that title-is tall and elderly, his
hair and mustIche being white, but his
eye is clear. his manner gracious, aud he is
the most entertaining talksr, his speech
having a rich southern favor. He was
with James whitcomb Riley when the re-
porter came upon bin at the Denison
House, and that gentleman kindly gave his
assistance to draw the colonel out.
story writing" said the colonel, lis the
last thing for me IN literature, and came
to IL 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 had no Idea Of
story writing for money. Two or three
stories OF mine found their way into papers
before / left Georgia"
When WAS Abraham BillingSlea' writ
temp inquired Mr.. Riley.
"Oh that Is recent-only three years ago.
I went to Baltimore In 1871. had been 4
professor Of English literature In Georgia,
but during the war ! took u school Of forty
BOYS 70 Baltimore. There was at Ba!ti-
more iu 1870 a periodical called The South
cru Magazine. The Urst uine Of my Duke
borough Tales were contributed to that
magaziue. These fell into the hands Of
-taa-editur of Hhrper's, who asked me what
IEat Tor them. ] said, Not a cent aud
he wanted to kno why | Ind not sent
them to him Nrc,us Peeler's Conditions
was tuc frst story fOf which | got pay. 1t
WIS published In The Century over the
signature of Philemon Perch
DIR. Holland told Mr.. Glider TO tell that
man 10 write under his own name adding
That he himself had made Il mistake in
writing underu p~seudouym. Sidney Lanier
urged me TO write, and said that II l would
do - he would get the MISTER in print for
mo. SO he took 'NCeluS Preler's COndi-
Liois. and 1t brought me ESQ, | think he
was more greatly rrJOiced over the money
than I was, AID Pm not y man to turn my
back on SO. I WINS ut frst really surprised
tin; ma stories were considered Of any
witt. either in Il literary or %pecuniary
Way am a little surprised yet. I with
drew i.on teaching ubDut six years ago.
aud si.cc that time have devoted myself to
authorship
Il have never put II word in my books"
continued Col Johnston. that | have not
beard the people use, and very few that I
have not used myself. Puwclton, Ga, is
my Dukeborough | was born fourteen
miles from there, AMI tie road leading
down to TINT place was a rough one. The
first Of the 'Dukeborough Tales was the
'GoosetOwn School OF the female char
acters that | have created, Aliss Doolana
Lines IS my favorite, while Mr.. BIZ Will
Hnts IS my ~fayoritc among the male char
actcrs. / started DOolhua 70 make her
mean and sting, lie her father, but |
hhdu't written "A page before she wrenched
herself out OF my hands. She said TO me,
1 am Il 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 rs IL
was before the war, In the hill country
the institution Of slavery WAS very differ
emit from what it 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' Whyt Because he has
always been near his master, their rela.
tions are closer. My fathers negroes loved
him and he loved them, and IL Il negro
child died upon the place my mother wept
for IL.
Some time ago | went to the old place,
and hn old negro came eight miles-walked
all the way-to see me. lie got to the
house before 5 o'clock in the morning, and
opened the shutters while | was asleep.
With "a cry he rushed into the room. Oh,
AInssa Dlckr We cried ia each others
arms. We had been boys together. One
OF my slaves is now Il bishop-Bishop Lu-
cius Holsey. H~eisone OF the most eloquent
men in Georgia and lives in Augusta, -
indianapolis News.