The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1892-09-18

make an interesting study. One day she
WAS answering a letter of a lady whose
daughter was visiting Miss Wilkins. The
daughter CHANGED to ooh over her hostess
shoulder and was amazed to see how much
her penmanship looked like that of the per-
son to whom she was writing.
"Why.' said she, that is mammals writ
ing"
Didn't you know it was her letter."
But mean your writing is just like
mamma's.'
so it was, and not at all like Miss Will
kins' natural chirograrhy. yet she was
wholly unconscious Of any attempt at I'M
tation. Afterward, on watching herself.
she found that she initiated not only the
handwriting of her correspondents, but
their literary style as we'll. Some years
ago. when she was a young girl, she wrote 4
story in competition for a $50 prize offered
shadow Family" won the prize. but Miss
Wilkins new wishes she had mover written
it. for abe says she can trace in it's style the
direct influence Of Dickens, whom she was
reading very constantly at the time.
so vivid is her imagination that whom
thing. as, for example, a bit of landscape,
she sees the picture before her and IS apt
to ask, Isn't there a hill off at the riphl?"
or, Seems to me there ouoht to be n dunn
Of trees ever at the left?" Miss wilkins
frat successful! story, '"Two Old Lovers"
hal a hard time Of it. She sent it first to
Lippincotts, and it was returned with a
note from the editor. presumably telling
her why be could not accept it. But since
Miss Wilkins has never cen able to de-
cipher the editors note. she does not vet
know what was the the matter with the
story. Then IL went to the Century, then
to the Atlantic. and finally to Harper's
RHZArr WhQya Mian Roofh lr1Lod 80 ~.
schoolgirl manusc ipt and laid it aside to
DO taken mp when she had more time to
spare, for shs was not fAvornbly impressed
by the childish looking 90 ipt. When she
did hnd time to read it, however. she &C.
copied 1t, and it bsoame the first stone in
tho foundation of its authors fame.
Miss wilkins works ystematics!l She
sets herself a daily task of a Thousand
words. and usually acoomplishes it, some
times IN the almost inc edible space Of
70 ty minutes, but often in hours OF ha d
tugR1nQ. When she is nearing the end of n
stO' y she becomes impatient to complete it,
AT auch times she laws aside he rule and
writes many more than the allotted thou
sand words.
She IL wonderfully susceptible to sur
rouhdlnRa. The . are many houses in
which She cannot wiite at all, though in
the old fashioned, straight lined, square
roomed house in Randolph, Mass. where
she does most Of hsr work, she can write in
any one of the three loomss he occupies,
and has a desk in each. When her pom be-
gus to lag she goes into another room, md
this slight change Of surroundings usually
sets her mind to going again.
The main idea OF a story is always clearly
defined in Miss wilkins mimi before she
begins to write it. but she cannot SUPPLY
any of the details until she takes up her
pen.
Her subjects for stories ara suggested by
tho IDerest hints. Any little incident OF
unsslishness or Of suffe ing, seen by her OF
related to her, 10 likely to touch the sprinr
OF her ssnsibilitiss aud become the III olive
of one Of her beautiful, simple little
stories.
Jane Field" now running In Harper's,
ID Miss wilkins nrst long story.