The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1892-11-18

NEW YORK, Nov. 5.-In one of Tho
greater secondhand book stores in New
York city, an establishment which has on
Its shelves sometimes as many as %. O1O
DOCKS, one department is partitioned off for
what may be called the forgotten heroes OF
literature. Here can be found in we'll worn
covers some of the novels over which fic-
ton lovers Of generation ago and more
fingered with as much enthusiasm and de-
light us are bestowed upon any novels of
the present day.
The writer, looking ut this literary ceme-
terry, as it might be called. was reminded
OF some authors of whom, when their
DOCKS appeared, the promise of great
achievements seemed to be justified In
one corner two or three volumes bearing
the title Among the Pines" were seen
The books had evidently been read and
reread, and tho proprietor said that occa-
slonally customer would call for this
once famous book. When it appeared in
inc days OF the civil war it caused n genu-
Inc literary sensation. Under the nom de
plume of Edmund Kirke Mr. Gilmore had
written something which in even those ex-
citing days was talked about almost as
much rs battles
To-day Mr.. Gilmore is hartlworking
eultor associated with monthly maya
zine. Like so many others who have made
not maintain the reputation which that
book obtained in his subsequent works.
Mr.. Gilmore tried real estate, the banking
business and has ut last settled down
into very competent but of course to the
public obscure editor.
On another shelf two copies of u novel
entitled "NIiss Ravcnel's Convcrsionn were
offered for sale. OF this book so great n
critic as w. ID. Howells had said words of
tTrl, 4
est, 1T was believed, had in him the capacity
to produce Il work of fiction which would
gain rs great u popularity rs anything any
American author has written Major De
Forest and his book, however, are now for
gotten. lie is-or was short time ago
getting such enjoyment out of travel rs is
possible, believing that the time has passed
when an American writer can maintain
himself with works Of fiction.
On another shelf were quite number of
novels, all by tho same author, A. S. Roe.
That name TO the present generation sux-
gests no more than any name selected Mt
haphaZard out of n city directory might
mean. Yet just before the civil war Mr..
Roe was ono of the most popular of Ameri-
can authors. He wrote eight or ten novels,
not very profound, highly moral and proper
IN their tendency and always containing
delightful love story. His books sold al
most rs well as did those of the late Rev.
Il. p. Roe, who was no relative of the ear
lier writer of that name. Evidences were
seen that j.. p. Roe, some of whose books
Il dozen years ago sold more than 100000
copies, is almost forgotten On the shelves
or TINS book store were many of his works
and the demand for them now is very slight,
Two or three somewhat tattered books.
each bearing the name Fashion and Fam
Inc" were seen in this collection of forgot
| ten authors and every now and then some
one goes to that store asking for this work.
1t was written by Mrs. Ann S Stephens
who was quite as well known in her day ms
Mrs. Cruger or Miss Wilkins is TODAY.
"Fnshion and Famine" was an event in the
publishing world when it came out, and
some OF those who are elderly matrons now
speak with delight OF their recollections of
their feeling when they read that book.
On one Shelf were Il number of the sec
ondhand books which had remarkable
popularity just before the war period.
They were the Rollo and Franconin stories
of Jacob Abbott. He was by long odds the
most popular writer for the Young, and
men who arc now beginning to turn gray,
many of whom have achieved prominence
and won successes, remember with what
delight they read these Rollo stories as
they came quite rapidly from the press.
MIR. Abbott and his brother, John S. c.
Abbott whose Life of Napoleon" was n
popular book, were among the few men
who were able to make comfortable in
come and to gain something of fortune by
literary work Il generation ago
In one of the congress districts in New
York state Z gentleman named Beadle was
n candidate for the nomination of his party
for congress this fall. This Mr. Bcadle
lived in Coopcrstown, and is Il man of con-
siderable wealth. He made his fortune i'm
the publication of Il cheap weekly issue of
novel. and while Bcadle, the politician,
may be known to very few of those who
take an interest in public affairs, Beadles
dime novels arc known by name at least to
almost every person who reads 1t was
the fashion to speak slighuingly of these
novels, and yet Mark Twain has said that
some of them We're stories worthy of q
, masters pen.
Mr. Bcadle's name suggests thet of a
writer who perhaps earned more with the
pen of adventuresome fiction than any
| other writer, English or American. Mr..
Beadle used to publish good many of the
stories of the late l.. II. G. Judson, whose
earnings at times were rs much as $40 coca
year A few of Judson's stories are now
to be found i'll the secondhand bool, stores,
all of them written over the nom de plume
of Ned Buntline. lie is almost forgot
ten now. He was Il remarkable genius.
who il he had been willing to submit to
discipline, and had recognized some of the
necessary rules OF artistic workmanship.
might possibly have taken rank among
American authors almost equal to that
which Alexandra Dumas gained as a writ
err of the highest and best sort of sensa-
tional stories. AS it was, Judson's stories
had almost rs wide popularity rs Du-
mas, although they never gained for him
the respect of the critics, as Dumas sue
ceeded in securing. l.. j. EDWARDS